According to the Buddhist scripture Nirvana Sutra, after Shakyamuni was destroyed, the disciples incinerated his body, collected the relics for preservation, and built a pagoda in Wangshe City to make offerings. At that time, the Buddha's relics had become Buddhist relics 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 demise, 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. Legend has it that In order to promote Buddhism, Ashoka of India distributed the relics of the Buddha to various places, and wherever the relics were obtained, pagodas were built to worship. According to relevant Buddhist texts, before Emperor Wen of Sui built the pagodas, there were only nineteen pagodas in the true body of the Buddha in China.
Records of the buddha's true body stupa before the Sui Dynasty are found in Tang Dynasty texts, mainly the "Collection of The Three Treasures of Shenzhou" (Dao Xuan), the "Guanghong Ming Collection" (Dao Xuan), the "Fayuan Zhulin" (Dao Shi) and the Dunhuang literature. The Dunhuang literature says: "One hundred and eighty-six years after the buddha's demise, the king of the iron wheel of the Mashuddha Kingdom, named Ashoka, opened the former old pagoda, took 84,000 grains from his relics, made the seven treasures as a resource to drive away the ghost gods, built 84,000 pagodas, and in each pagoda there was a relic, and asked the 168,000 monks of the Jitou Temple, the first one named Ye She, to put eighty-four thousand rays of light at the end of the five fingers, and the ghost gods searched for the end of the light, and the Anta was one, and the Tang Dynasty got nineteen houses. "The statement of the nineteenth seat became a foregone conclusion in the hereafter, and this is largely because of this.
1． Zhejiang Ningbo Ashoka Temple Stupa (Western Jin Dynasty Huiji County Pagoda)
Ashoka Ancient Temple, formerly known as Ashoka Pagoda Temple, commonly known as "Old Yuwang", "Little Yuwang", historical records record that as early as the Two Jin Dynasties, Ashoka Ancient Temple was called the three famous temples in Ningbo together with Tiantong Temple and Fenghua Xuedou Temple. The ancient temple was built in the third year of the Western Jin Dynasty Emperor Taikang (282 AD) and has a history of more than 1700 years. Known as the "Southeast Buddha Country", Ashoka Temple is a famous Buddhist Zen temple, one of the "Five Mountains" of Chinese Buddhism, and the only surviving thousand-year-old temple in China named after Ashoka of India. There is a stupa hall inside Ashoka Temple. The Stupa Hall enshrines the Buddha's true body stupa, and the Buddha's true body relics are hanging inside.
2． Jiangsu Nanjing Dabao'en Temple Ruins Park Dabao'en Pagoda (Eastern Jin Dynasty Jinling Changgan Pagoda)
Dabao'en Temple is the oldest Buddhist temple in Chinese history, its predecessor is the Jianchu Temple and Ashoka Pagoda built during the Chiwu period of Eastern Wu (238-250), it is the second temple in China after Luoyang White Horse Temple, and the first Buddhist temple established in southern China. In 2008, a large number of world-class cultural relics and holy relics such as the Changgan Temple Underground Palace, the predecessor of Dabao'en Temple, were unearthed from the world's only "Buddha's Top True Bone", "Induction Relic", "All Saints Relic" and "Seven Treasures Ashoka Pagoda", which is the highest standard, largest and most complete preserved temple ruins in China.
3． Shandong Linzi Xitian Temple (Shizhao Qingzhou Dongcheng Pagoda)
Xitian Temple was built by Emperor Shi Hu of Zhao during the Southern and Northern Dynasties period, initially named Xingguo Temple, later changed to Guanghua Temple, and abandoned several times. During the Northern Wei Dynasty, it reached its peak, with a north-south span of 1.5 kilometers, and was one of the larger temple buildings in China at that time, with a large number of Buddha statues and a relatively large incense. At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, the temple was rebuilt on the site of Guanghua Temple and renamed it Xitian Temple. The Statue of Xitian Temple is 5.6 meters, which is the largest existing single stone Buddha statue in East China, commonly known as "Zhangba Buddha" and "Infinite Life Buddha".
4． Shanxi Yongji Pushou Temple Stupa (Yao Qinhe East Pusaka Pagoda)
Pushou Temple is located in Yongji City, Shanxi Province, 3 kilometers east of the ancient city of Puzhou, on the head of Emei. Inside the Temple of Universal Salvation, stands a simple and elegant brick pagoda with square eaves, formerly known as the Stupa. Because the love story of Zhang Sheng and Cui Yingying in "The Tale of the West Chamber" takes place under the tower, people call it "Warbler Tower".
