Present-day Daiju Ashoka Tower
Daizhou Ashoka Pagoda is located in the Yuanguo Monastery behind the East Street of Daizhou Ancient City, and has a history of more than 1,400 years. For more than a thousand years, it has been damaged and rebuilt several times, and has been repaired many times over the generations, and has been preserved to this day and has become a witness of history. Recently, the author has obtained an ancient book "Records of the Pagoda of Daizhou Yuanguo Temple" that records the rise and fall of Daizhou Ashoka Pagoda and Yuanguo Temple, and has carefully studied it and has a further understanding of the history of the rise and fall of Daizhou Ashoka Pagoda, which is briefly described below for the benefit of readers.
Regarding the origin of Ashoka's pagoda, it is necessary to first look at the Buddhist scripture Nirvana Sutra: After Shakyamuni's death, the disciples incinerated his body, collected the relics for preservation, and built a pagoda in the city of Wangshe to enshrine. At that time, the Buddha's relics had become sacred objects worshipped by Buddhist devotees. Later, the kings of the eight ancient Indian countries divided the Buddha's relics into eight equal parts and brought them back to their own countries to build pagodas and enshrine them. The Buddhist history is called "Eight Kings Divide the Relics" and "Eight Kings Rise from the Eight Pagodas". About 300 years after the Buddha's death, Ashoka of the Peacock Dynasty of the Magadha Kingdom of India ascended the throne, designated Buddhism as the state religion, and spread Buddhism widely to all countries in the world. According to legend, Ashoka took the Relics of the Buddhas hidden everywhere and sent the ghosts and gods to build 84,000 stupas in the places where Buddhism was concerned. This legend clearly has elements of mythological exaggeration. But the construction of the Buddha Stupa in the time of Ashoka is a real history.
According to the "Tale of the Pagoda of Yuanguo Temple", "The pagoda of Daigun is the result of shakya's true body relic." "Beginning with the Sui Dynasty, Gengshen changed Yuan Renshou, distributed relics in the world's dojos, built the spiritual pagodas, and was sincerely respected." It can be seen that this pagoda was indeed built in the first year of Sui Renshou. Originally a wooden tower, it was one hundred and twenty feet high. "Ta Ling Bi Han, Duo Xiang Qingxiao", very spectacular.
After the pagoda was built, Renshou was three years old, and the people of the prefecture built a Buddhist temple centered on the pagoda, which was initially named Vijayana (舍), and later changed to Longxing. In the second year of Tang Huichang, Emperor Wuzong Li Yan launched a nationwide campaign to exterminate Buddhism, many monasteries were demolished, and a large number of monks were forced to return to the world. Daizhou Ashoka Pagoda and Yuanguo Temple were also destroyed in this campaign to destroy Buddhism.
In the middle years of the Tang Dynasty, Buddhism was promoted, and the people of the prefecture restored ashoka Pagoda and Longxing Zen Temple, and changed Longxing Temple to Yuanguo Temple. Sixty years later, entering the Five Dynasties period, in the second year of the Later Han Dynasty Emperor Qianyou (949), the Sanzang Cixian came to visit Mount Wutai and was stationed here. In the first year of the Later Zhou Dynasty (954), the influence of Cixian Hongyang's Dharma gradually spread to the Liao State. Emperor Muzong of Liao also gave the Yuanguo Temple a large imperial treasure. The Northern Han Dynasty also bequeathed many money cloths. Relying on the money and grain rewarded by the kings of the Han and Liao dynasties, Sanzang Cixian overhauled the Ashoka Pagoda and the Yuanguo Temple, and after ten years, the restoration and construction projects of the Ashoka Pagoda and the Yuanguo Temple were completed. For the next 120 years, four people admired and eight admired. The grand temple and towering pagoda became a major spectacle of the ancient city of Daizhou.
On the night of the day in June of the reign of Emperor Yuanfeng of the Song Dynasty (1078), the wind was fierce, lightning flashed and thundered, and torrential rain poured down. The towering Ashoka Pagoda was destroyed again by lightning and fire. The following year, the monk Huaidong of Wutaishan Xingguo Temple, the monk Puzheng of Nanshou Temple, the sage Li Cheng, and Zhang Zhi led the reconstruction, which was not completed for more than 20 years. In the year of Emperor Huizong of song (1102), the monks and deqing of Wutaishan Qingliangyuan and Zongfu, the daoist chief of the Northern Law Academy, extensively converted their relations with Buddhist believers in the four directions, built it, and it took another two years to complete this huge project.
Twenty years later, Ashoka Pagoda and Yuanguo Temple were again destroyed by war. During the reign of Emperor Taizong of Jin, the Jin state destroyed the Liao and captivated the Song. The governor's mansion was changed to Zhenwu Army, and Jiedu made Daxingyu repair it again. In the fourth year of Emperor Jiading of Song Ning (1211), Yuan Taizu declared himself emperor and marched south. Yi Hainian (1215) invaded Hebei, and On August 13, 1219, Heyinnian attacked Dai Prefecture. The generations themselves set fire to the tower, and the flames soared into the sky, and Mars burst down the front and back halls, turning the entire temple into scorched earth.
