During the Ming Dynasty, there were two famous ministers, one was to guard the border for many years, making outstanding contributions to the stability of the northwestern border defense line of the Ming Dynasty, and later Wang Chonggu, who served as the Shangshu of the Military Department, and the other was Zhang Siwei, who succeeded Zhang Juzheng as the first assistant to the cabinet.
And the names of these two great figures appeared at the same time on an ancient tower, which was very rare and too precious. Coincidence, or is there another story?
In Yongji, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province, there is a temple called Wangu Temple, and there is a landmark building in the temple, which is the Wangu Temple Pagoda. The pagoda stands behind the temple, towering like a cloud and imposing like a rainbow. On this pagoda is inlaid a stone plaque with four large characters inscribed in italics "Duobao Pagoda", the font is clear and vigorous.
There are many inlaid stone plaques on the tower, generally all of which are tower inscriptions, but in addition to the four large characters on the stone plaque, there are two strings of small characters on both sides, and if you look closely, this is not bad, which says two famous people in the history of the Ming Dynasty. One is Wang Chonggu,
One is Zhang Siwei.
Why is that? Let's briefly introduce the two big people first! Both people are locals, in the past there was a famous place called Puzhou, both are from Puzhou, the two people are also related, Wang Chonggu is Zhang Siwei's uncle.
Wang Chonggu was a famous border guard minister of the Jiajing, Longqing, and Wanli dynasties of the Ming Dynasty.
In his lifetime, he had three major feats, pingding the Wukou, fighting against the Wukou on the southeast coast, and guarding the border defense line of the Ming Dynasty in the northwest town, and the Ming Dynasty divided the northwest border defense line into nine towns, known as the nine border towns. Wang Chonggu alone worked in seven towns, can be said to be the Ming Dynasty guarding the border defense line of the elder figure, "Longqing Peace Talks" is an important national policy in the late Ming Dynasty, changing the situation of the military confrontation between the Ming Dynasty and the Mongols, the two sides began to do business, mutual communication, thus creating a new situation of peace.
Such a major event, Wang Chonggu is an active participant and promoter. At that time, he was in office, there were contradictions and conflicts within the Mongols, Wang Chonggu and the first assistant in the imperial court, Gao Gong and the second assistant Zhang Juzheng, seized the favorable opportunity and actively promoted, and finally the "Longqing Peace Agreement" was reached, thus creating a century-old peace situation. The "History of Ming" has a very high evaluation of Wang Chonggu, "Chonggu has experienced seven towns and is on the border".
Zhang Siwei's fame is even greater, he is Wang Chonggu's nephew, in his growth, his uncle did not have less to promote, coupled with Zhang Siwei's cleverness and alertness, personal efforts, and later able to become the first assistant of the Ming Dynasty Zhang Juzheng's deputy, with Zhang Juzheng to carry out reforms. It can be seen that Zhang Juzheng also appreciates and cultivates Zhang Siwei very much.
Later, Zhang Juzheng died, and Zhang Siwei came to replace him and became the first assistant of the cabinet.
Zhang Juzheng died, a good system policy, Zhang Siwei did not continue to implement, but cooperated with the Wanli Emperor to liquidate Zhang Juzheng, it can be seen that Zhang Juzheng is the wrong person, look away.
Zhang Siwei's ass in the position of the first assistant has not yet sat hot, and his father is dead, and he has to go home to keep filial piety for three years, in fact, 27 months. When Zhang Juzheng was in power, his father died, and Zhang Juzheng did not go home to keep filial piety, staged a love affair, and set off a monstrous wave of turmoil. Zhang Siwei did not have the courage and energy, or was extremely reluctant, obediently returned to his hometown to keep filial piety. When the mourning period was almost over, and he was ready to return to Beijing to do a big job, God did not give him a chance, and Zhang Siwei fell ill and died. Zhang Siwei had a bad reputation due to the liquidation of Zhang Juzheng, and later generations did not have a high evaluation of him.
