Hongjue Temple is located in Zutang Mountain, Dongshanqiao Town, Jiangning District, Nanjing. It was built in the second year of the Southern Liang Dynasty (503). Formerly known as "Buddha Cave Temple", later called "Hongjie Temple". In the Qing Dynasty, Li Hong, who avoided the emperor Qianlong, was renamed "Hongjue Temple". Hongjue Temple is backed by Niushou Mountain, facing Yuntai Mountain, surrounded by mountains, and has an excellent geographical position. The south foot is the largest underground palace in the south of the Yangtze River-the Second Mausoleum of the Southern Tang Dynasty.
Zutangshan, where Hongjue Temple is located, has a long history of building a temple. Many famous temples have been built here in the past dynasties, especially after the Tang Dynasty. Zutang Mountain is in the south of Niushou Mountain. Because the Southern Dynasties built a secluded temple in the south of the mountain, also known as the secluded mountain. At the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, Zen master Farong was stationed here, and established a Sect, which was called "Niutou Zen" in history. Mount Youqi has become a Buddhist temple built by the ancestors of Tauren Sect in the world. The so-called "four hundred and eighty halls in the southern dynasties, how many towers are misty and rainy". As a result, Xu Du not only built a temple in Niushou Mountain, but also "collected scriptures, Taoist books, internal and external history, medical prescriptions, thousands of volumes, a total of seven Tibetan sacrifices". Therefore, Buddhist temples are magnificent and have many classics. Fame soared.
Since then, the system has been increased in successive dynasties, and the names of temples have also changed frequently. In the Tang Dynasty, it was named Qiaole Temple, Fuchang Academy and Zi Shan Academy. In the ninth year of Dali (774), "the generation of ancestors built seven towers because of their dreams", that is, they ordered people to build the seventh tower on the west peak of Niushou Mountain, which soared into the sky and was later called "Tangta". In the Southern Tang Dynasty, Li Yu changed the name of the temple to Hongjue Temple. During the Taiping and Xingguo years in the Song Dynasty, it was renamed Chongjiao Temple; Soon, a five-story square stupa was built, which was later called "Song Pagoda".
In the early years of Hongwu in Ming Dynasty, it was still named Fodong Temple; During the orthodox period, it was renamed Hongjue Temple. At that time, the Buddhist temple was large in scale and the incense was flourishing. According to records, people entering the mountain gate and climbing the slope are the five thresholds of the King Kong Hall. Two stone pavilions on the left and right. Stand opposite; There are 100 stone steps behind the house. Steep and neat, called Baiyun ladder; There are three sills in the Heavenly King Hall, seven towers in the Ursa Major Hall, a stone fence in front of it and ginkgo trees under it. Surrounded by more than 20 feet, the sun is covered and lush. Other main buildings in the temple include Guanyin Hall, Lunzang Hall, Houfo Hall, THE TEMPLE OF JIALAN Hall, Zushi Hall, Wofo Hall, Manjushri Hall, Biqiu Hall and Maitreya Hall, with three sills, the abbot's room has fourteen sills, the public school has two sills, the Zhaitang has five towers, the Tang Buddha Tower has seven floors, the Song Dynasty has five square towers, and the temple has fifty-four rooms around the temple base. In the heyday of the Ming Dynasty, the Biography of the Cow's Head even described: "In front of the temple and behind it, all buddhas and bodhisattvas are dignified and kind people, all sculptures of the former dynasty. Its winding tower and a few sticks in the furnace bottle are by no means beyond the reach of mountains. " In the Ming Dynasty, Hongjue Temple was "cool with the northwest and sacred with Emei in the southwest".
During the Qianlong period of Qing Dynasty, in order to avoid the taboo of emperor Qianlong's name, Hongjue Temple was renamed Hongjue Temple. Emperor Qianlong visited Jiangnan six times and personally inscribed a plaque for the Buddhist temple of Hongjue Temple. Hongjue Temple was burned down by soldiers in Xianfeng period of Qing Dynasty. Although slightly repaired, the scale is not as good as before, but a ginkgo tree outside the seven-level pagoda and temple gate is said to have been planted by Farong and Monk.
During the Republic of China, Hongjue Temple was renamed Pujue Temple. Mr. Zhu Wedge, a famous scholar, visited the former site of Buddha Cave Temple twice in 1930s. At that time, the ancient temple "only had the main hall, and the Buddhist shrine was dusty." Jingzhen stood in the way. There are dozens of apricot flowers on the right side of the temple, and the flowers are idle. There is no one in the ancient temple, and it has already opened and fallen. " During the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression period, the ancient temples were burned and plundered by Japanese invaders, and were isolated from the world except pagodas. The rest of the temple buildings have long since disappeared.
1May, 993, upon the proposal of Master Zhen Huan of Nanjing qixia temple and the approval of Jiangning County People's Government, Nanjing Buddhist Association hired Master Hong Cheng of Guanyin Peak of Jiuhuashan to preside over the restoration of Hong Jie Temple. Since 1994, more than 30 million yuan has been raised. Some temples and halls have been built one after another. The current abbot, Master Hongcheng, is from Wuwei County, Anhui Province. 18 years old shaved and became a monk in Taoist Cave on the roof of Jiuhuashan Mountain.
1984, he presided over the fund-raising to build Guanyin peak temple in Jiuhuashan, which lasted for 10 years, and finally made Yuyu regain its glory. He has been running around since he took over from Hongjue Temple. At present, the restored Hongjue Temple has begun to take shape. The eaves of the temple are upturned, the Buddha statue is solemn, the hall is uneven, and the Sanskrit sound is faint, which makes people forget the customs.
Address of the scenic spot: Zutangshan, Dongshanqiao Town, Jiangning District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province
Bus route: Take 155, Jiangning Tour 1 and Donggu Line in Nanjing, and get off at Zutangshan Station.