Jinyun Temple on Jinyun Mountain was once given the title of Xiangsi Temple by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang in the Tang Dynasty, so why did Tang Xuanzong change the "Zen Zhen Palace" given by Emperor Li Yuan of Tang Gaozu to Xiangsi Temple?
Originally, on Jinyun Mountain, on the left side of Jinyun Temple, there was a cliff about 200 meters away, and the cliff was about 700 or 80 meters high. On the protruding convexity of this cliff stone, there are three large characters of "Acacia Rock" carved in stone.
It is said that there is a kind of bamboo growing near Acacia Rock, called Acacia Bamboo. In addition to the acacia bamboo, there is also a red-billed bird with two long feathers on the crown of its head, green wings, barefoot, and yellow tail. The birds often play in pairs on the tree Y on Acacia Rock, and they jump on the tree with joy and fly in the bamboo forest. From time to time, they made a wonderful, singing-like chirping sound, so the natives called this bird the acacia bird.
What is even more peculiar is that someone made a bamboo flute of acacia bamboo, the sound of the bamboo flute is also particularly beautiful, and there is also an acacia tree on the acacia rock, the leaves of this tree are very very red, extremely fresh, in the sun, the red leaves are transparent and very beautiful. Some of the small branches on Acacia Rock are also covered with layers of extremely complex red small fruits, which are also called acacia beans.
However, I don't want to tell the folklore story of Acacia Rock here, but to tell the story of the stone carvings in the Namoa Caves on Acacia Rock.
There is a grotto under the inscription on the rock of Acacia, and there are five Buddha statues carved in the grotto, that is, a large Buddha statue in the center, and there are two male Buddha statues on the left and right above the big Buddha statue; there are also two Buddha statues below, but the two Buddha statues below are very special, the left Buddha statue seems to be a female bodhisattva statue, and the image seems to be worn by an official hat; the right bodhisattva statue is like a naïve boy, and the boy's left hand holds a scepter-like magic weapon.
When I first saw this grotto statue, it could not be related to any texts and stories in the Buddhist scriptures. Later, I looked at the tour guide map on the ticket, saying that the Acacia Rock Cliff Carving is a work of the Song Dynasty, and then I carefully looked at the costumes and faces of the stone carved Bodhisattvas, and then I suddenly realized that the Buddha statue statue in this Cliff Cave is not from any Buddhist scripture story, but a true portrayal of the background of the times at that time of the Great Song Dynasty. Therefore, I judge that the date of completion of this stone carving should be a condensed version of the grotto scene map after the death of Emperor Zhenzong of Song and after Empress Liu E listened to the government.
Why? Because in general, the Buddha statues or cliff carved Buddha statues in the temple are mostly one Buddha and two attendants, such as Shakyamuni Buddha, one side is a disciple of Gaya, the other side is a disciple, and the left and right sides are standing facing each other, in a state of service. There are five bodhisattvas in the Acacia Rock Moya Grottoes on Jinyun Mountain, which have become one Buddha and four attendants (or one lord and four attendants), and all of them are facing the worshippers, and there is no place for the main worship of the gods. Obviously, this is not a Buddhist sutra pattern, but a picture of real life in secular society. So what exactly is this statue of the Cliff Grotto trying to express?
This also has to find logic from the background of the Song Zhenzong era. In the first year of Xingyuan (1022), after the death of Emperor Zhenzong of Song, the only son of Emperor Zhenzong of Song was named Zhao Zhen, which was later Emperor Renzong of Song. At that time, Zhao Zhen was only ten years old, and such a young child could not run the political situation of the Great Song Dynasty, so the power of the Great Song Dynasty was actually controlled by Empress Dowager Liu E. Three years later, many officials of the Great Song Dynasty were afraid that Liu E would abuse her power and become a new generation of Lü Hou or Wu Zetian, and they wrote to Empress Liu E every day, trying to demand that Empress Liu E return power to Zhao Zhen, so Empress Liu E began to listen to the government in order to block the mouths of her ministers.
