Liaoning Yixian Fengguo Temple: The first of the eight major Liao structures, a glimpse of a thousand years of dreamy splendor
Today is the beginning of winter. The first snow that just fell in the northeast a few days ago has almost melted away, replaced by a drizzle and chilly weather. The main hall of Fengguo Temple in Yixian, Liaoning, still has some remaining snow on the north side of its roof. The green tiles and white snow, under the ink-dyed sky, seem like a boundary painting from the Song Dynasty. A snowfall brings Yixian back to the Liao Dynasty a thousand years ago.
In 1020 AD, it was the fourth year of Tianxi in the Northern Song Dynasty. However, the sixteen states of Youyun, where Yixian, then known as Yizhou, was located, belonged to another dynasty, the Liao Dynasty, and the year was the ninth year of Kaixi in Emperor Shengzong's reign.
Emperor Shengzong of Liao, named Yelü Longxu, was a capable emperor who was well-versed in Han culture. Under the leadership of his mother, Empress Dowager Xiao, he had repeatedly led troops to invade the Song Dynasty south of the Great Wall, forcing the Song Dynasty to sign the Chanyuan Treaty at their doorstep, paying annual tributes in exchange for over a hundred years of peace on the Liao-Song border.
Under Yelü Longxu's diligent governance, the Liao Dynasty was prosperous and economically strong. At this time, his mother, Empress Dowager Xiao, who had nurtured him into a wise ruler, had passed away ten years ago. He, too, had passed the prime of his life and was about to enter the last decade of his life. Standing in the second half of life, one can't help but look back.
Under the influence of Empress Dowager Xiao, Yelü Longxu had a high level of Han cultural accomplishment, was good at poetry and literature, understood music, and 'comprehended the principles of both Buddhism and Taoism'. It was rumored that Yelü Longxu was the reincarnation of Sakyamuni Buddha, and Yixian was the fief of his mother, Empress Dowager Xiao's family. Therefore, he ordered the construction of a royal temple here.
The temple was built, initially named Xianxi, later changed to Fengguo, with a grand scale and Tang Dynasty style. The main hall undoubtedly is the absolute core of this group of buildings. It is situated in the center of the temple, standing on a high platform, declaring the supreme imperial power with the dignity of the 'nine-five'. Inside the hall, on the altar, the past seven Buddhas were lined up from east to west, towering and solemn. In front of each Buddha, there were two Bodhisattvas, and on the beam, there were colorful flying apsaras.
Among the past seven Buddhas, the one on the far west is Sakyamuni Buddha, who is said to be the previous life of Emperor Shengzong of Liao, Yelü Longxu. Therefore, some people infer that this is very likely based on the concept of 'the king is the Dharma king', corresponding to the 'past seven Buddhas' in Buddhism, from the founding emperor of Liao to Taizu, Taizong, Shizong, Muzong, Jingzong, and Shengzong, a total of seven emperors.
A thousand years have passed, and things have changed. A wooden building has miraculously survived through the long and turbulent times, avoiding wars, lightning, earthquakes, and movements.
When I stand on the high platform of the main hall, looking at it, that glance is a thousand years.
I went to Fengguo Temple and Wanfotang, drizzling, highlighting the noble atmosphere of the scenic spot, listening to the explanation, and learning the essence of cultural relics. Fengguo Temple is located in Yixian County, Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province, China. It was built in Liaokaitai nine years (1020), first named Xianxi Temple, and then Yiming Fengguo Temple. Fengguo Temple covers an area of about 60,000 square meters.
The top of the single-shot palace is nine open rooms, the sky is huge, the Liao Dynasty Xiongfeng, the seven Buddhas are shocking, the arch is huge, the curve is naturally smooth, and it is a typical building in the Liao Dynasty, the first in Guanwai! Wang Jiawei has come here to take pictures in a generation of masters
Although I saw a lot of pictures of these Buddha statues of Fengguo Temple on the Internet, the moment I really saw it was shocked. These mud Buddha statues were built in the Liao Dynasty in 1020 AD and have been in 1003 years. Each Buddha statue is full of heaven, with eyes open, lifelike, folded and vivid, and bright colors. There are mud people under the lotus seat of the odd Buddha statue. They all have exaggerated expressions. The carver is amazing [strong] and there are 2 Bodhisattvas standing in front of each statue. There are stone bottles, incense stoves and kettles in front of each Buddha for worship. The four walls of the Daxiong Temple are painted Buddha statues, but because of the age, The color has slowly fallen off, and only the faint outline of the Buddha statue on the wall is left, which is very regrettable. Listening to the staff, Fengguo Temple will immediately usher in the largest cultural relics restoration in more than 1,000 years, it will take about 10 years, although Fengguo Temple will be open to the outside world, but it is likely that it will be on the column in front of the Daxiong Temple, and it will not be so close in the future. Touching and worshiping Buddha. I was really happy to hear the staff say this, so I donated 200 yuan of maintenance fund from my own pocket. [Casting teeth] [Casting teeth] [Casting teeth], I am very happy to contribute to the restoration of the national treasure in Liaoning!
It is worth seeing! The ancient temple of the millennium, the well-preserved temple is magnificent, the Buddha statue in the temple is exquisite and colorful, but the style is serious and urgently needs protection. Four of us invited a commentator, and we were fortunate to meet the staff who loved the ancient construction in the hall, explained the overhaul process of the hall in detail, and planned to carry out the overhaul in spring 2024.
My mother-in-law's hometown lives next to Fengguo Temple (formerly known as the Big Buddha Temple). Come here to visit ancient times and remember relatives. This Fengguo Temple can come to the head, is the Liao Dynasty Royal Temple, for the Queen Xiao, the largest single-story wooden structure in ancient Chinese architecture, known as "China's first great palace". It is a five-ridge single-square-metre temple, with a total area of 1829 square meters. The seven Buddhas in the generation of masters were filmed here. The temple and the giant Buddha looked very shocking, and it was interesting to hear the story of the Japanese shells being dumb. And this attraction is not very commercial, it is a little far away.