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Stone Buddha
Temple, the cultural center of ancient Jiaxing.
Jiaxing was called Zuili and Changshui in ancient times. According
to the note quoted by Du Yu in Zuo's Commentary, Zuili is located
in the south of Jiangxing County; also according to Recording of Jiaxing
until Yuan Dynasty, Changshui is located 300 meter away from the south
of County. Geographically, Stone Buddha Temple is not far away from
these two ancient places. Besides, the Fengqiao Town, where the temple
is located, has the prehistoric cultural sites such as White Grave
Mound, Liu Mound and so on. Consequently we can say that Stone Buddha
Temple is in the center of culture circle of ancient Jiaxing. In the
sense of culture, Stone Buddha Temple, combining religion and culture,
ranks top among all the temples in Jiaxing. |
A vital cultural center welcomes and attracts different cultures.
The cultures of religion, celebrity, seclusion, family and immigration
of Stone Buddha Temple region are the epitome of Jiaxing Culture.
Speaking of immigration culture, the third group in Fengqiao Town
in the 35th year of Republic of China (1946), was divided into 15
Units. Among the fifteen unit administrators, eight were from Jiaxing,
six were from Shangbafu and one was from Yancheng which means newcomers
were occupying over half of them. The other groups and units were
in the same situation. Exploring into its cause, we can find out such
newcomers migrated to Fengqiao Region after the period of Taiping
Hevenly Kingdom, when Jiaxing met the same situation. According to
Jiaxing County Notes: "after the Guangdong bandits aggressed,
people lost their home and the farmland was barren, especially in
the villages in the south east", therefore, a large number of
labors from east Zhejiang entered here for exploration. Thus, immigration
in the Stone Buddha Temple region is not a random event but the epitome
of the immigration of Jiaxing in that time. And the changes of folks,
languages and technologies brought by this immigration can directly
reflect the changes in Jiaxing's culture.
It is this cultural inclusiveness that attracted many poets and scholars,
promoting the emerging of celebrities in Stone Buddha Temple, or even
in the Fengqiao Town. In the profound history, the Rock Buddha Temple
is everywhere.
The person who first record Stone Buddha Temple
The first record of Stone Buddha Temple we can find now
was made in Song Dynasty, by Jiang Zhiqi and Chen Shunyu. They were
both famous in Song Dynasty. Chen Shunyu was the backbone against
the reform of Wang Anshi. He didn't hold high-ranking position but
was very well-known. He was taught by Ouyang Xiu and built a good
friendship with Sima Guang and Su Dongpo. It is hard to deduce Jiang
Zhiqi's attitude towards the reform of Wang Anshi. On one hand, he
promoted the policy of Wang Anshi, on the other hand, he was listed
in Yuanyoudangren inscription, called Yuanyou Four friends together
with Su Dongpo, Qian Mugong and Wang Zhongzhi but against Ouyang Xiu.
He was a person with strong personality.
Chen Shunyu (？-1075), whose courtesy name is Lingju, was reported
from Wucheng, Huzhou according to Song History, or Jiaxing according
to Recording of Jiaxing until Yuan Dynasty. Later, Wuxing Reference
Record, By Dong Sizhang from Huzhou, certified he was from Wucheng,
Huzhou while Zuili Poem System, by Shen Jiyou from Jiaxing, insisted
he was from Jiaxing. As opinions varied widely and no unanimous conclusion
can be drawn, it had become a doubt case for thousands of years. He
was a scholar in the sixth year of Emperor Zhaozhen's reign in Song
Dynasty (1046), with unprosperous career. Until the third year of
Emperor Zhaoxu's reign in Song Dynasty (1070), he was only the vice
director of State Farms Bureau of Shangyin County. At the moment of
reform of Wang Anshi, he opposed strongly the Qingmiao Law, and got
banished. He was a friend of Wang Anshi, but was isolated from each
other since then. Chen Shunyu once secluded in Bainiujing, Jiaxing.
He was given the name of White OX Gentleman since he used a white
ox as his transportation. After he passed away, Su Dongpo wrote an
article for mourning him, praising him that "his knowledge and
talent was equal to that of hundreds of people ". His masterpieces,
Lushan Record and Duguanji were included in Complete Works of Chinese
Classics.
Baosheng Temple, written by Chen Shunyu, is the first poem ever existing
that describes the Stone Buddha Temple. The poem said: deeply inside
the locked door, the mottled green moss is growing and the trees are
cultivated by the fertile lands. In this peaceful residence, remote
from the crowds, the heart can enjoy total relation.
Jiang Zhiqi (1031-1104), with the courtesy name of Yingshu,
from Yixing, Changzhou (now in the Jiangsu Province), was a scholar
in the second year of the Emperor Jiayou's reign in Song Dynasty (1057),
whose highest position is Administrator of the Bureau of Military
Affairs. Because Jiang Zhiqi has impeached Ouyang Xiu, he was impeded
by the lucid criticism. He was every talented, Song History described
him as "being the envoy for Ministry of Personnel for twelve
times, ruling the provost for six times, renowned by good governing,
and focusing on recommendation educated people". However, the
writer of Song History finally gave him a criticism of "outstanding
person among petty men". Actually, such criticism is presumptuous.
He was an outstanding person, but not a pretty man. Summary of Complete
Works of Chinese Classics described his impeachment against Ouyang
Xiu that it is over reacting but judging from his whole career, he
is still a very respectable famous official. This exactly appraised
him.
Jiang Zhiqi had produced many works. The first record of Stone Buddha
Temple is found in his Daily Record which says, Paosheng Stone Buddha
Temple is located in the southeast of Jiaxing County. The four stone
Buddha figures dug out in the second year of Emperor Zhide's reign
in Tang Dynasty was still preserved. It was named as Paosheng during
Emperor Zhaozhen's reign in Song Dynasty, but people called it Stone
Buddha Temple.
These few lines by the prime tell us that Stone Buddha Temple was
well renowned during the period of Northern Song. Any record about
how its name generated ever after all includes these words by Jiang
Zhiqi.
Chen Shunyu was contemporary with Jiang Zhiqi. But when they referred
to Stone Buddha Temple, they use Baosheng and Paosheng respectively.
Which one is right? The latter was only used once while the former
was ever used when referring to Stone Buddha Temple in Recording of
Jiaxing until Yuan Dynasty. This may gives useful information. |
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