The center of the interpretation of this grotto is: the big Buddha statue in the middle is Song Zhenzong, the bodhisattva on the left and right is the left and right, the left is Zhao Kuangyin, the high ancestor of Song, and the right is Zhao Guangyi of Song Taizong. Because between Song Gaozu and Song Taizong, although they are second-generation emperors in the order of the Dazong Dynasty, they are the same generation according to the blood lineage, that is, two brothers, so the bodhisattva sculptures on both sides above are of the same size. The bottom of the Buddha statue in the middle of the grotto statue is completely different, the female-like bodhisattva on the left is actually Empress Liu E, and the bodhisattva statue on the right is actually the later Emperor Renzong Zhao Zhen. This picture is a scene painting of Empress Liu E's curtain listening to the government.
Why do the people of Benshan interpret the statue of this grotto in this way? According to shi zai, Liu E's parents died when she was born, and her infant Liu E, who was still in her infancy, was sent to her mother's house to be nursed, but her mother's family was in ruins, and her relatives began to wander around with Liu E, begging for a living, and was soon abandoned.
It just so happened that Hui Huan Zen Master of Jinyun Temple on Jinyun Mountain, he was traveling to collect donations for the reconstruction of Jinyun Temple and Hot Spring Temple, he met the orphan Liu E, he adopted Liu E, and took her to Jinyun Mountain. Zen Master Hui Huan liked Liu E very much and left her in the Acacia Temple in Jinyun Mountain, where Liu E usually read as a companion in jinyun Academy next to the Jinyun Mountain Acacia Temple. In the wind and rain, Liu E grew up to be more than ten years old in Jinyun Mountain, and later met Gong Mei silversmith who put gold on the Buddha statues in the Acacia Temple and the Hot Spring Temple, the two fell in love, and under the auspices of Hui Chui Zen Master, the two left Jinyun Mountain after they got married.
The ten years that Liu E lived in Jinyun Mountain were a very happy decade and a very fortunate decade. Liu E not only learned cultural knowledge in the Jinyun Calligraphy and Painting Academy, but also learned about the knowledge of Confucian Taoism. In this quiet environment, Liu E not only became a great beauty, but also her intelligence and proficiency in many arts, so her talent is extraordinary. The history books say that Liu E is especially good at singing, drumming, dancing, she also has a painting and a cut of costumes. It can be said that she is a great beauty who combines erudite talents.
However, after Liu E left Jinyun Mountain, it did not go well. Gong Mei's silversmith work is very deserted, and in order to survive, the two have to wander around. Sometimes, Liu E had to show her unique skills to sell singing, drumming, dancing to maintain her livelihood. Liu E's proficiency in singing, drumming, dancing, and beauty made Gong Mei look clumsy, and she did not have any silversmith work. Therefore, people thought that the two were selling art for a living, and at that time, many important courtiers in the court especially laughed at Liu E, saying that Liu E was a wandering beautiful singer.
It was in this way that Liu E was favored by the King of Xiang at that time. Under the sum of a family general named Zhang Qi under King Xiang, Zhang Qi gave Gong Mei a lot of money, claiming that the two were brothers and sisters. In this way, Liu E entered the palace of King Xiang and became the favor of King Xiang. This Xiang king greatly appreciated Liu E's beauty and talent, Liu E had a kind of natural and simple temperament of folk beauties, coupled with Liu E's talent, which was a natural thing that all beautiful women in the palace lacked, so the King of Xiang was extremely fond of Liu E.
King Xiang later became crown prince when Emperor Taizong of Song died (997). Naturally, Prince Zhao Heng officially succeeded to the throne in the first year of Xianping (998), which was the third emperor of the Great Song Dynasty, Song Zhenzong. After Emperor Zhenzong of Song succeeded to the throne, he could not wait to take Liu E back to the palace. Since Emperor Zhenzong of Song already had Empress Guo and many concubines in his palace, And Liu E's status when he first entered the palace was still low, so in the same year that Emperor Zhenzong of Song became emperor (998), Emperor Zhenzong of Song could only send the two hundred and forty volumes of the Sutra that Emperor Taizong had read to the Xiangsi Temple on Jinyun Mountain for collection or offering. However, this matter was very important, and Emperor Zhenzong of Song had actually recognized the Jinyun Academy of Jinyun Mountain, which had adopted Liu E, as her mother's home.
