Guangjiao Temple (simplified Chinese: 广教寺; traditional Chinese: 廣教寺; pinyin: Guǎngjiào Sì) is a Buddhist temple located in Xuanzhou District, Xuancheng, Anhui, China. Alongside Huacheng Temple, Cuifeng Temple and Kaihua Temple, it is honoured as the "Four Famous Buddhist Temples in Anhui". It was first built in the Tang dynasty by a prominent Chan master Huangbo Xiyun, and went through many changes and repairs through the following dynasties. Most of the present structures in the temple were repaired or rebuilt between 2004 and 2006.
| Guangjiao Temple | |
|---|---|
广教寺 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Buddhism |
| Deity | Chan Buddhism |
| Location | |
| Location | Xuanzhou District, Xuancheng, Anhui |
| Country | China |
  Shown within China | |
| Geographic coordinates | 30°58′20″N 118°45′24″E / 30.972166°N 118.756792°E |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Chinese architecture |
| Founder | Huangbo Xiyun |
| Date established | 849 |
| Completed | 2006 (reconstruction) |
History
editThe temple was built by an accomplished Chan master Huangbo Xiyun in 849 in the region of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang dynasty (618–907).
In the reign of Emperor Taizong (976–997) of the Song dynasty (960–1279), the emperor gave a set of Buddhist sutras to the temple. Mei Yaochen and Su Shi paid religious homage to the temple.
In the Kangxi period (1662–1722) of the Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Shitao resided in Guangjiao Temple, where he preached Buddhism and drew paintings.
In 1937, after the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out, Guangjiao Temple was completely destroyed in the war with only the Twin Pagodas remaining.
Reconstruction of Guangjiao Temple commenced in 2004 and was completed in 2006.
Architecture
editGuangjiao Temple occupies a building area of 20,000 square metres (220,000 sq ft) and the total area including temple lands, forests and mountains is over 86,000 square metres (930,000 sq ft). The extant buildings include the Shanmen, Four Heavenly Kings Hall, Mahavira Hall, Hall of Ksitigarbha, Drum tower, Bell tower, Buddhist Texts Library and two pagodas.
Twin Pagodas
editThe Twin Pagodas (双塔) were first built in 1096 under the Song dynasty and underwent two renovations, respectively in 1989 and 2014. In 1956, the Twin Pagodas were inscribed as provincial key cultural units by the Anhui Provincial Government. In January 1988, the Twin Pagodas were listed among the third batch of "Major National Historical and Cultural Sites in Anhui" by the State Council of China.[1][2][3][4][5]
The seven-story, 17-metre-tall (56 ft), tetragonal-based Twin Pagodas are made of brick and stone.
References
edit- ^ 广教寺双塔再展“新颜” 专家鉴别：我国现存唯一宋代双塔. Tencent (in Chinese). 2015-01-28. Archived from the original on 2018-05-15. Retrieved 2018-05-15.
- ^ 国务院关于公布第三批全国重点文物保护单位的通知. sach.gov.cn (in Chinese). 1988-01-13. Archived from the original on 2014-10-08. Retrieved 2018-05-15.
- ^ 宣城·广教寺双塔(图). 163.com (in Chinese). 2016-05-26.
- ^ 世世代代的守护 千年沧桑宣城广教寺双塔. iFeng (in Chinese). 2015-06-18.
- ^ 中国现存唯一宋代双塔修缮完毕 发现宋朝建筑遗存. Chinanews (in Chinese). 2015-01-30.