When talking about Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, people often call him a monk and a beggar emperor, which means that he had been a monk and wanted to have a meal before becoming an emperor. When Zhu Yuanzhang was 17 years old, he went to the temple to b

Monk Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang Where is the temple where he became a monk

　　When mentioned Ming Dynasty Founding Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, people often call him a monk and a beggar emperor, which means that he had been a monk and wanted to have a meal before becoming an emperor. When Zhu Yuanzhang was 17 years old, he went to the temple to be a small boy, and later became a wandering monk, traveling around, but in fact he was begging for food. Three years later, he returned to the temple to be a monk. He joined the army and revolted three years later, and the world was defeated. In total, he had been a monk for six or seven years.

　　However, where was the temple when Zhu Yuanzhang was a monk? Volume 1 of "History of Ming Dynasty·Taizu's Original Annals ": "In the fourth year of Zhizheng, there was a drought and locust, and a great famine. Taizu was seventeen years old, and his parents and brothers died one after another, but they were poor and could not be buried. Liu Jizu, a native of the village, was buried with him, which was Fengyang Mausoleum. Taizu had no place to support him, so he entered the Huangjue Temple as a monk." Zhu Yuanzhang made himself in the Fengyang Mausoleum h The inscription of tml2 also records the painful experience and mood of becoming a monk because of poverty and no way out: "... Brothers are in a different way and mourn the distant past. The old mother of Wang family raised the cost for me, sent her son to send her to her, prepared wine and fragrance, worshiped Buddha in and out of the monk's room...." The first volume of the first volume of the first volume of " Mingtongjian " is recorded more concisely and clearly: "Taizu was seventeen years old and had nowhere to rely on, so he entered Huangjue Temple to be a monk." Historical records are basically consistent: Zhu Yuanzhang's temple was Huangjue Temple.

Huangjue Temple site

Where is Huangjue Temple?

　Ming History expert Mr. Wu Han wrote in detail in "Biography of Zhu Yuanzhang":

　　Huangjue Temple was originally called Yujue Temple, which is located on the hillside in the southwest corner of Guzhuang Village. The temple is quite large. As soon as you enter the mountain gate, there are four Vajra arranged on both sides, with a wide-eyed and angry look. There is a big belly Maitreya Buddha sitting in the middle, with a smile on her face. Behind him Weituo Bodhisattva is leaning on the demon-subduing pestle, and is a guardian of the Dharma. The second entry is the main hall, sitting Tathagata Buddha , and on both sides are Eighteen Arhats . The three entry points are the Zen hall. On the left is the Galan Palace and on the right is the Ancestor Palace Hall. ①

　　The "Ancient and Modern" written by Fengyang County Local Chronicles Office records:

　Huangjue Temple, also known as (wū) Imperial Temple, is a temple where Zhu Yuanzhang became a monk when he was young, in the village of Twenty Ying, ten miles southwest of Fengyang Prefecture City. ②

　　Historical records and experts' writings are undoubtedly clear: the temple where Zhu Yuanzhang became a monk is Huangjue Temple; Huangjue Temple is located in the current 2 Shiying Village, Fengyang County, near the original Guzhuang Village.

　However, since Zhu Yuanzhang became emperor and built Longxing Temple in the east of the Zhongdu Imperial City of Fengyang and personally wrote the "Inscription on Longxing Temple", many people later described Longxing Temple as the temple where Zhu Yuanzhang became a monk. In recent years, with the restoration and expansion of Longxing Temple, more people have advocated this. For example, some newspapers and magazines wrote when introducing Longxing Temple: "Longxing Temple is the Huangjue Temple where Zhu Yuanzhang became a monk in his early years. After Zhu Yuanzhang became emperor, he was renamed "Longxing". The temple site is at the foot of Fenghuang Mountain in the north of Fengyang City." Even when people in Fengyang introduced to people who came to Fengyang to travel, they often said that Longxing Temple is a famous Buddhist holy land, and Zhu Yuanzhang, the Ming Taizu, once served as a monk here. Even Fengyang Brewing Co., Ltd. once introduced in the product packaging box: "Fengyang Brewing Co., Ltd. was built next to the 'Longxing Ancient Temple' where Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, became a monk...." It makes people feel that Zhu Yuanzhang was a monk here.