In July of the twelfth year of the Yuan Dynasty (1276), Emperor Yuan sent emissaries to hang gold medals to find the former sites of Ashoka Pagoda and Yuanguo Temple, with a wide and narrow disk, careful planning, and once again launched the grand project of restoring Ashoka Pagoda. In order to prevent the pagoda from being burned again, the reconstruction was changed from a wooden pagoda in the past to a brick pagoda. The tower is 120 feet high, with a square platform round seat, covered lotus pots, tuan belly shoulder mountain, thirteen-story tower top coated with gold phase wheels, and a treasure cover hanging bell. The round belly contains a small pagoda of 84,000 incense sticks, Buddha statues and Dravidian sutras. The cost is paid by the Imperial Interior Office, and the Taiyuan Road Governor's Office shall be paid according to the number. It costs a lot and is completed on time.
Five years later, after the autumn earthquake of Gengchen (1281), the wheel canopy at the top of the tower was damaged, and the tower body was still towering, showing the auspicious light from time to time. The official in charge of the pagoda, Shen Shu, ordered officials from the Ministry of Works and Taiyuan Road to lead maintenance craftsmen and miscellaneous servants to repair the damaged roulette top. In the second year of the reign of Emperor Wuzong of Yuanwu (1309), the temple raised its own funds to build five main halls in front of the pagoda, with a shrine and a painted statue of Buddha.
In the year of Yuan Zhizheng (1368), the Yuan Shun Emperor was defeated and retreated to the north, and the Ming Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang was proclaimed emperor, in order to build the foundation of the world, he respected the Three Jewels and did nothing, and all the Buddhist temples in the world felt the emperor's grace. During the reign of Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty, the Emperor ordered the Great Enlightenment Hall throughout the country to publish the Tibetan scriptures so that the Dharma could be more circulated and carried forward. In the third year of Emperor Xuanzong's reign, the monk Zhenglang saw the birds and magpies building a nest on the top of the tower, causing the roof of the tower to fall, so he appealed to the imperial court, and the imperial court approved repairs. Li Qian, the governor of Shanxi in the sixth year of Xuande, visited Yuanguo Temple and gave great financial support to the maintenance project to make it successfully completed. In 1447, the monks built twenty-six pagoda galleries around ashoka's pagoda and painted the icons of arhats in the heavens. In 1459, the monk Zheng Juexin built the Guanyin Hall, the Jizo Hall, and the Galan Ancestral Master Hall at Yuanguo Temple. In 1476, Emperor Mingxian of the Ming Dynasty, Du Ming, the left attendant of the Qincha Punishment Department, inspected the border pass, returned to Daizhou City, visited the Yuanguo Temple to worship, and was very happy after admiring the magnificent majesty of the pagoda, and immediately donated fifty taels of silver, so that the monks of the temple could buy bricks and stones and build a foundation for the pagoda. The fortifications were complete. In the seventeenth year of Chenghua (1481), Honshu Taishou Zhang Zuo, Ershou Zhu Jian and others went to yuanguo temple to pay homage to incense, and saw that the old paintings on the walls of the east and west corridors had fallen off, so they donated paint money and artisan money to repaint the statues of the gods of heaven and earth, so that the east and west corridors had a new look.
By the time of Ming Jiajing, Daizhou Yuanguo Temple had fallen into disrepair, and the mountain gate and temple were in dilapidated. Jiajing Bingyin (1566), a native of Luoyang, Li Shiyuan came to Daizhou as a parent official. Li Shiyuan, Chun Weng. He wanted the Honshu monk Manan to repair the Yuanguo Temple. But the monk said: Small things are not enough. Therefore, he asked Deyin, a monk of wutai Fenglin Temple, to preside over the maintenance project of Yuanguo Temple. De Yin, the number of the heavens, the number of the second tiger, the pine age snow hair, the voice is clear, although the age is more than ancient, but the walking is agile, without crutches. After being appointed, he visited his fellow taoists, chose the wise and good, and planned a grand plan to rebuild ashoka pagoda and Yuanguo Temple. Some people recommend that Chen Gufeng, a state person, has a peaceful personality, is charitable, believes in gods and Buddhas, has many achievements, and can donate money and food for maintenance projects. Li Shiyuan personally visited Chen Gufeng, praised his virtue of benevolence and charity, and personally gave him a toast in red and flowers. Gu Feng thanked him and said: Since you took office, you have enjoyed the advantages and eliminated the disadvantages, and done practical things in a big way, how dare I not be effective in rewarding the encounters! On the spot, he promised to bear all the costs of wood, stone, bricks, tiles, money and grain required for the maintenance project. So they bought materials, hired craftsmen, and built the tower day and night to make it extremely solid. Comprehensive maintenance was also carried out on the Midas Hall, the Main Hall, the Lei Yin Hall, the Jizo Yuantong Hall, the Garan Ancestral Master Hall, and the Great Scripture Pavilion. After the maintenance of the Ashoka Pagoda, the square platform round belly, the golden-topped treasure disk, the volley through the sun, the qinglu through the stars, the look of change. Make the visitors linger and have a sense of otherworldliness.
