In the ancient temple in a small mountain village in Shanxi, there is a thousand-year-old female bodhisattva with a fragrance

In Buddhist classics, there are many stories about ordinary people becoming Buddha. For example, the butcher puts down the butcher knife and becomes a Buddha on the spot. Some eminent monks of Taoism passed away and became bodhisattva . And in an ancient temple in a small mountain village in Shanxi, there is also a bodhisattva in flesh, but it was a 16-year-old girl who became a Buddha. Rumor has it that this thousand-year-old female bodhisattva still exudes fragrance. Where is this female bodhisattva? Baku Shijun will come to introduce you to everyone.

The history of Huiji Temple

　　 As we all know, Buddhism is not a native religion of China, but an imported product. It was introduced to China roughly during the period of Emperor Han Ming. During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the development of Buddhism flourished, and there was once a grand occasion of "480 temples in the Southern Dynasties, how many buildings are in the mist and rain". Although Taoism was regarded as the state religion in the Tang Dynasty, Buddhism flourished in the Tang Dynasty through the promotion of Master Xuanzang and the support of Wu Zetian. Therefore, there are still many temples of the Tang Dynasty that have been preserved in China. The Huiji Temple in Yuanping County, Shanxi is a Tang dynasty temple.

Gate Tower

　　 Huiji Temple is located in Lianjiagang Village, Zhongyang Township, northeast of Yuanping City. It was built in the Tang Dynasty and rebuilt in the Song Dynasty. It was repaired during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The whole temple is composed of the mountain gate, the Manjusri Hall, the bell tower, Garan Hall , Great Buddha Hall and the East and West Gallery. When came to the gate, everyone could clearly see a bell tower with three big characters "Huiji Temple" written on a plaque with gold characters on a blue background.

Manjusri Palace

　　 After entering the temple, the Manjusri Palace is directly opposite. It has five rooms wide, three rooms and seven frames deep, and the roof is made of single-eave Xieshan top and blue-gray tube and tile roof. Under the eaves, the dougong five steps on the double high, the mouth is high and thick, and the center is threefold. Because of the unique shape of these buildings, they have high historical value. There is a big Buddha stand in the middle of the temple, on which there are colored sculptures of Manjushri, maid, guardian, and boy. There are 157 wood carvings in the wooden pavilion on both sides of the Buddha stand. These colored sculptures and wood carvings also have very high artistic value.

Free Avalokitesvara

　　 In the Cihang Hall, there is a statue of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. is different from the statues of Guanyin we usually see. This Guanyin Bodhisattva does not sit upright. This image of Guanyin Bodhisattva is the "Free Avalokitesvara". The "Du Mijin" plaque hung in the center of the Cihang Hall was made during the Guangxu period.

plaque

　　 The Great Buddha Hall was built during the Song Dynasty reconstruction. It has five rooms wide, eight rafters deep, and a single eaves resting on the top of the mountain. The statues of Buddha, Bodhisattva, threatened servant, boy, and vajra in the temple are all masterpieces of Song Dynasty statues. In the Thousand Buddha Pavilion on both sides of the Great Buddha Hall, there are 157 Song Dynasty wood carvings with fine carvings and powerful swords. In addition, the most interesting thing is the real body statue of the female bodhisattva located in the west corner of the main hall.

Statue in the hall

Statue of a female bodhisattva

　　 It is understood that this female bodhisattva, known as "Aunt Cao" by the locals, is a native of Lianjiagang Village. She has been kind-hearted and considerate since she was a child. Upon learning that the village was going to build Huiji Temple, he took the initiative to contract the work of drawing water. She gets up every day before dawn to draw water, and the water she draws is just enough for the workers to use for a day. If things go on like this, Aunt Cao is tired and sick. When the Huiji Temple was completed, she sat in the temple on the spot, and was only 16 years old at this time.

Portrait of Aunt Cao

　　 The monk in the temple, in order to express his gratitude to her,He created a statue of a bodhisattva in flesh for her and worshipped it day and night. However, due to the erosion of the years, Aunt Cao's physical body was also damaged, and the real body of the internal flesh and bones can be seen from the damaged place. Some people who went to visit said that when they approached the body, they could smell a faint fragrance. Maybe it is precisely because Aunt Cao is kind that she can become a Buddha at a young age! What legendary stories have you heard? Please leave a message in the comment area!