When traveling to Luoyang , in addition to Longmen Grottoes , a must-see place is naturally White Horse Temple .
White Horse Temple is a bit far away from Luoyang city, but it is well worth a visit. After all, this is the legendary "No. 1 Ancient Temple in China". If you are interested in Buddhist history and culture, this temple is not to be missed.
White Horse Temple was founded in 68 AD and has a history of more than 1,900 years. It is the first government-run temple built after Buddhism was introduced to China. The first monk who came to China from India lived here in Zen. The reason why
is called "White Horse Temple" must be related to the white horse. It is said that Emperor Han Ming had a dream one night about a shining golden man flying from the west. After waking up, Emperor Han Ming "felt his dream and asked for Dharma" and sent people to ancient Tianzhu (now India) to seek Dharma. People who went to seek Buddhism happened to meet the eminent monks Shemo Teng and Zhu Falan from Tianzhu on their way west, so they invited them to come to Han. Finally, the group returned to Luoyang carrying the scriptures on their white horses. Hence, the name of White Horse Temple came from this.
The White Horse Temple plays an extremely important role in the history of Buddhism. After Buddhism was introduced to China, it also spread here and spread to North Korea, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and other countries. Therefore, the White Horse Temple is also called " The Patriarch's Garden" and the place of "Shiyuan". On the existing ancient inscriptions in Baima Temple, you can also see the words "Zuting" or "Shiyuan".
White Horse Temple is one of the first batch of national cultural relics protection units and a 4A-level scenic spot. The ticket price is 35 yuan/adult.
As soon as you enter the temple gate, you will see the "stepping lotus".
It was not the peony blooming season when we went there. It is said that if it catches the peony blooming season, the peony garden in the White Horse Temple will be especially beautiful. Of course, this is also a matter of chance.
Although Baima Temple is not located in a busy city, it still attracts many devout believers to pray for blessings. This is a photo I took in 2017. At that time, there was still a world where wearing masks was not required. Looking back now, it really feels like a lifetime ago.
Jieyin Hall was first built in the Ming Dynasty. It was destroyed by a fire during the Tongzhi period of the Qing Dynasty. It is a hard-mounted building.
Qingliangtai is the earliest scripture translation dojo in my country. It is said that this was the first place where Emperor Han Ming studied when he was a child. Later, the Indian eminent monks She Moteng and Zhu Falan came to Luoyang and were arranged to live here, translate scriptures and spread teachings.
Baima Temple is quite big. If you are tired from walking, you can sit in Zhiyu Tea House.
The outside of the teahouse is surrounded by greenery, and inside it is a simple and relaxing style, quite Zen-like.
There is another special thing about Baima Temple - it is the only international temple in the world with Buddhist temples in the styles of China, Thailand, India and Myanmar. Not far from the traditional temple buildings, there are buildings with a Southeast Asian style, which give people a sense of time travel.
Because White Horse Temple plays an important role in the history of Buddhism and is a holy place for Buddhists from all over the world to worship, the governments of Myanmar, Thailand, and India have funded the construction of Buddhist temples in White Horse Temple.
At first glance, you would really think that you have been transported to Southeast Asia in an instant.
In the temple, I met Peony who was about to fail. If you come during its best season, you may be able to capture its more vigorous moment. However, flowers blooming and falling are all part of the flow of time.
The Qiyun Pagoda in the White Horse Temple is the oldest existing building on the ground in Luoyang and one of the few remaining relics of the Jin Dynasty in the Central Plains. Qiyun Tower was first built in 69 AD by Emperor Ming of Han Dynasty. The brick tower we see today is roughly a legacy of the 12th century, 1970s and 1980s.
I found that Chinese characters are really vivid. For example, the name "Qiyun Tower". Just hearing the name, you know that it is "aligned with the clouds" and towers into the clouds.
I didn’t stay at White Horse Temple for long. I only stayed for half a day, coming and going in a hurry, just looking around. The city of Luoyang is indeed worth spending time to wander around slowly, slow down and feel the historical accumulation and cultural traces that permeate the blood vessels of this city.
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