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11/11 CaoShanSi - CaoDong Chan/Zen's 2nd Temple
CaoShansi, 曹山寺, was established over a thousand years ago by CaoDong Chan/Zen’s founder’s disciple. In 2003 ShingLiang Fashi (Venerable) rebuilt this temple. This temple is currently being run by Bikkhunis.
Like other temples we’ve seen before, this one is also under construction. During our visit here, we were again invited to eat lunch. The volunteers and young bhikkhunis served us. Each temple has slightly different procedures for their guests. Here after we finished our meals, we left our bowls and chopsticks on the table as opposed to washing them as in the previous temples.
A very friendly German shepherd followed us all over. She played with us whenever we stopped to look around. One of her paws seemed to be have been previously injured and healed with a slight, hardly noticeable limp. I later saw another beautiful healthy husky missing a hind leg. It appears that people are leaving their injured pets here for the monastery to take care of them.
Yichun, JiangXi, China
11/11 Quiet Abode Temple of the Chan/Zen Seventh Patriarch
Jingjusi 净居寺 was built around 705 AD under another name. In 714, the temple was renamed to Anyin Si by Tang emperor. That emperor, before becoming one, had visited this temple to escape court intrigue. During the Song Dynasty in 1104AD the temple was renamed to its current name Jingjusi. The Cultural Revolution damaged or destroyed the majority of the temple.
The temple was rebuilt in mid 1980s. Upon entering the first thing we noticed is that the main hall is surround by water all around. The architecture is also very different from the other temples. The supports below the roof (think its officially called intercolumnar brackets) have painted golden dragon heads and phoenixes. These architecture are supposed to be representative of the local area.
Temples dedicated to Zunti Bodhisattva or Cundi in Sanskrit became more prevalent as we visited temple further south and southwest. See the picture below.
Toward the back of the temple complex is the Qizu Tower memorial (Qi=Seven, Zu=Patriarch) or seventh patriarch's memorial, originally built in 740AD, which houses Qizu Xingsi’s body. It was rebuilt in 1990 based on the original appearance.
742 County Rd, Qingyuan, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China, 343009
11/10 Important Crossroad Temple Youminsi saved by HK's Po Lin Monastery
First built in 503, Youminsi, 佑民寺, has been rebuilt seven times and its name was changed many times as well. It was bombed in 1912 and rebuilt in 1927, funded by a Nanchang local, Yao Jumei, who suggested to name the temple “Youminsi or Yauman Temple in Cantonese.”
During the cultural revolution this temple was mostly destroyed or utilized for other purposes. The temple grounds have been partially recovered to what it is today. A lot of land are now apartments and cannot be recovered. 90 percent of the rebuilding funds came from Hong Kong’s Po Lin Monastery. The current abbot stated that they would not have been able to rebuild without them.
This is another crossroad temple where many famous masters came and gone. Monks from all over have come to this temple, Korea, Tibet, etc. Ma Tsu, the eighth Patriarch of Chan also practiced here for over a dozen years. At that time the Chan he practiced was called Hong Zhong Chan.
No.181 Minde Rd., Donghu, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
11/10 Origin of the Caodong School (Soto Zen)
Pulichansi, 普利禅寺, was first built in Tang Dynasty over a thousand years ago. This is the original temple for Caodong School. It was recently rebuilt in 2010 and completed around 2013. This new construction also includes a divinity school.
It has traditional Tang style architecture in the temple ground and also a very modern feel. The Buddha’s sculpture is white and looks more like what you may find in Southeast Asian temples.
There were Korean writing hung on walls of certain buildings. I discovered that practitioners of Korean Caodong Zen/Chan school have come and supported in the re-building of the temple.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that the temple commemorates Late Master Nan Huai Jin. He initiated and gathered funds to renovate this temple. Master Nan is renown and was considered a modern Chinese scholar treasure in Buddhism and Taoism; he’s written many books. While I am studying with Dharma Drum Mountain as a Zen/Chan practitioner, I am also a student of Master Nan Huai Jin, though not directly.
Pulichansi, Dongshan, Tong’an, Yifeng, Jiangxi, China
11/2 - Home Temple of Mahasthamprata Bodhisattva
Mahasthamprapta, Da Shi Zhi Pusa, is one of the three main Buddha/Boddhisattvas in the Pureland universe. Often they are depicted together, with Amitaba, Buddha of the Pureland at the center, Avalokitesvara to the right and Mahasthamaprata to the left. “Home” is my layman’s description, officially it’s called the ashram of of Mahasthamaprapta. The pagoda pictured here, Zhiyun Pagoda of Langshan (the "Lang" mountain this temple is situated on), was built around 1000 years ago during the Song Dynasty to commemorate Mahasthamaprata or DaShiZhi Pusa (Chinese).
GuangJiaoSi (Si = Temple), 广教寺, was first built in 996AD by Master Sangha, has a special significance for us, the pilgrims. Firstly, we are or I am truly excited to visit thirty or so temples starting with this one. Secondly, our group is comprised of Dharma Drum Mountain monastics, volunteers (myself) and friends. Late Master Shen Yen, who founded Dharma Drum Mountain lineage, was ordained as a novice monk and studied here as a young monastic.
No.18 Lingang Rd, Langshan, Chongchuan, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