Longxing Temple is misrepresented as "the temple where Zhu Yuanzhang was born"

　In fact, although Longxing Temple originated from Huangjue Temple, it was not restored on the former site of the original Huangjue Temple. It was completely built on its current address by Zhu Yuanzhang, and it is seven or eight kilometers away from the original Huangjue Temple. I can only say that it is a new Huangjue Temple. Regarding this point, the "Inscription on Longxing Temple" written by Zhu Yuanzhang is very clear. The beginning of the inscription says: "The temple was built here in the emperor, and it was built here for 15 miles. It was built at Kun's position, which was located at the old imperial temple." It means that the original imperial temple was not here, but a place outside this "15 miles" (Huali).

　　The Great Biography of Emperor Hongwu by Mr. Lu Jinglin has such a narrative and note:

　　It was in Jue Temple, and later it was renamed to Huang Temple, Huangjue Temple, and Longxing Temple.The note is: "The name of Yuanzhang's Buddhist temple was written by " Ming Shilu " and most of the books are recorded as Huangjue Temple. Zhu Yuanzhang wrote the "Imperial Longxing Temple Stele" (Volume 6 of "Anhui Tongzhi Jinshi Antiques") and said: Longxing Temple is 'is in the old imperial temple', and it was once called the imperial temple. Talk about moving to "Guoqi": "On September Yi Si (19th) I entered Huangjue Temple, and one was at Jue Temple'." ③

　 "The Great Biography of Emperor Hongwu" written by Mr. Chen Wutong There is also a similar narrative and note:

　One day in September. Aunt Wang paid for incense, candles and gifts, and asked her son to accompany Zhu Yuanzhang to Huangjue Temple on the hillside in the southwest corner of Guzhuang Village, begging Master Gao Bin to accept him as his disciple. Note: "Huangjue Temple was later destroyed by military wars. Zhu Yuanzhang became emperor and ordered reconstruction in the 16th year of Hongwu (1383) and renamed Longxing Temple. The original name of this temple is three: one Huangjue Temple and one in the imperial temple.

Zhu Yuanzhang's imperial "Longxing Temple Stele": 'The temple was once on the emperor, and it was built here for 15 miles. It was established in the position of Kun, which was the old imperial temple.' (Fengyang New Book) Volume 8) " Ming Taizu Records " Volume 156: "( Hongwu September 16th year) The construction of the Fengyang Dalongxing Temple was completed, and the temple was the old imperial temple.' Guangxu "Fengyang County Chronicles" Volume 4: "Huangjue Temple is located in the southeast of the county town (note: it should be the mistake of the southwest of Fengyang County). "Fengyang The New Book says: When the Empress was born, he was in chaos. His mother stored a leather quilt and walked fifteen miles to Biyun Temple in Fenghuang Mountain. When the Taoist saw that there was a divine light, he ordered the boy to look at it. There were two tigers and tigers and took the baby to feed the neighbor's milk. When he grew up, he entered the palace and ordered the temple to build a temple to serve his ancestors. It was Huangjue Temple, also known as Yuhuang Temple. According to " Yuanshi " there was no empress, and there was no such thing in "Zhongdu Zhi", I don't know what the New Book is based on. "Yuan, the pronunciation of Wu, is based on the meaning of Yutu. 'It is also said in "Guoqian" Volume 1: 'Jiashen (the fourth year of Zhizheng), the seventeenth year of the previous year... On September 1, Yisi, entered Huangjue Temple, and one was at Jue Temple. 'There was another one in Jue Temple. 'There is another in Jue Temple. 'Now we can completely clarify the relationship between Longxing Temple and Huangjue Temple. Although Longxing Temple is a renamed by the old Huangjue Temple, it is not a restoration of the original Huangjue Temple. From the field investigation, the two temples were about 15 miles apart. Huangjue Temple is located in Ershiying Village, more than ten miles southwest of Fengyang County. Longxing Temple is located under Fenghuang Mountain (also known as Jiuhua Mountain) 2 miles north of Fengyang County. Huangjue Temple is a temple where Zhu Yuanzhang became a monk. Longxing Temple is a new Huangjue Temple built in commemorating his "four years of being a temple when he was young", and was renamed Longxing Temple.