5． Shaanxi Fufeng Famen Temple True Body Pagoda (Qishan South Pagoda, Zhouqi Prefecture)
Founded in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, Famen Temple was the "royal temple" of the Tang Dynasty, and became a Buddhist holy place admired by the whole country because of the placement of the supreme sacred relics in the Buddhist world, the "finger bone relics" of Buddha Shakyamuni. Famen Temple Underground Palace is the largest pagoda underground palace ever seen, unearthed Shakyamuni Buddha finger bone relics, copper floating tu, eight treasure letters, silver flower double wheel twelve ring tin staff and other Buddhist supreme treasures, Famen Temple Treasure Hall has more than 2,000 pieces of Tang Dynasty national treasures unearthed in the Famen Temple underground palace, the world's largest temple.
6． Dunhuang, Guazhou, Gansu (Zhouguazhou City East Ancient Pagoda)
The eastern ancient pagoda of Zhouguazhou City is said to be in the ancient city of Shazhou, one kilometer west of present-day Dunhuang, the other in present-day Guazhou County, and the other to be the stupa in the Chongjiao Temple of Mogao Caves. The tower no longer exists.
7． Dunhuang, Gansu (Mahayana Temple pagoda in Zhoushazhou)
The Mahayana Pagoda in Zhou shazhou no longer exists in the ancient city of Shazhou, one kilometer west of present-day Dunhuang.
8． Qiyun Pagoda of Luoyang White Horse Temple, Henan (West Pagoda of the Ancient Capital of Zhouluo Prefecture)
The White Horse Temple is located 12 kilometers east of Luoyang City, Henan Province, 1.5 kilometers west of yongmen, the ancient city of Luoyang, Han Wei, known as the Jingangya Temple, known as "China's first ancient temple", is the first government-run temple after the introduction of Buddhism to China. It was built in the 11th year of Yongping (68 AD) of the Ming Emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty, and has a history of nearly 2,000 years. It is praised by Chinese and foreign Buddhist circles as "Shiyuan" and "Ancestral Court". Qiyun Pagoda was originally called Shakya Stupa Pagoda, Golden Pagoda, and White Horse Pagoda. About 200 meters southeast of the mountain gate of Luoyang White Horse Temple, it is the earliest surviving ancient building on the ground in Luoyang and one of the few remains of Jin Dynasty architecture in the Central Plains.
9． Wuwei, Gansu (Guzang Old Pagoda, Zhouliangzhou)
The ancient pagoda of Guzang in Zhouliang Prefecture is in present-day Wuwei City, Gansu Province, the pagoda no longer exists, and the site of the pagoda has been lost.
10． Gansu Shandan Nanhu Park Pagoda (Zhougan Prefecture Deletion Dan County Old Pagoda)
Zhidan County is now Shandan County, Gansu. In 2004, the tower was rebuilt on the south side of Nanhu Park in Shandan County.
11． Shanxi Hongdong Guangsheng Temple Feihong Pagoda (Zhou Jinzhou Huoshan South Pagoda)
Located at Guangsheng Temple in Huoshan Mountain, northeast of Hongdong County, Shanxi, the Flying Rainbow Pagoda was built in the Han Dynasty and was formerly known as the Ashoka Pagoda. The current pagoda was built in the eleventh year (1516) of Emperor Zhengde of Mingwu and completed in the sixth year of Jiajing (1527), which took 12 years to complete. The octagonal plan of the pagoda is a pavilion-style stupa with thirteen eaves, and is 47.6 meters high. Because its tower body is colorful like a rainbow after rain, it is called "Flying Rainbow Tower". The Feihong Pagoda is one of the four famous pagodas in China, and it is also the largest and most complete glazed pagoda found so far with a craftsman inscription.
12． Ashoka Pagoda, Dai County, Shanxi (East Ancient Pagoda of Qidai Prefecture)
Dai County Ashoka Pagoda, commonly known as the White Pagoda, is the original Orchard Temple of Dai County, Xinzhou City, Shanxi. Originally built in the first year of Sui Renshou (601), it was originally a wooden pagoda and later converted into a brick pagoda. The pagoda is conical in shape, Buddhist and Tibetan style, and has a height of 40 meters. The pedestal of the tower is circular in plan, and is made of a lotus petal and a heavy astringent and square Sumire-za style. The tower body is curved ruler-shaped Sumire seat, the seat bears the brake rod, the upper cover plate, the middle of the gold top jewel, the silhouette is beautiful, steady and straight, the brick carving art is superb, and it is a masterpiece in China's Tibetan-style tower.