By the time of the Apocalypse, after more than sixty years of wind and rain erosion, ashoka's pagoda was withering away. The sages, monks, and others worked together to repair the Ashoka Pagoda and Yuanguo Temple again. More than 40 cloisters have also been repainted, making the entire temple a famous scene. In the 22nd year of the Qing Kangxi Dynasty (1683), the top of Ashoka's pagoda was once again destroyed. In the midwinter of the thirty-second year of the Kangxi Dynasty (1693), the monk Puji vowed to repair it, that is, hou Tianxi, a good man, generously donated fifty taels to fund it. Puji went to the level of fundraising, and the gentry and common people had money to pay and made a powerful contribution. The maintenance work began on the fourth day of July, when the government was building the drum tower and preparing a lot of rafters and ropes for erection, which facilitated the maintenance of ashoka towers. The cost of erection alone saves a third. Craftsmen were recruited and construction materials were raised, and the state residents gathered to respond. Ashoka's pagoda is one hundred and twenty feet high, and the earthquake destroyers are about thirty feet. During the repair, it was still repaired as it was, the tower brake phase wheel was rebuilt, and the upward wheel was renovated. The diameter of the disc is one foot and two feet, and thirty-two copper casting bells are hanging around it, all of which are completed. The plate is covered with copper skin, with cypress wood in the center and iron rods next to the wood, making the top of the tower stronger. The project was erected on the fourth day of the first month of July, the pipe center was erected on the twenty-first day, the roulette wheel was put on the first ten days of August, and the golden dome jewel was put on the twenty-third day, and it took only two months to complete this arduous project, and the speed was unexpected.
In the eighteenth year of Guangxu (1892), another earthquake occurred in Dai County, causing the golden dome orb of Ashoka Pagoda to tilt by about 20 degrees. In 2006, the county cultural bureau won special maintenance funds from the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, and carried out a comprehensive overhaul of the Ashoka Pagoda, the tower seat and the tower body were repaired, and the part above the tower brake was dismantled and rebuilt, which not only did not lose the original style, but also completely eradicated the broken situation.
Since its initial construction in the first year of Renshou (601) of the Sui Dynasty, the Pagoda of King Ashoka of Daizhou has suffered many disasters and repeatedly destroyed and been built, and has been preserved to this day, becoming a treasure among ancient Chinese pagodas. At the peak of the prosperity of the Yuanguo Temple, where Ashoka Pagoda is located, there were nine main halls, nine dedication halls, nine Qingliang Pavilions, and five trees each for the Great Mountain Gate and the Great FanFang. In addition, in the east, there are Qingxia Temple, Wanfang Temple, Xiansheng Temple, CiShi Temple, Chongyan Temple, Jiuyao Temple, and Dongge Temple, and in the west there are Beijin Temple, Pure Land Temple, Luohan Temple, Huayan Temple, Jizo Temple, and West Pavilion Temple, with a total of 14 courtyards on both wings. There are also 180 east and west Meditation rooms, and there are more than 500 monks and laymen. It can really be described as the ancient temple of the earth, the architecture is magnificent, the golden splendor is magnificent, and it is magnificent. It is admirable and respectful, and it is appreciated and away from the dust.
The Ashoka Pagoda of Daiju Yuanguo Temple, photographed in 1907
Daizhou Ashoka Pagoda is one of the 19 true stupas in China highlighted in the Fayuan Zhulin. The shape is covered with bowls, commonly known as the Lama Pagoda. This shape is the form that is closest to the original Indian style after the sinicization of The art of building towers in India. It is composed of three parts: the base of the tower, the body of the tower, and the tower brake. There is a dungeon under the base of the tower, and there is a relic in the dungeon. The whole tower is 40 meters high, the base of the tower is rectangular, 50 meters long from north to south, and 30 meters wide from east to west. The tower is circular and has a circumference of 60 meters. It is a double-layered Sumire throne with large lotus petals and smooth ornamentation carved on the overhang. The tower body is covered with bowls. Above the tower body is the tower brake, which is the shape of a small bowl tower, which is composed of three parts: the brake seat, the brake body and the brake roof. The brake seat is of the folded shape of the Sumire seat, and the plane is in the shape of a "sub" glyph. There are 12 brick carved columns under the brake seat, which are typical Western architectural components, reflecting the tower-building style of Combining Chinese and Western styles. The brake body is a 13-layer phase chakra, symbolizing the thirteen days of Buddhism. The brake roof is decorated with a golden dome and a golden orb, and the breeze is gentle, the wind is swinging, and the bells are ringing, which not only frightens the birds and birds, keeps the tower clean, but also conveys the sound of the Buddha to the sentient beings. The golden orb shines in the sun, depicting a golden Buddha's world. (Contributed by: Yang Jixing)
A painting of the walls of the Yuanguo Monastery taken in 1907