Recently, I believe that many netizens are chasing a popular drama, yes, it is "Wind Rises Luoyang"! The drama is adapted from the well-known writer Ma Boyong's work "Luoyang", and since its inception, the popularity has soared, the topic has continued, and it has been widely acclaimed. In addition to the luxurious cast, sophisticated behind-the-scenes production, and big-screen visual effects, the brain-burning and scheming, tightly paced plot, and clean and sharp fight scenes are also refreshing and addictive.
When chasing this drama, Xiaobian can't help but sigh: the dragon gate elements in the play are too many! In "The Wind Rises in Luoyang", the "bad well" is located under the city of Luoyang, and the people who live here are called "bad people", and most of the people here are descendants of criminal subjects, and they are not allowed to enter Luoyang City without permission for life. The large number of grotto statues in the well should be borrowed from the Longmen Grottoes. Among them, the shocking huge crystal Buddha head in the Hall of All-Seeing "Shanqiao Hall" within the Lianfang is also borrowed from the statue of the Buddha shrine in the Dragon Gate.
Bad well
Lianfang
What is the relationship between a generation of empresses Wu Zetian and Longmen? What role did The Dragon Gate play in the Empress's journey to the world? Today, please follow the small editor to take stock of the historical relationship between Longmen and Wu Zetian.
The Second Saint Pro Dynasty and the double kiln excavation
In the sixth year of Emperor Gaozong's reign (665), Wu Zetian was made empress, and in the fifth year of Xianqing (660), due to Emperor Gaozong's dizziness and headache, Wu Zetian handled political affairs on his behalf, and was then known as the "Second Sage".
The "double kiln" in the Longmen, named after the two caves side by side with a common front chamber, was roughly excavated during the reigns of Emperor Gaozong of Tang (661-667), when Wu Zetian began to control the government.
The double kiln is an important part of the development of the Longmen Tang Grottoes, which summarizes the chu tang style since Zhenguan to Longshuo, and is the first thirteen-figure layout form of the longmen chu tang. The statue form of the cave undoubtedly laid the foundation for a new style of carving art in the Wu Zetian era.
The construction of the double kiln was designed to compare Shakya with the maitreya belief, which is meaningful and echoes the worship of the "two saints" in the government and the opposition during the same period.
Wu Zetian and lushena the Great Buddha
The "Record of the Great Lushena Statue Niche of the Sun of Longmen Mountain in Heluo", also known as the "Record of the Great Lushena Statue Niche", clearly records that the Great Statue Shrine was built by Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty. "On April 1, the third year of Xianheng's third year, Empress Wu's fat powder money was 20,000 yuan..."
Wu Zetian, who was the empress at the time, donated 20,000 yuan of fat powder money on April 1, 672 AD to fund the project of the Great Statue Shrine. How much is twenty thousand dollars worth today? According to research, the tang dynasty's consistent money is three hundred yuan, then twenty thousand yuan is equivalent to the current 6 million yuan.
The overall statue of the Great Buddha of Bongseon-ji Temple is magnificent, with a screw bun on his head, a shoulder-draped robe, and a kind expression, which is both male solemn and full of feminine peace. Lushena's big Buddha's face is plump and round, his eyebrows are slender like a crescent moon, a pair of beautiful eyes are full of wisdom, he gazes down slightly to reveal a peaceful and harmonious demeanor, and the corners of his mouth are slightly upturned and implies a hint of joy, known as the Mona Lisa of the East.
For a long time, folklore has spread the legend that the face of the Great Buddha of Longmen Lushena is carved according to the face of Wu Zetian, this view has not been strictly demonstrated by the academic circles, but it is only a beautiful imagination and speculation of people, but the construction of the Great Buddha of Longmen Lushena is closely related to Wu Zetian.
Fragrant hills give poems to win the golden robe
Another great event of Wu Zetian's association with Longmen was to write poems for the creation of Xiangshan Temple and the feast. Longmen Xiangshan Temple, originally the burial place of the Indian monk Di Brahma, who was treated by the Empress Wu, was built according to the request of Wu Sansi, the name of Wu Zetian Temple, because of the establishment of Xiangshan Temple and the royal favor, this area of Longmen Dongshan became a tourist and summer resort for emperors, high-ranking officials and even literati inkers during the Wuzhou Period.
According to the "New Book of Tang and The Biography of Song Zhi", when the stone building of Xiangshan Temple was rebuilt and completed, Wu Zetian led a group of courtiers to come to the temple, ordering hundreds of officials to give poems on the spot, and the first to become the first to give them brocade robes. Zuo Shi Dongfang's poems were first formed, and he was given a brocade robe, and before he could sit firmly with the brocade robe, Song Zhiqing's sprinkled poem was completed, the verses were both literary and beautiful, and the courtiers "do not praise goodness", especially the last two sentences, "My emperor does not do yaochi le, when the rain comes to watch the spring of the farmers.". Inadvertently singing the praises of Emperor Wu for not delaying entertainment, being diligent in government and loving the people, Wu Zetian was overjoyed after hearing it, and then gave the golden robe to Song Zhiqing, which also achieved a good story of "giving poetry to win the golden robe".
Walk Luoyang and read history. Want to know more about the history and culture of Longmen Scenic Area, explore the story of Longmen, walk into Longmen together, and start a journey of prosperous culture!
Editor| Guo Chenhui
Review | Jiang Yisha