13． Baoguang Pagoda of Baoguang Temple, Xindu, Chengdu, Sichuan (Fugan Temple Pagoda, Chengdu, Sui Yizhou)
Xindu Baoguang Temple is one of the "Southern Buddhist Jungles", and is listed alongside Chengdu's Zhaojue Temple, Wenshu Monastery, and Caotang Temple as the "Four Essences" of Chengdu. More to the pagoda in the temple, the temple has a pagoda echoing the Baoguang Pagoda as the treasure of the town temple, the pagoda is slightly inclined to the west, known as the "Oriental Leaning Tower", famous at home and abroad. There are 577 clay statues of Arhats in the Luohan Hall of Baoguang Temple, with different looks, lifelike and exquisite craftsmanship. In the center of the hall is dedicated to the 6.6-meter-high Thousand Hands and Thousand Eyes Guanyin Bodhisattva, facing the four directions. All the statues were the heirlooms of the Sichuan sculptor Li Guangxue and his disciples who spent nine years carving and engraving, which can be called a pearl in the art of oriental sculpture.
14． White Pagoda of Chongzhou White Pagoda Temple, Sichuan (Jinyuan County Pagoda, Sui Yizhou)
White Pagoda Temple is located in the Baita Lake Scenic Area of Daoming Town, Chongzhou City, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, surrounded by mountains on three sides, and the White Pagoda is majestic and tall, like a pillar in the sky, standing on the top of the mountain.
15． Henan Xinmi Chaohua Temple Pagoda (Sui Zhengzhou Chaohua Temple Pagoda)
Chaohua Temple, formerly known as "Ashoka Temple", is located in the center of Chaohua Town, Xinmi City, Henan Province, west of Song Mountain, south of Ma Ghost Mountain, north of Qingping, east of Dakui, tree-lined, pleasant scenery. Known as the northern Jiangnan, it is a famous Buddhist resort.
16． Henan Wuzhi Miaole Temple Pagoda (Sui Huaizhou Miaole Temple Pagoda)
Wuzhi Miaole Temple Pagoda, also known as Miaole Temple True Body Stupa, is located in Anzhang Village, Dahongqiao Township, Wuzhi County, Jiaozuo. The fifth batch of national key cultural relics protection units. MyokurakuJi Pagoda is one of the largest and most completely preserved five-generation pagoda in China, and the Myokoji Temple has been destroyed, and only the pagoda remains.
17． Shanxi Taiyuan Jinyuan Ashoka Pagoda (Sui and Zhou Jingming Temple Pagoda)
Huiming Temple (a Jingming Temple) stupa, founded in the second year of Emperor Wen of Sui (602), known as "Ancient Pagoda Lingcang", is one of the eight scenic spots of Taiyuan County in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, located in the middle of the west city of Yangcheng in Kuching, now Jinyuan District, Guchengying Village, Taiyuan City key protected cultural relics.
18． Shanxi Yushe (Sui Prefecture Yushe County Tower)
The temple where the yushe county pagoda is located is called Datong Temple, which is located in the southeast corner of Yushe County, Shanxi Province, and there is no temple or pagoda at present.
19． Xinxian County, Shandong (Linhuang County Tower, Sui Wei Prefecture)
There is an ancient town in Xinxian County, Liaocheng City, Shandong Province, there is a "Sheli Temple Village", found a huge yuan stele, the height of the stele is 4.5 meters, the inscription is more than 1700 words, the inscription of the stele is: "Dayuan Guo Puzhou Chaocheng County Sheli Daxingguo Temple General Holding Jingyin Master Dao Gong Gao Xing Stele". At present, only the remains remain, and neither the temple nor the pagoda remains.
In summary, the former Sui Dynasty Buddha Stupa, Shanxi 5, Gansu 4, Henan 3, Sichuan 2, Shandong 2, Shaanxi 1, Zhejiang 1, Jiangsu 1. Among them, 6 no longer exist (of which the specific location of 3 in Gansu has not been examined), and there are 13 existing pagodas with considerable views; and there are 3 places that can be admired by Buddha relics, namely Shaanxi Famen Temple, Zhejiang Ashoka Temple and Jiangsu Nanjing Dabao'en Temple Ruins Park.
(Some of the pictures come from the Internet, if there is infringement, delete it immediately)
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