-Visit Yin Qi Temple in Hankou.
Hanzheng Street is the largest market in Wuhan and is known as the national small commodity market. It is destined to be lively here. It is strange to hear that there are temples here: Hanzheng Street and Temple?
Hanzheng Street, which is profit-seeking, seems a little contradictory to the pure Buddhism, as if there is a little distance between mountains and water. So I think the search will be complicated.
Reality is often simpler than imagination, and sometimes, complexity is imaginary. I didn't expect to find Yin Qi Temple so easily.
A friend and two sisters, a big pair and a small pair, got off at minzu road, Liuduqiao, Hankou, facing the bronze statue of Sun Yat-sen, and asked passers-by in the street "Where is the Buddha's Club" (before going, I learned from the information that most residents here don't know the "Yin Qi Temple" but know the "Buddha's Club"). Then follow the instructions, turn right into an alley at this fork in the road, go straight for 50 meters and turn left, passing by the tall building under construction.
The alley is a little dark, and the top of the alley is covered because there is construction next to it. Most of the shops and houses on both sides are very old, which makes people feel like they are in the countryside. Further on, behind the yellow walls and the windows with black iron patterns, I can smell the fragrance, the unique fragrance of Buddhism. Oh, here we are. Turning this wall, I saw the stone lion at the door and the words "Yin Qi Temple" on the lintel, and I felt a little deja vu. Oh, I remember, this place is very similar to the Hanyang Tiefo Temple I have been to. It is also surrounded by residential areas and small temples. It is also the name of the temple written by the old monk Changming. On the right wall of the door, on a piece of black marble, it says "Hankou Buddhist Orthodox Church".
Legend has it that Yin Qi Temple has experienced thousands of years of wind and rain, and its history can be traced back to the Tang and Song Dynasties. Now, the original Yin Qi Temple is long gone, and today's Yin Qi Temple was built on the site of Hankou Buddhist Orthodox Church in the 1920s. How did Jushilin become today's Zhong Ni Dojo?
Hankou Buddhist Orthodox Church is very famous in the history of Buddhism in Wuhan. It was the earliest secular organization established in Wuhan, spanning the time before and after the liberation of Wuhan, and many famous democrats participated in the activities of the Zheng Xin Institution. /kloc-in the autumn of 0/920, Master Taixu gave a speech at the Anhui Hall in Hankou, and Wuhan lay man proposed to organize the Hankou Buddhist Association. After preparation, the inaugural meeting was held in the Red Cross in September of the same year, and the articles of association were adopted, recommending Li as the president and respecting Taixu as the mentor. The Orthodox Church faces the society, focusing on men and women who study Buddhism at home, preach Buddhist scriptures, develop Buddhist services, develop members and do good deeds extensively. The Orthodox Church takes the meaning of "establishing orthodox beliefs and breaking superstitions" advocated by Master Taixu. Many eminent monks and great virtues at home and abroad have talked about Buddhism here, such as Master Taixu, Master Yuan Ying, Master Nenghai, Master Song Chi, Mongolian Lama Bai Puren, Dorje Gexi in Tibet, Hutuktu in Xikangnuona, Gongga Living Buddha, Princess Margaret Living Buddha in Jehol, and Juesui A? Li et al., Hong Chuanxian, secret method. After each lecture, hundreds or even hundreds of people converted to Buddhism, and as many as 60 thousand disciples converted successively.
The Orthodox Church has also established a Buddhist magazine, and the authoritative Buddhist magazine The Voice of the Tide has been compiled and published here many times. 1932 founded Zheng Xin monthly; 1947 founded the Buddhist newspaper. Orthodox charity also has a great influence. 193 1 year, there was a flood in Wuhan, and two porridge sheds were built, which were eaten by 500 people every day. Wuhan was bombed by Japanese planes at 1938. Tzu Chi organized an ambulance team to rescue the wounded and bury the victims with the Red Cross. Funeral home was established in 1940, which is the first one in Wuhan. This funeral home worked until the liberation of Wuhan. The activities of the Orthodox Church not only influenced the whole country, but also became famous all over the world. Morimasa Daejeon of Japan, Dhanapala, representative of Ceylon Buddhism, and Dr. Baldwin, vice president of the Buddhist Society of London, all visited here.
How did the Orthodox Church become a secluded temple? What kind of scenery is it now?
two
Walking into the Yin Qi Temple hidden in the bustling depths of Hanzheng Street, you can still feel the unique purity of Buddhism.
