Zilu asked for information at that time, and he talked about his husband all over the world. If we meet each other like this, there will be more spring breeze and spring again. ——Song Dynasty Cuiyan Kezhen's "Zi Lu Wen Lv" [Geographical Location] Jingju Temple is located in Ji'an

Zilu asked for information at that time and talked about it all over the world.

If we meet each other like this, there will be more spring breeze and spring again.

——Song Dynasty Cuiyan Kezhen's "Zi Lu Wen Lv"

[Geographical Location] Jingju Temple is located in Ji'an City, Jiangxi Province. It was first built in the first year of Shenlong of the Tang Dynasty (705 AD). It was originally named "An Temple". In the fourth year of Song Chongning (1105), it was changed to Jingju Temple, which is still in use today.

[Temple History] Jingju Temple was developed from the "Anyin Temple" in Tang Dynasty . It occupies an extremely important position in the history of Chinese Buddhism. The founder, eminent monk of the Tang Dynasty, and the originator of the Qingyuan sect of Zen Buddhism (Caodong, Yunmen, and Fayan sects), Zen Master Yixingsi (posthumous name Hongji) was born in Anfu County, Ji'an area. He had wisdom since childhood. He became a monk at the age of 8 and worshiped the Six Phases. Xingsi, the seventh ancestor of Zen Buddhism, was born in Luling (now Ji'an), Shaozhou (now Shaoguan, Guangdong). He received the true biography of Huineng, the sixth ancestor, at Nanhua Temple in Caoxi Mountain, Shaozhou (now Shaoguan, Guangdong). Shan founded a temple, gathered many monks, promoted Buddhism, and developed into the Qingyuan Dharma system of the Southern Sect of Zen Buddhism, which is one of the two major Dharma systems of the Southern Sect.

Later it developed into Caodong, Yunmen, and Fayan, and its influence spread to North Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asian countries. At that time, this temple became an extremely important Buddhist temple in southern my country. Among them, those who created its secrets and spread its heart sect include Zen Master Xiqian Shitou of Hengshan, Zen Master Yaoshan Yi, Zen Master Tiantai Shaoguo, Zen Master Qingliangqiu, and Zen Master Yongmingshou. As a result of their various developments, the Qingyuan sect was finally formed - the three sects of Caodong, Yunmen and Fayan. "The flower blooms with five leaves, and the fruit will come naturally", and "The quality of Luling rice will be passed down to future generations for guessing" has become a legend through the ages. In the Song Dynasty, Jingju Temple was not as prosperous as when 's Seventh Patriarch was alive, but "the place is worthy of its name", it still has a strong attraction. During the period of the Southern Song Dynasty, it was spread to Japan, and people from various countries in South Asia also came to Qingyuan to pay homage.

80% of the Buddhist disciples in the Japanese Buddhist community now belong to the Chinese Soto Sect . The founder of their refuge, Zen Master Xiqian Shitou, is the eminent monk of Zen Master Xingsi. With their devotion to the Seventh Patriarch, the monks came to Jingju Temple many times to worship the Seventh Patriarch. Among them, Japanese Buddhist scholars and professors from Komazawa University, Hanazono University, and Kyoto University, Shiina Hiroo, Yanagida Shozan, and Enmichi Yukion, etc. have led the "Japanese Zen Buddhism Historical Site Tour" to visit ancestors and worship here. Ying Yingfeng, the abbot of Japan's Zen Yinglong Temple, and Liang Bian, the abbot of Xingguo Temple , have led Japanese monks many times to advocate for the restoration of "the pagoda where the seventh ancestor of the Tang Dynasty, Hongji Zhongshi, returned to his true form".

[Architectural style] The magnificent Jingju Temple is surrounded by shade and has a quiet environment. The three characters "Qingyuan Mountain" on the temple door are written by Wen Tianyang himself. On the central axis, there are the mountain gate, the main hall and the Pilu Pavilion. The stone carvings of poems embedded on the walls on both sides of the Main Hall are the works of Song Dynasty poet Huang Tingjian . The four King Kongs, the Eighteen Arhats, Guanyin, Wei Tuo, etc. in the hall are lifelike. The hall is surrounded by pools, connected by arch bridges; the wings on both sides are seats for chanting Buddha's name. The wooden buildings in the temple are carved with dragons, phoenixes, birds and animals, all of which are lifelike.

Behind Jingju Temple, there are green mountains and towering ancient trees. The Seventh Patriarch Pagoda where Xingsi’s true body is buried is located near the back of Jingju Temple. It was built by decree in the 29th year of Kaiyuan of the Tang Dynasty (741 AD). It is inscribed as “the pagoda where Zen Master Hongji, the Seventh Patriarch of the Tang Dynasty, returned to his true form.”

[Historical value] According to the records of Qingyuan Mountain, the great calligrapher Yan Zhenqing , the famous prime minister Jiang Gongfu , the famous minister Duan Chengshi in the Tang Dynasty, Huang Tingjian, Xiang Minzhong , Yang Wanli , Zhou Bida, Li Gangh in the Song Dynasty tml3, Wen Tianxiang , Yuan Dynasty Wu Cheng , Ming Dynasty Li Dongyang , Chen Ruoshui, Wang Shouren , Wu Shou Yi, Xie Jin, Fang Yizhi, Shi Runzhang, Emperor Qianlong, Weng Fanggang in the Qing Dynasty, and figures in the Republic of China Liu Zhi, Shangguan Yunxiang, Gu Zhutong all visited Jingju Temple successively, and some even wrote poems and left words to express their yearning. The great monk Jianzhen of the Tang Dynasty, Zen Master Weixin of the Song Dynasty, and Master Xiaofeng of the Ming Dynasty also lived in Xiqingyuan.With its special status, Jingju Temple has played an important role in the history of Chinese Buddhism. In 1983, Jingju Temple was listed as one of the 142 key temples in the country by the State Council.