In the long river of history, we can always find some moving stories. Guo Yuanheng's story is one of them. Imagine how an ordinary Taoist priest could stick to his original intention and protect a priceless treasure for 22 years in the war-torn era. This treasure is not gold or silver treasure, but a precious ivory Buddha statue. Guo Yuanheng was not greedy for money and was not afraid of torture, and finally donated the ivory Buddha safely to the people's government. Isn't this kind of perseverance and sacrifice admirable? How did he do it? What heartaches and twists and turns did he go through in the process of protecting the ivory Buddha? Let us walk into the world of Guo Yuanheng and explore the legendary life of this extraordinary Taoist priest.
Guo Yuanheng, a child of an ordinary peasant family born on November 21, 1896, was destined to have a different life. Nanhua Township, Gaotai County, Gansu Province, although remote, cannot escape the ravages of troubled times. At that time, China was plagued by wars and the people were struggling to make a living. When Guo Yuanheng was in his 30s, he resolutely left his hometown in order to avoid the conscription of the warlords.
His escape was full of twists and turns. First they went to Jiuquan, but unfortunately they were captured by the enemy. Guo Yuanheng's will to survive is extremely strong, and he escaped in an inadvertent moment while the other party was unprepared. After that, he went all the way west and finally found a temporary habitat near the mushroom platform in Shishi Township, Anxi County. There is a dilapidated temple that provides a refuge for the Taoist priests.
Here, Guo Yuanheng met the person who changed his life - Daoist Ma Ronggui. Ma Ronggui saw Guo Yuanheng's exhaustion and helplessness, and agreed to let him become a monk in the Taoist temple to seek peace of mind. Guo Yuanheng's life has changed dramatically as a result. In addition to doing some cleaning and taking care of Master's chores, he spends most of his time meditating and practicing every day.
As time passed, Guo Yuanheng gradually became trusted by the master, and was called aside by the master one morning to tell a big secret. Originally, this Taoist temple has an ivory Buddha statue that has been passed down from generation to generation, and this Buddha statue is hidden in the dragon's mouth of the main hall, which is a rare treasure. Ma Ronggui solemnly warned Guo Yuanheng that unless the world is peaceful, the ivory Buddha must not be allowed to appear.
This secret made Guo Yuanheng feel deeply responsible. Soon after, Ma Ronggui died, and Guo Yuanheng became the new Taoist leader, and he began a 22-year journey of guardianship. During this time, he went through countless trials and tribulations.
On April 20, 1937, a ragged army appeared on the mushroom platform. Guo Yuanheng knew that they might come in search of hidden treasures, especially the priceless ivory Buddha statue. Undeterred, however, he tactfully hid the Buddha statue and skillfully diverted the attention of the soldiers, causing them to eventually return empty-handed. In that troubled time, such incidents were not uncommon, and Guo Yuanheng protected the ivory Buddha statue several times and again from falling into the hands of greedy people.
In those difficult days, Guo Yuanheng not only had to protect the Buddha statue, but also had to deal with various threats and temptations from the outside world. Sometimes it is the local tyrants who want to occupy the Buddha statue, and sometimes it is the superstitious who want to use it as a blessing. They were tempted by money or threatened with violence, but Guo Yuanheng consistently rejected all temptations and threats. He firmly believes that this Buddha statue is not only a material wealth, but also a spiritual sustenance, representing a cultural inheritance and national pride.
Guo Yuanheng's perseverance and wisdom have allowed the ivory Buddha statue to survive. It was not until 1950, after the founding of the People's Republic of China, that he donated this ivory Buddha statue to the people's government, completing a legendary process of protection. The donation ceremony was simple and solemn, and Guo Yuanheng's eyes were full of relief and relief. He knows very well that this Buddha statue will eventually be better preserved and respected under the protection of the state.
In this whole process, Guo Yuanheng is not only a guardian, but also a wise man and a fighter. He proved the power of sticking to his beliefs with his practical actions, and demonstrated an ordinary person's insistence on extraordinary values. His story has been sung locally for a long time and has become a good story.
However, Guo Yuanheng's life was not all smooth sailing. During his years of guarding the Buddha statue, he experienced countless loneliness and pain, and once burst into tears in the dead of night. But he never had the slightest thought of giving up, even in the darkest and most desperate moments, he still held on to his beliefs and guarded that trust with his life.
Through Guo Yuanheng's story, we not only see a person's adherence to faith and selfless dedication to cultural heritage, but also see how individuals are connected to the country and culture in a specific historical period, showing a strong sense of historical responsibility. Guo Yuanheng's life is a kind of enlightenment to future generations - in any difficulties and trials, as long as we adhere to justice and faith, we can achieve an extraordinary life and leave valuable spiritual wealth. His story tells us that the real treasure is actually the perseverance and perseverance of our hearts.