I saw Maitreya's smile as soon as I entered the door. Well, when you enter Buddhism, you have to laugh. We just want to learn from Maitreya's big belly, be kind and laugh all the time. Only with joy and equality can we learn Buddhism. This is the first place to start. Beside the door, sat an old layman. The doorman on duty, right? At the door of the guest room, there are also several mother-in-law sitting calmly folding yellow paper ingots. There are always many volunteers in the temple. Buddhism pays attention to six degrees of practice, that is, six methods of practice. The first one is giving. Giving will make us more open-minded, less persistent and happier.
Behind Maitreya Bodhisattva, as usual, is the Great Protector Wei Tuo Bodhisattva. Legend has it that he is the "distracted Pacific" of Buddhism. When the Buddha was in nirvana, a guy named "Ji Jie Ghost" stole two teeth of the Buddha. Wei Tuo was furious when he learned of this incident, arrested "Ji Jie Ghost" and found two teeth of the Buddha, so he became a general who defended Buddhism. The Wei Tuo Bodhisattva in front of her looks firm and humble. He is dressed in exquisite armor, his silk robe sleeves are fluttering, and his dignity reveals a sense of rhythm.
On the right of Wei Tuo Bodhisattva, we saw the "God of Wealth in Hanzheng Street". He held a gold ingot in one hand and glittering gold in the other. Although the temple is not the "mansion" of the "God of Wealth", the offerings of the "God of Wealth" here really have the characteristics of Hanzheng Street. I heard that his incense is very strong. There are many small vendors coming here to worship.
The great protector of Wei Tuo Bodhisattva is facing the Ursa Mahayana Hall, and the merciful face of Sakyamuni Buddha is still guarding all beings in this downtown area. After entering the Hall of the Great Hero to worship Buddha, our eyes were attracted by the Lohan statues hanging on the left and right walls. These images are packed in wooden frames and look lifelike. Especially the clothes you are wearing, why are they shining? A closer look shows that it is not a painting, but looks like an embroidered painting, so it looks very three-dimensional and the color is particularly bright. Behind Sakyamuni Buddha, there is a thousand-handed Guanyin bodhisattva with thousands of hands and eyes. Looking up at the thousands of eyes of avalokitesvara, I suddenly thought, when avalokitesvara has infinite beings in her heart, will there be thousands of eyes? In fact, the offerings in the temple are all for us.
Teacher Wu Zuming, the librarian in the reading room of Yin Qi Temple, is also a volunteer in the temple. She has always regarded this place as her home for more than 20 years. After retiring from Wuhan 16 Middle School, he dutifully collected and preserved various classics and publications for the temple, and got a better understanding of the history of the temple. The kind-hearted old man enthusiastically gave us a tour guide and led us to the second floor of the Ursa Major Hall, which is not open to the public. Wooden stairs and mottled wooden columns tell a glorious time. I smiled at Xiao Shuang: "Think about it, Master Taixu once walked here, and Master Yuan Ying and Master Nenghai once gave lectures here." Wood carving is one of the characteristics of the Hall of Fame, and it still maintains the style of the 1920s. I cocked my head and looked up at the woodcarving of the animal head flower on the outside of the top of the temple, and sighed beautifully.
There is generally no second floor in Daxiong Hall. Why is there a second floor here? I'm surprised. Teacher Wu smiled and said, "The Buddha is enshrined in the Hall of the Great Hero, and there can be nothing else on it." Oh, I remember, because this building was not the Mahatma Hall before, but the house of the Buddhist Orthodox Church, so it has two floors. It is also the only historical site we can see now, and the others were rebuilt later. The old man opened the temple gate, and the second floor was still dedicated to Sakyamuni Buddha and two great disciples, followed by the three sages of the West. The statue is solemn and admirable, and we bow down respectfully.
Suddenly thought of a question, I asked Mr. Wu strangely: "I read a piece of information. There were many Buddhist monks in Wuhan before." According to a statistic in 1950, the ratio of monks and nuns is 1: 1.93. Why are there more nuns than monks? "Teacher Wu sighed:" It wasn't like this before, but now there are many nuns. "Because women's lives are more difficult. Women are also kind, so there are many monks. " My sisters and I, both women, gave a cry of "Oh" and were silent.