Fengyang Longxing Temple

　The original Huangjue Temple was built before , before of the Song Dynasty, and later destroyed in Jin, also known as the (Yinwu) Huangshi Temple. According to legend, there was a queen in the Yuan Dynasty who was in chaos when she was born. Her mother wrapped her in a leather robe and carried her to the vicinity of Biyun Temple. At night, the Taoist in the temple saw a divine light rushing straight into the sky from afar, so he ordered the attendant to see it, but saw two tigers guarding a discarded baby. When the tiger saw that someone came, he quickly ran away, and the boy took the baby back. The Taoist saw that the baby was still alive, and out of kindness, he sent her to a nearby farmhouse to feed her. The baby grew up and was selected to be the queen in the palace, and was given the title of queen. Later, in order to commemorate her ancestors, Empress Yu issued an edict to build a temple in the place where she was abandoned that year, named Huangjue Temple. Because it was built by the empress, it is also called the Imperial Temple. The temple site is on the hillside in the southwest corner of Guzhuang Village where Zhu Yuanzhang lived. Zhu Yuanzhang entered the temple as a monk at the age of 17. In less than two months, he went out to beg for alms and became a monk. Three years later, he returned to Huangjue Temple to be a monk. The next year, Zhu Yuanzhang joined the rebellion team, and Huangjue Temple was burned by Yuan soldiers and never restored.

　　According to the "Inscription on the Longxing Temple" written by Zhu Yuanzhang, after Zhu Yuanzhang became emperor, he had always missed Huangjue Temple and had once signed an imperial edict to see Shanqi, an old monk from the former Huangjue Temple, discussing the reconstruction of Huangjue Temple. Later, because the former site of Huangjue Temple was too close to Zhu Yuanzhang's parents' cemetery - Minghuang Mausoleum , it was inconvenient to burn and repair and the location was not in line with each other, he decided to choose a new place to build it.In the 16th year of Hongwu (1383 AD), Zhu Yuanzhang chose Phoenix Mountain and used the remaining materials of the capital city in the south to build the Longxing Temple, which had Buddhist temples, Dharma Halls, and 381 monks' houses. The scale was magnificent, far exceeding the old Huangjue Temple. After the temple was completed, Zhu Yuanzhang named it "Longxing" and personally wrote the "Longxing Temple Stele", which traces the history of Huangjue Temple and his own experience as a monk. He wrote in the inscription: "... It was built by the temple (Longxing Temple) not to seek blessings from the Buddha. It was only because of the four years of custody of the temple when he was young. The temple was abolished due to the military, and there was no place for the place to offer it. He lost the intention of filial sons obeying the grandsons and chasing the distance. Therefore, the intention of establishing a temple is to be careful for a long time. ... But because of the foundation of the old temple, it was very close to the imperial tomb, and it was inconvenient to burn and repair, so he chose the place to be."

　　This shows that Huangjue Temple and Longxing Temple not only have different names, but also have completely different age, geographical location and scale of construction. Therefore, to be precise, the temple where Zhu Yuanzhang became a monk was Huangjue Temple, not Longxing Temple.

　In order to relieve doubts, I attached the "Inscription on the Longxing Temple" written by Zhu Yuanzhang:

　The temple was once between the emperor and was built here for 15 miles. It was built at Kun's position, which was located in the old imperial temple. The reason for the founding of the temple was that the war was abolished due to the destruction of the war, and the number of people burned and cultivated was different. Moreover, there was no stone published before, so the reason for the founding was lost. But I know that in the Song Dynasty, it was first abolished by Jin, and later it was also abolished by Yuan. The monks were filled with water due to their military force, and they didn’t know what they were. The numbers were unrecognizable. The only monk named Xuan was also injured and went to the Dongyue Temple in Zhongli Old City to burn and repair it. Later Jin ended the Song Dynasty and Yuan Dynasty settled the world. His Xuan went out of the city and built a Maoyu in the rubble to save his disciples to build a temple, which was the place where he offered sacrifices. Xuan was the abbot of Kaishan in the late Song and early Yuan dynasties. The master and disciple were successively passed on to the abbot, Monk Dezhu.