On March 27 of the third year of Song Xianping (1000), Emperor Zhenzong of Song promoted Liu E to the rank of beauty among concubines (正四品) and changed the name of Xiangsi Temple to "Chongjiao Temple". In the same year, Master Hui Huan erected a monument to the testament, a total of thirteen articles. (This is an archaeological remnant) and ("Stone Carvings of Jinyun Mountain in the North Hot Springs" contains articles, the author is Chang Renxia. "Beibei District Chronicle" ShangShi Ji 1980s edition).
In the first year of the Song Dynasty (1004), Emperor Zhenzong of Song promoted Liu E to the position of concubine Zhongxiu Yi (正三品), and in the same year gave the inscription Jinyun Mountain Acacia Temple as "Chongsheng Temple".
In the fourth year of Song Jingde (1007), Emperor Zhenzong of Song promoted Liu E to concubine Zhongde Concubine (from Yipin), and in the same year gave the inscription Jinyun: Shan Xiangsi Temple Lower Courtyard Hot Spring Temple as "Chongsheng Zen Temple".
In the fourth year of Song Jingde (1007), Emperor Zhenzong of Song and Concubine Liu'e sent his close associate Ding Shu (later promoted to chancellor) to the Jinyun Mountain Acacia Temple Lower Courtyard Hot Spring Temple.
In the fourth year of Song Jingde (1007), Emperor Zhenzong of Song made Hui Huan a Zen master. (Can be listed as a famous monk). (Archaeological remnants)
In the fifth year of Dazhongxiangfu (1012), Emperor Zhenzong of Song promoted Liu E to empress (正一品). (Emperor Zhenzong of Song did not see an inscription record given to Jinyun Mountain, or did not record the text.) Perhaps because many ministers of the imperial court opposed the appointment of Liu E as empress, they stopped giving Jinyun Mountain an inscription)
As can be seen from the above, every time Emperor Zhenzong of Song gave Liu E the title of concubine, he would give Jinyun Mountain an inscription, and there were six times related to Liu E, was it a coincidence? The Benshan people believe that it is not, but that Jinyun Mountain has a secret relationship with Liu E.
According to historical records, Liu E has three talents that Song Zhenzong particularly likes, one is Liu E's singing, the other is Liu E's drum skills, and the third is Liu E's dance skills. But in fact, Liu E also had a special skill, that is, Liu E's painting art was also a must, but the ministers of the DPRK did not know it, only that once when Liu E, in order to stop the "partisan dispute", asked the ministers to recommend their closest friends who had relatives and friends to serve as officials in the imperial court. As a result, Liu E asked the painters in the imperial court to draw them into a picture in order to clearly understand the intentions of the ministers in recommending officials, thus prohibiting the ministers from forming parties for personal gain. However, the so-called court painter was Liu E herself, and the costumes, personalities and relationships of the people painted on the painting jumped on the painting, and from then on, the court ministers no longer dared to form a party to pour out on each other. Liu E's political maneuver is extremely appropriate.
In fact, the one who knew best about Liu E's talents and administrative management ability was Emperor Zhenzong of Song, otherwise he would have firmly established Liu E as empress in spite of the opposition of many important ministers. Liu E's painting skills are also a skill that Song Zhenzong greatly admires, and here I have to make up a story.
One day, Song Zhenzong was idle, he quietly sneaked into Liu E's palace, only to see that Liu E was painting something, he gently nodded his feet, approached Liu E from behind, he looked at the drawing, and couldn't help but be stunned. It turned out that there were two birds on the bamboo branches on the original painting, as if kissing each other. Behind the bamboo technique was a cliff with the words "Acacia Rock" on it, and there were a few small trees on the cliff, and some red leaves grew on the branches. In front of Acacia Rock stood two people, a man and a woman, and the two were staring passionately at a pair of birds on a bamboo branch...