The two big figures have been introduced, and they also went to see the Wangu Temple and the Wangu Temple Pagoda together.
Mangusa Temple is very high, all the way up, and now a new stone archway has been built.
The tower is located at the highest point and can be seen from a distance.
Wangu Temple is the eighth batch of national key cultural relics protection units, was founded in the third year of the Northern Wei Zhengguang, the Sui Dynasty restoration, taking the meaning of "Ten Thousand Years of Yonggu", called Wangu Temple, known as "the first Zen forest of the Middle Article".
Below is a shadow wall with a huge Buddha character written on it.
The mountain gate is quaint and antique, and there is a second general next to it.
The temple gradually rises and goes up the mountain road.
A group of buildings called the Medicine Man Cave
Inside there is a very precious stone stele with a carved statue of Luohan on it.
Another group of buildings is a tall, masonry structure, famous for its beamless halls.
There are three plaques hanging in front of the temple, which are also inscribed by local celebrities, but the small characters on both sides of the plaque are not clear. I don't know which big man wrote it that year. In the middle and late Ming Dynasty, this area produced many big figures, which can be described as a gathering of celebrities, which is very rare.
The figure eight shadow wall next to it, inlaid with brick carved erlong play beads, comes alive.
It is said that the original four treasures of "Jade Buddha, Treasure Vase, Relic, and Golden Edition Buddhist Scripture" were used as the objects of the town pagoda, so it was named "Duobao Pagoda".
Now the tower is octagonal thirteenth floor, the largest below, and then each layer decreases.
Spectacular.
Below is the stone plaque "Duobao Pagoda" embedded in the pagoda
The stone plaque is inlaid in the fourteenth year of the Wanli Calendar, Zhang Siwei has died in the thirteenth year of the Wanli Calendar, and Wang Chonggu is still alive. Why do the names of the two great figures appear on a stone plaque at the same time, with Wang Chonggu's inscription written on the left and Zhang Siwei's book engraved on the right, a title, and a book are all written meanings, what is going on?
Personal bold speculation, Wang Chonggu retired home to retire to the pension, and Zhang Siwei to his father to keep filial piety at home, uncle and nephew are in his hometown of Puzhou, one day uncle and nephew together to travel to The Wangu Temple, the two of them are well-known in the local area, can be described as people returning to their hometown. When the abbot of the temple, the abbot, etc. heard that the two were coming, they must receive the highest standard, accompany the tour, fragrant tea vegetarian fasting, and talk about it, the abbot of the temple asked the two big men for ink treasures, and got the inscriptions of the two big men, which must be the supreme glory of The Wangu Temple. After a bout of humility, what does it say to write? Uncle Wang Chonggu said, "Just write an inscription for the pagoda!" Write the inscription Multi-Treasure Stupa". Zhang Siwei, as a nephew, of course, wrote by him. So the fall left Wang Chonggu inscription on the left, the left is the top, and the right is the Zhang Siwei Book. At that time, this stone plaque was not carved, and when the stone plaque was carved in the fourteenth year of the Wanli Calendar and inlaid, Zhang Siwei had already been ancient.
The above is my speculation, welcome friends to discuss together, if there are friends who know this story, welcome to teach in the message area.
There is no large-scale renovation of Wangu Temple, and basically maintains the feeling of quaint vicissitudes. If you have a chance to come to Yongji, you must visit The Wangu Zen Temple and see the Duobao Pagoda. Come and admire this stone plaque of the two big men.
There are too many cultural monuments in the land of Shenzhou, which are too wonderful. The big locust tree has been accumulated for ten years, thick and thin. If you also love cultural relics and monuments, like history and culture, please keep an eye on it! Hope it will be helpful for your trip to the past.
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Author: Big Locust Tree, post-70s, Beijinger, recorder of folk monuments. Love cultural relics and monuments, like these old things left by the ancestors, use the camera in your hand to record the beauty of the monuments; the pathfinders on the road of roaming the seas like to introduce the scenery in tourism to everyone; I hope to use my own strength to record more historical stories and inherit more traditional culture.