Chong'an Temple, the oldest temple in Wuxi, is also the core attraction of Sikkim Park, the earliest park in China. This temple, which has been baptized by wind and rain for more than 1,600 years, has been the political, commercial and cultural center of Wuxi since ancient times.
According to legend, the Eastern Jin calligrapher Wang Xizhi once built a house here. Then, in 364, it was changed to a temple in the second year of Xingning, the Jin Dynasty, and named Xingning Temple, and in 977, it was changed to Chong'an Temple in the second year of Xingguo of Song Taiping. During the Qianlong Dynasty of the Qing Dynasty, Chong'an Temple was renamed Jinghui Temple and is one of the famous temples in Wuxi City.
Today, Chong'an Temple is still synonymous with Wuxi city center and has become one of the four characteristic neighborhoods in Jiangnan. Its unique style and charm make it known as the four famous temples in Jiangnan along with Shanghai City God Temple, Nanjing Confucius Temple and Suzhou Xuanmiao Temple.
Chong'an Temple has a long history and culture. There are 24 scenes, such as Fangtang Academy, Chishang Caotang, Embroidered Worship Stone, Caotang Dialect, Pine Cliff Cui, White Water Test Spring, Lan Qiao Listening Qin, Cherry Grove Bird Language, etc., which are the essence of ancient Chinese gardens. Here, you can stroll through the lush gardens and savor the beauty of the fusion of humanity and nature.
In addition to the picturesque sights, Chong'an Temple also has a famous historical site - Dongxi Palace. It has a history of more than 500 years, and the side room of its Sanqing Hall is the former residence of A Bing, the author of the world-famous song "Two Springs Reflecting the Moon". Here, you can feel the precipitation of history and the breath of culture.
In 1905, Sikkim Park was opened to the public free of charge as the earliest park in China. In the park, there is Liangxi Shousha Chong'an Temple, known as the first park in China. The imperial pavilion in the park has a long history, and Liao Lun, Zhixian of the Qing Dynasty, complimented the emperor and built the Holy Oracle Pavilion in front of the Daxiong Treasure Hall, commonly known as the Imperial Pavilion. The tablet in the pavilion reads: "Long live the current emperor, long live, long live."
Chong'an Temple, one of the oldest temples in the Jiangnan region, dates back to 364 AD in the second year of Xingning, the Jin Dynasty Emperor, when it was also the residence of Wang Xizhi, a calligrapher of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Later, it was converted into a temple called Xingning Temple, and it continued to grow and develop. It was not until the second year of the Taiping Xingguo in the Song Dynasty that it was renamed Chong'an Temple and became the center of Buddhism in Wuxi at that time.
During the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, Chong'an Temple was named Jinghui Temple, but after hundreds of years of storms, the temple building was destroyed and rebuilt many times, until after the Xinhai Revolution, the statues of the gods were destroyed one after another, and the houses were also converted for other purposes. But this did not hinder the development of Chong'an Temple, but made it more prosperous.
In 1905, the thirty-first year of Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty, the Western Hall became the founding place of the third-class school, co-founded by Wu Zhihui, Yu Fu and others. At the same time, the Imperial Pavilion has also become an important local landmark, and in the first year of Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty, Liao Lun of Wuxi Zhi County built the Holy Oracle Pavilion, commonly known as the Imperial Pavilion, in order to compliment the emperor. Every first day of the lunar calendar, half of the month or the emperor's wedding and funeral celebration, the local officials must go to the imperial pavilion to worship, and the imperial pavilion snacks have become a major feature of Wuxi.
Today, Chong'an Temple has developed into a modern scenic spot integrating culture, commerce and tourism, and is known as one of the four characteristic neighborhoods in Jiangnan. There are many historical and cultural relics in Chong'an Temple, such as Dongxi Palace, Fangtang Academy, Chishang Caotang, etc., these ancient buildings are perfectly combined with modern facilities to form a beautiful picture of the city.
Among them, Dongxi Palace is a Taoist temple with a history of more than 500 years. The side room of the Sanqing Hall of Dongxi Palace is the former residence of A Bing, the author of the world-famous song "Two Springs Reflecting the Moon", which treasures Ah Bing's manuscripts, musical instruments, photos and other precious cultural relics, and is an important cultural heritage of Wuxi. Chong'an Temple also has a historic cultural attraction - Fangtang Academy. Built in the Song Dynasty, this academy is an institution that trains talents and imparts culture. There are two halls in the academy, one of which is dedicated to the statue of the literary artist Su Xun. It is said that Su Xun once wrote papers here, which is quite famous. The other hall enshrines the statue of the literary artist Su Shi, a literary giant who has left many ancient sayings and classic masterpieces, which are still talked about today.
In addition to Fangtang Academy, Chong'an Temple also has 24 scenes, such as Chishang Grass Hall, Embroidered Clothes and Worship Stones, Caotang Talk, Pine Cliff Rucui, White Water Test Spring, Lan Jiao Tingqin, and Cherry Grove Bird Language. These attractions have their own characteristics, some are carriers of epic poetry, some are a source of inspiration for artists, and some are works of praise for nature. These attractions let people feel the unique charm and historical origin of Chong'an Temple, and also let people better understand the breadth and depth of Chinese traditional culture.
As a national 4A-level scenic spot, Chong'an Temple attracts a large number of tourists to visit and play every year. Here, visitors can admire exquisite Buddhist artworks and architectural styles, experience Wuxi's unique historical culture and cultural landscape, and taste a variety of delicious snacks and special handicrafts. At the same time, Chong'an Temple also holds various cultural activities and traditional temple fairs, attracting many cultural lovers and tourists to watch and participate, making positive contributions to the development of Wuxi's cultural undertakings.
In short, Chong'an Temple is a temple with a long history, rich cultural heritage, and superb artistic value, as well as a park and cultural scenic spot full of vitality and vitality. It has witnessed the development and changes of Wuxi City, and also carries the love and pursuit of history and traditional culture of Wuxi people. In today's Chong'an Temple, we can see the fusion of tradition and modernity, we can feel the resonance of history and future, and we can appreciate the unique urban charm of Wuxi.