Chengtian Temple () is a
Buddhist temple
A Buddhist temple or Buddhist monastery is the place of worship for Buddhists, the followers of Buddhism. They include the structures called vihara, chaitya, stupa, wat and pagoda in different regions and languages. Temples in Buddhism represen ...
located in
Licheng District,
Quanzhou
Quanzhou, postal map romanization, alternatively known as Chinchew, is a prefecture-level city, prefecture-level port city on the north bank of the Jin River, beside the Taiwan Strait in southern Fujian, China. It is Fujian's largest metrop ...
,
Fujian, China. Chengtian Temple is considered one of the Three Great Buddhist Temples in Quanzhou, alongside
Kaiyuan Temple and Chongfu Temple.
History
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
The temple was first built between 957 and 958 with the name of "South Chan Temple" (), under the
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907-960). It was the South Garden of
Liu Congxiao (), the Prince of Jinjiang and Jiedushi of
Qingyuan Circuit, a ruler of Quanzhou in 946-962.
Song dynasty
In 1007, in the reign of
Emperor Zhenzong of the
Song dynasty (960–1279), the emperor inscribed and honored the name "Chengtian Temple" ().
Republic of China
In 1947,
Chan master Guangqin () went to
Taiwan to disseminate
Buddhism and deliver Buddhist precepts, where he erected the Miaotong Temple, Jinhai Chan Temple, Hengguang Chan Temple, and Guangzhao Temple.
People's Republic of China
In 1966,
Mao Zedong launched the ten-year disastrous
Cultural Revolution, the
red guards ruthlessly attacked the temple, the Hall of Maitreya,
Dharma Hall
The Dharma Hall, also known as Lecture Hall, is an important building in Chinese Buddhism, Han Chinese Chan Buddhism, Buddhist temples. The Dharma Hall is the place for senior monks to preach and generally ranks right after the Mahavira Hall.
Wit ...
,
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower that contains one or more bells, or that is designed to hold bells even if it has none. Such a tower commonly serves as part of a Christian church, and will contain church bells, but there are also many secular bell tower ...
,
Drum tower, corridor, hallway, pavilions, and pagodas were destroyed. They were then converted into residential buildings and faculty.
After the
, the policy of greater
religious freedom was implemented.
Chan master Hongchuan () returned to Quanzhou and started to restore Chengtian Temple. Renovations and rebuilding to the main buildings (including
Mahavira Hall
A Mahavira Hall, usually simply known as a Main Hall, is the main hall or building in a traditional Chinese Buddhist temple, enshrining representations of Gautama Buddha and various other buddhas and bodhisattvas. It is encountered throughout ...
, Dharma Hall, Hall of Maitreya) began in 1985 and were completed in October 1990. The then President of
Buddhist Association of China,
Upāsaka Zhao Puchu attended the consecration ceremony.
Chengtian Temple was inscribed to the Quanzhou Municipal Cultural Heritage List by the Quanzhou Municipal Government in June 1961. The Stone Dhvaja of Chengtian Temple was listed among the sixth group of Fujian Provincial Historical and Cultural Sites by the
Fujian Provincial Government on May 11, 2005.
Architecture
The entire temple faces south with the
Four Heavenly Kings Hall, Hall of Maitreya, Free Life Pond,
Mahavira Hall
A Mahavira Hall, usually simply known as a Main Hall, is the main hall or building in a traditional Chinese Buddhist temple, enshrining representations of Gautama Buddha and various other buddhas and bodhisattvas. It is encountered throughout ...
,
Dharma Hall
The Dharma Hall, also known as Lecture Hall, is an important building in Chinese Buddhism, Han Chinese Chan Buddhism, Buddhist temples. The Dharma Hall is the place for senior monks to preach and generally ranks right after the Mahavira Hall.
Wit ...
, Hall of
Manjushri
Mañjuśrī (Sanskrit: मञ्जुश्री) is a ''bodhisattva'' associated with '' prajñā'' (wisdom) in Mahāyāna Buddhism. His name means "Gentle Glory" in Sanskrit. Mañjuśrī is also known by the fuller name of Mañjuśrīkumārab ...
along the central axis of the complex. On both sides are the
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower that contains one or more bells, or that is designed to hold bells even if it has none. Such a tower commonly serves as part of a Christian church, and will contain church bells, but there are also many secular bell tower ...
,
Drum tower, and corridor.
Mahavira Hall
The Mahavira Hall is five rooms wide with double-eaves gable and hip roofs. A 10th-century bronze statue of
Sakyamuni from
Ancient India is enshrined in the center of the hall.
Stone Dhvaja
The thirteen storeys and tall Stone
Dhvaja stands in front of the Hall of
Manjushri
Mañjuśrī (Sanskrit: मञ्जुश्री) is a ''bodhisattva'' associated with '' prajñā'' (wisdom) in Mahāyāna Buddhism. His name means "Gentle Glory" in Sanskrit. Mañjuśrī is also known by the fuller name of Mañjuśrīkumārab ...
. It was carved in the
Northern Song dynasty (960–1127). It is composed of a sumeru throne, a body and a
root crown. The body was engraved patterns of various flying phoenixes, lotuses, Hercules, monsters, etc.
Gallery
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chengtian Temple
Buddhist temples in Quanzhou
Buildings and structures in Quanzhou
Tourist attractions in Quanzhou
1990 establishments in China
20th-century Buddhist temples
Religious buildings and structures completed in 1990