On a table next to it, there are many Guanyin bodhisattvas. According to Mr. Wu, there is no place for Buddhist worship in the nearby lay family, so they are put in the temple. If you feel predestined friends, you can also invite them to join us at home. South has no mercy, mercy, Guanyin bodhisattva! So, two sisters, one big and one small, decided to ask the Bodhisattva to come home to support them. Teacher Wu said to say hello to Master. Soon, he called a handsome monk, Master Ibn. Dashuang took a fancy to a wooden bodhisattva, but Xiao Shuang hesitated to see so many Guanyin bodhisattvas. When Master Ibn saw this, he opened the cupboard door, invited a bodhisattva from the back next to the three Western sages and handed it to Xiao Shuang. Xiao Shuang saw it and said, "How solemn!" This is destiny.
The Xiao Shuang sisters must leave first, because they have something to do at noon. In order to protect the Bodhisattva all the way and make it convenient for them to take it, Mr. Wu specially helped them wrap the Bodhisattva in red paper. They all hugged a beloved bodhisattva and smiled goodbye to me. South has no mercy, mercy, Guanyin bodhisattva!
three
It's time for dinner. Teacher Wu led me to the Zhaitang, and then left first.
Many teachers are already sitting in the Zhaitang and eating. I sat next to the layman, and the chef brought me a bowl of rice with eggplant and other vegetarian dishes on it. It's very hot and I'm a little thirsty. I saw pears, apples and cut red watermelons in front of other lay people. I thought, can I stay for a while and ask for a watermelon after dinner? Just as I continued to lower my head to eat, a red melon was handed to me. It's Mr. Wu coming over. I smiled and nodded, Amitabha, I got my wish so soon! After dinner, go to wash the dishes. A layman told me that there was a tap with hot water and asked me to go there to wash it. After washing the bowl, I put it back in the hall.
I was admiring the complicated and exquisite carvings in front of the Ursa Major Hall when I suddenly heard someone calling me on the second floor. I looked up and it was a bhikshuni. She reminded me that I had just eaten vegetarian food and wanted to put in three yuan. I smiled: "I know. I usually put a merit box when I leave. " I know you have to put money in everything you eat and use in the temple. Because the things here are ten ways to support monks. Oh, we amateurs can't use it casually. The bhikshuni upstairs once again reminded me to put it in the merit box of Zhaitang. I usually go to the temple and put money casually. After hearing what she said, she quickly picked up her bag and went to Zhaitang. Every temple has its own rules. Of course, be obedient to all beings. At the moment, I am still a bodhisattva guiding me.
Then go back to the main hall and shoot the carved wooden fence. A kind-hearted aunt walked past me and said to me, "You should publicize Buddhism more. People nowadays dare to do anything. " Aunt's voice is full of worries about reality. I said, "Yeah, they don't know cause and effect. Just know the cause and effect. " Aunt sighed.
Buddhism is in the world and inseparable from the world. If Buddhism is carried forward in the world, the world can be changed and will not be so degraded. Fortunately, Yin Qi Temple is hidden in the downtown area, and it is easy for people to come and go, which can benefit more sentient beings and make the impetuous heart as cold as dew. According to Mr. Wu, there is a lecture every Sunday from 8:30- 10:30, and the theme is determined according to the needs of believers. One of the lecturers is the original master we have seen before, and the other is the original master.
four
Mr. Wu accompanied me to visit the Hall of the Great Hero. After his explanation, I know that the Lohan Xiu Xiang I saw before is the famous Chinese embroidery that is often lost now. In those days, Wuhan Embroidery Factory embroidered two bodhisattvas, Eighteen Arhats and Manjusri Bodhisattva Pu Xian. There are also two pillars in the hall that I thought were special before-it has a beautiful and gorgeous lotus-shaped base with handrails at the bottom. When Mr. Wu turned the handrail by hand, I discovered that this tall pillar could actually turn! Teacher Wu said it was called Buddha-turning tube. I remembered the prayer wheel I turned when I went to Kangzang area.
Walking out of the hall and sitting quietly in the guest room, Mr. Wu told me what he knew about the history of Yin Qi Temple.