In the 12th year of Zhizheng in the Yuan Dynasty, all the heroes rose up and the temple was burned by chaos. I have always thought about rubble and thorns for thirty-two years. When I was young, I was a teacher named Gao Bin and entrusted me to the temple for four years. When I first lived there, there was a drought in the year, and the monks stopped eating in the temple, but the teacher did not help me. At that time, I was seventeen years old, and I was a child for fifty days, and I was confused about the teachings. Because the teacher was not in charge, and the parents and elder brothers all died within 20 years, the family was scattered, and there was no support for them, and there was no support for them. Even so, he also traveled westward with Lu, Liu, Guang, Gu, Ru and Ying, and returned three years later. In the fourth year of Guifang, the world was in chaos. He went from Xiong to Zhengyi to travel, went to Chuyang in the south, and then went to Heyang in the east, crossing the river in the east, and setting up all the heroes. In another fourteen years, he subdued all the heroes, ascended the throne, and ruled the world.

For another sixteen years, the world was Taikang, and the old monk was summoned and those who wished to become monks in the subdistrict would like to be monks again. Only Shanqi, the disciple under the abbot Dezhu, took off his beard and hair and came to the capital. I discussed with him that the foundation of the old temple was very close to the imperial tomb, and it was inconvenient to burn and repair, so I chose the place. When the temple was completed, the ministers entered the report and the temple was named Xinglong, and Shanqi was appointed as the abbot of Kaishan. At that time, the monks' scriptures and soldiers were lost and they were lazy to remember the news. Moreover, the rituals provided by the past were spread and misunderstood. They specially summoned Yizhen Dizang Temple and Min Li Wenbin to explain the reasons. Wen Bin was deeply aware of the teachings of exoteric and esoteric Buddhism, and specially ordered Hanlin and this monk to delete all the complicated words and deformities of the daily life, determine the truth and analyze the falsehood, and form the technic , which was compiled after two months. There were very few monks at that time. When young monks from Jiangdong heard that Wenbin was ordered to be the Longxing Temple, they were very strange to those who wanted to be disciples under their seats.

In August of the autumn of the 16th year of Hongwu, Shanqi taught the exoteric and esoteric masters, and Wenbin taught the exoteric and esoteric masters, and gathered the people who wished to follow the burning practices of yoga exoteric and esoteric masters. This temple was built not to seek blessings from the Buddha. It was only because of the four years of custody of the temple when I was young. The temple was abandoned due to military wars. There was no such thing as the place where the temple was offered, and there was no way to be filial sons and grandsons to follow the end and pursue the distance. Therefore, the intention of establishing a temple is to be careful for a long time, and if you want to do it several times, it may hurt the people's capital. If the people are used to build a temple to seek Buddha, where will the blessing come from? Because the people are used to work hard to support their parents and to accumulate wives, how can the emperor not work hard to seek Buddhas and immortals? If this is said, it is impossible for Buddhas and immortals to seek Buddhas and immortals? Otherwise, the goodness of Buddhas and immortals and the transformation of immortals, how can there be those who cannot seek it? Therefore, the people who offer to the court to seek peace; the court accumulates granaries to repay merits and reward good things to ensure peace in the world. Therefore, I dare not ignore the cashiers and respond to God. How should I waste money on my own? Because it is not because the emperor has worked hard to make money, and the capital is the people's power. Therefore, I dare not use it lightly, so I did not follow the idea of ​​building a temple.

At the beginning of Hongwu, he wanted to use the mountain as the capital, and set the tripod as the ground, so that the world's famous talents could reach this point. Later, the palace was built, and the name was built as building blocks. Now the temple is completed, and the Buddha's land is finished.After the self-construction, all those who burned the cultivators would wish to bless the military and civilians, so that they would have passed, and those who have seen the survivors would receive immeasurable blessings for their wealth. This remark, whenever you encounter morning and evening festivals, you will dedicate the merits of the scriptures and dedicate them. You will be blessed according to this remark. It will be endless forever and will be improved. Therefore, I will remember it. The 16th year of Hongwu is the auspicious day of the nine-month month of Guihai.

Note:

① "Wu Han's Collection of Works" Volume 2, page 280, Beijing Publishing House , 1988 edition.

② "Fengyang Ancient and Modern" page 214, compiled and printed by Fengyang County Local Chronicles Office, printed in 1985.

③ "Biography of Emperor Hongwu" page 16, Liaoning Education Press , written by Lu Jinglin, 1994 edition.

④ "Biography of Emperor Hongwu" page 18, Henan People's Publishing House , written by Chen Wutong, 1993 edition.