Song Zhenzong stared at the painting in a daze, and it took a while before he exclaimed, it was so beautiful! Song Zhenzong's sigh instead startled Liu E and said that the slave was disrespectful and did not know that the emperor had arrived. Just as he was about to kneel, Song Zhenzong grabbed Liu E and said that Aifei was not disrespectful, and he really couldn't imagine that Aifei had such a good and elegant wow. Busy said, where did you learn this masterpiece? Liu E smiled and said, This is what I learned at Jinyun Academy on Jinyun Mountain, this is my little study, I am ugly! Song Zhenzong said that this painting is so beautiful, if this place is in the palace. Liu E said that the scene on this painting is on Jinyun Mountain, this rock is called Acacia Rock, this bird is called Acacia Bird, this bamboo is called Acacia Bamboo, and the tree is called Acacia Tree.
Song Zhenzong said, is Jinyun Mountain really so good when you say it? What does it look like? Liu E said, Emperor, I forgot, my grandfather gave me a painting when I left Jinyun Mountain, and asked me to take it out when I met a noble person. You are my nobleman today, and I will show it to the Holy Lord. Liu E said to find out a painting, when the painting slowly unfolded, Song Zhenzong was so excited that his hands trembled, wow, there is such a beautiful place in this world!
Liu E said that this is my grandfather's painting, saying that it is an heirloom. Song Zhenzong couldn't help but read the inscription of the scroll: "Jinyun Landscape Map". Liu E pointed to the painting and said, this is Jinyun Jiufeng, want to think of the rock here, acacia temple here, hot spring temple here, this river is the Jialing River...
Song Zhenzong praised one after another, and he suddenly remembered something, you didn't say that you had lost your parents since you were a child, how could you be a grandfather? Liu E smiled and said that my grandfather was the Hui Huan Zen master who adopted me. He is so kind to me that without him there would be no me today. Saying that Liu E moved her feelings, teardrops dripped down. Song Zhenzong said busily, "Well, Aifei, I want to send Prime Minister Ding to the Hot Spring Temple." Liu E was shocked and said, what to do? Song Zhenzong said, I gave the hot spring temple a name, and when I finished, I went to the desk and wrote down the four big characters of "Chongsheng Zen Temple" with a stroke of the pen. Liu E couldn't help but clap her hands in applause, and Song Zhenzong said happily, "She will also give Master Hui Huan the title of Master of Ciying." Liu E jumped up happily and said, Thank you Your Majesty. Song Zhenzong playfully said that he would stay at Princess De's place tonight.
Because Liu E mentioned Jinyun Mountain many times in front of Song Zhenzong, Song Zhenzong was deeply impressed by it. Song Zhenzong has always wanted to promote Liu E to empress, the opportunity came, Jingping four years (1007), Empress Guo died, Song Zhenzong wanted to promote Liu E as the queen, but in the court discussion, Jian Zhun, Li Di and other important ministers were particularly opposed, saying that the saint mentioned a wandering singer for the empress will attract shame and laughter in the world, and also said that Liu E was born lowly, from childhood there was no father and no wife, the road is unknown, and it is also rumored that Liu E was a second-married woman before entering the palace, moreover, she did not give birth to a little prince, how can such a person be a mother in the world. When Emperor Zhenzong of Song saw that the imperial court was not passing, he went to issue an edict ordering Yang Yi to write and issue the holy will to promote Liu E, but Yang Yi and others also refused to say that the cultivators of a concubine could be promoted to empress at once. Song Zhenzong had to temporarily cancel the nomination of the empress, but this made the important ministers panic, saying that the country could not be without a day, and some of the heavy ministers came to recommend the empress candidates, and it turned out that most of these candidates had too much to do with the recommenders, and they wanted to use some relationships to let the empress and the empress form a party to control the emperor. In this way, the courtiers and Song Zhenzong were held up for three years.
(1010) Chaozhong Daxi said that Liu E gave birth to a small prince, named Zhao Zhen, because Song Zhenzong had been childless for a long time, naturally Zhao Zhen was the only candidate for the crown prince. Mother to son Gui, Liu E was promoted to empress by Emperor Zhenzong in 1012. I thought that the affairs of this harem should be calmed down, according to the Song system, Song Zhenzong should also add some more titles to Jinyun Mountain, but chaoshang still disputed the matter of the empress, because the palace rumored that the little prince was not born of Liu E. In particular, they were allowed to chatter to prevent Liu E from interfering with the government.