Yin Qi Temple has a history of 65,438+0,400 years. It once lived next to the Hankou Buddhist Orthodox Church and was built in the 1920s. Before this generation, it was mostly buddhist supplies of Yin Qi Temple. Buddhism can do Buddhist services, and nuns in Yin Qi Temple next door are often asked to sing sutras for help. After the beginning of War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, the situation was turbulent and once deserted. After liberation, the original Buddhist Association and Yin Qi Temple were even more depressed. According to relevant information, at the beginning of Wuhan's liberation, as soon as the preparatory committee of the Municipal Buddhist Federation was established, it organized the majority of monks and nuns to take the road of self-reliance and self-help in production. 1950 In the spring, Zhong Ni of Yin Qi Temple set up a sock knitting group and used the second floor of Zheng Xin Club as the production workshop. Later, it was changed to sewing, processing clothes for 3604 factory, and then merged into Wuhan Women's Sewing Factory to produce military supplies for the volunteers to resist US aggression and aid Korea. The factory was not dissolved until the Korean armistice. During the "Cultural Revolution", all the temples in Wuhan were destroyed. After the "Cultural Revolution", the religious policy was restored and implemented, and the Buddhist Association was opened as a place for lay people's activities on 1985. In the late 1980s, Yin Qi Temple was demolished and moved to the Buddhist Association and merged with it to form a temple. The temple underwent a major overhaul in 2002, and the incense flourished again.
According to historical records, during the occupation of Wuhan, Zhong Ni people in Yin Qi Temple had a hard life, so they posted a confession at the mountain gate:' Our temple stopped cooking and was hungry for 77 days', and in a few days, the head of the Red Cross Society and reporters were invited. It is reported that: "Forty-eight parasites in Yin Qi Temple have run out of rice, so they need help from all directions ..." Although they got about five stone meters to solve the urgent need, it made Nepalese people feel humiliated. I told Mr. Wu what happened that year and sighed: "In fact, monks are not good at doing other things because they want to preach the Dharma and benefit all beings. They are not parasites. But most people don't know this truth
Teacher Wu nodded and said, "Life is good now. Incense is very popular here, and people from Hanzheng Street come here to burn incense. The conditions in the temple are not bad, and everyone eats well. The laity provided a lot of rice and flour. Every owner has his own room, a water heater and a good life. In order to repay the lay people, the temple plans to build a Buddhist nursing home in Hanyang in the future so that the old people can have a good old age. "
Teacher Wu took me to Zhaitang again, pointing to a room on the second floor and telling me that it was the "Taixu Lecture Hall" later built to commemorate Master Taixu. Looking at the words "Taixu Lecture Hall" on the closed door, I thought of the master. At that time, Master Taixu gave lectures here. Yin Qi Women's College was established in the early 37th year of the Republic of China (1948), and it also belongs to the first department of Wuchang Buddhist College founded by the master, and has trained many Zhong Ni.
Now, according to Teacher Wu, the "Taixu Lecture Hall" is not used much.
five
Out of the temple, re-enter the busy market. Opposite the temple, there is a large cloth wholesale market, which is uniform and colorful. Yin Qi Temple and Hanzheng Street are very harmonious.
Once, the Buddhist Orthodox Church in Hankou was very lively, but now it has become a quiet temple in Zhong Ni. Once, Yin Qi Temple was regarded as a magnificent temple, but now it has undergone great changes. It's natural that things have changed. Do we have to restore mulberry fields to the sea of the past? Look at that lush mulberry field, which is also very good. Why should we regret it?
We hope to find history in cultural relics. What do we want to find in history? I can't get my past experience, my present experience and my future experience.
Sangyuan used to be the sea. Wherever we go, this used to be a monument. Any environment will change. We are also becoming monuments.
As long as the Buddha is here.
I used to think that the bustling Hanzheng Street and the clean Buddhism seemed to be separated by a little mountain and water. But, so close. We walked in easily because of a heart that respects Buddha. In fact, the distance between Buddhism and the city is just one heart.
The heart is in the Buddha country, and the city is in the Buddha country.
There was no distance.
Postscript: After leaving Yin Qi Temple, I went to THE TEMPLE OF JIALAN's home two stops away and sent me the five precepts CD for more people to see. THE TEMPLE OF JIALAN lives at No.3 East Street, Li Ji Road, Hankou, which is known to most Buddhist friends in Wuhan. This is a home for laymen to learn Buddhism, which was built by three Buddhist disciples two years ago. Circulation of classics, chanting Buddha, releasing people to help them study, participating in school practice and charity are all daily things.
Now, the predecessor of Yin Qi Temple, the original Hankou Buddhist Orthodox Church, has actually been lost. However, history will go. When I walked from Yin Qi Temple to THE TEMPLE OF JIALAN's house and saw the "most auspicious place" inscribed by Master Zhengci, president of Hubei Buddhist Association, on the wall, I vaguely seemed to see the rebirth of Hankou Buddhist Orthodox Church.
Zeng Chimei was born in Wuhan in early September 2008.