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Longxing
Temple, Hebei
(Also
known as "Huge Buddha Temple")
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Longxing
Temple lies in Zhengding country, 16 km from Shijiazhuang city in Hebei
province. Longxing Temple is one of the few big monasteries dating from
such an early period and still intact in China. It was built in the
6th year of Kaihuang period, Sui Dynasty (586 AD). Zhao Kuangyin, the
first emperor, ordered a huge bronze statue of Goddess of Mercy to be
cast, 21.3 metres high, and the Pavillion of Great Benevolence was built
to house it. Then the temple was enlarged, thus establishing the layout
and scope of the temple as it is today. The temple was repaired in Jin,
Yuan and Ming Dynasties. In the Qing Dynasty, the temple was rebuilt
on the order of Kangxi and Qianlong. In the 49th year of the Kangxi
period, the temple was given its present name, Longxing Temple. The
Longxing Temple now covers an area of 82,500 square metres with its
main buildings stretching from south to north, which is typical of a
temple of the Song Dynasty.
The temple consists of the Hall of Heavenly Kings, Hall of Manichaean,
Buddhist altar, Pavilion of Kindness, Pavillion of Zhuanlunzang, Pavillion
of Great Benevolence, and Hall of Amitabha, The buildings to the East
are residences for the monks.The buildings from the Song Dynasty still
surviving include the Hall of Heavenly Kings, Hall of Manichaean, Pavillion
of Kindness, and Pavillion of Zhuanlunzang. Though they were rebuilt
several times, they still retain the style of the Song Dynasty. There
are also a vast amounts of art treasures such as upright stone tablets,
sculpture and paintings. It provides important evidence of the development
of ancient Chinese architecture and culture.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the government
devoted much attention to the protection and management of Longxing
temple. In 1953, a special unit was set up in charge of the preservation
of cultural relics. In 1961 the State Council proclaimed Longxing temple
a national protected cultural site. Many scientific restorations of
the temple have been carried out - although there is still some evidence
of a need for the odd coat of paint to protect the woodwork and preserve
the exquisite colouring under the eaves and the ceilings of some buildings.
The gardens, on the other hand are immaculate and a credit to the staff.
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