Because Song Zhenzong carried out the Tianshu Movement in his later years, he rarely pro-government, and most of the major affairs in the DPRK and China were decided by Liu E. Emperor Zhenzong of Song died in 1022, and Empress Liu'e ascended to the imperial court as the empress dowager and on the grounds of the crown prince's infancy. Under the interference of the ministers of the DPRK and the CENTRAL Government, Liu Ecai was not allowed to follow the curtain. In order to calm people's minds, Liu E personally drew a picture and told the ministers that Benhou had no ambitions to be Empress Lü and Wu Zetian, and that in the future, Benhou would return to the government. The Great Song Dynasty is still the world of zhao, taking this picture as an example: the Great Song Dynasty created the foundation from Taizu, passed it on to Emperor Taizong, and then faxed it to Emperor Zong. Emperor Tuozhenzong's blessing, I Liu E He De He Neng is now the queen, but ben is already in his twilight years, breathless, if it were not for the fact that the crown prince was still young, ben would not need to work so hard and live. Ben waited for the crown prince for another four years, and handed over the imperial power to the prince without any other love. This figure Mingzhi, the scepter of Prince Zhao Zhen in his hand, hung this picture on the Great Hall of discussion to show the world and prove the original intention of the original.
When the courtiers looked at the picture, there were indeed five bodhisattvas painted on it, the middle resembled Emperor Zhenzong, the upper left and right resembled Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong, the left attendant below resembled Empress Liu'e, and the right attendant was the infant young Emperor Renzong holding a scepter. The courtiers could not help but marvel at the fact that the painting was very realistic, as if all the emperors of the Great Song Dynasty were in front of them.
Liu E couldn't help but say to the Civil and Military Officials, this painting is personally painted after the original, I don't know what is wrong, I hope that the Aiqing people clicked, at this time there is no sound. Liu E said that Ben Hou knew that many of you had laughed at Ben Hou in private, saying that how can a singer be a mother in the world. Of course, there is nothing wrong with this, the fault lies in the fact that you have degraded the talent of ben with a song girl. Although I am a woman of the generation, your Four Books and Five Classics, Confucianism, And Taoism, have not fallen down after this. What poetry and song are endowed, this post-habit is like a small dish. People should know how to be grateful, they should understand the bitterness and bitterness of ordinary people, don't just read the books of the sages, talk into the sky, form parties for personal gain, and party friends and parties poured in. And Bai has no ability to do practical things.
Born later, it is true that his parents died in infancy, and he lived on the street at the age of three or four, eating pig and dog food and rotten food, hungry cold and warm I know myself. I have to thank The Zen Master Hui Huan of Acacia Temple on Jinyun Mountain, who adopted me and let me enter the best school, Jinyun Academy, and made me a companion reading, so that I knew the importance of culture. After entering the palace, I thanked Emperor Zhenzong, who let me know the world, so the Great Song Dynasty must be passed on under my hands, which is the best work of thousands of generations. In the future, the state capital of the Great Song Dynasty must be set up like the Jinyun Academy on Jinyun Mountain, and the state school will be established, so that all the talents of the world will gather in the court of the Great Song Dynasty...
(This picture painted by Empress Liu E was sent by Empress Liu E's cronies to Jinyun Temple to take a stone carving under Acacia Rock) So the cliff stone carving has been passed down to this day)
Picture of the main cave carved from the Acacia Rock cliff of Jinyun Mountain
Jinyun Mountain Acacia Rock
Jinyun Mountain Acacia Rock Cave Tower
Jinyun Mountain Acacia Rock Cliff Carving
Jinyun Mountain Jinyun Temple Academy Sutra Attic
Jinyun Mountain Jinyun Temple monks backyard
A corner of Jinyun Academy in Jinyun Mountain
Jinyun Mountain Jinyun Academy Main Courtyard
Jinyun Mountain Cliff stone carving wild scenery high Guanyin
A grotto on the Jinyun Mountain Trail