View of Guangxiao Temple.
Guangxiao Temple (Chinese: 光孝寺; pinyin: Guāngxiào Sì; Wade–Giles: Kuang1-hsiao4 Szu4; Jyutping: Gwong1haau3 Zi6) on Guangxiao Road is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, China.[1] As the special geographical position, Guangxiao Temple often acted as a stopover point for Asian missionary monks in the past. It also played a central role in propagating various elements of Buddhism, including precepts school, Chan (Zen), esoteric (Shingon) Buddhism, and Pure Land. Particularly, Huineng, the sixth Chinese patriarch of Chan Buddhism, made his first public Chan lecture and was tonsured in Guangxiao Temple; Esoteric Buddhist master Amoghavajra’s first teaching of
esoteric Buddhism is thought to have been in Guangxiao Temple. It was also a translation center in Southern China, where Buddhist scriptures were translated
by Yijing and the Shurangama-sūtra was translated by Paramitiin--these texts served to promote the establishment of Mahāyāna Buddhism as the mainstream
philosophy of Chinese (even Asia-Pacific) Buddhism. With the development of globalization, Guangxiao Temple is now exerting even more positive effects on
the propagation of Buddhism via international communications and Buddhist tourism.[2]
History
Guangxiao originated from the residence of Zhaojiande (趙建德), a descendant of Zhaotuo (趙佗),the king of Nanyue (南越國, 203–110 B.C.E). During the period of the Wu Kingdom (229–280 C.E.), an officer and scholar named Yufan (虞翻) was banished to live at the residence. After Yufan died in 233 C.E., his family donated the house as a temple, and it was called Zhizhi Temple (制止寺, 制旨寺). The temple was subsequently renamed Wangyuanchaoyan Temple (王苑朝延寺), Wangyuan Temple (王園寺), Qianmingfaxing Temple (乾明法性寺), Chongningwanshou Temple (崇寧萬壽寺), and Baoenguangxiaochan Temple (報恩廣孝禪寺).
In 1482 C.E., Emperor Mingxianzong (明憲宗, 1447–1487 C.E.) renamed it Guangxiao Temple and personally recorded the new name on a stele. Since
then, the temple has kept the name “Guangxiao”. Because the Yufan family donated the temple around 233 C.E., Guangxiao Temple can be said to have a
history of more than 1,700 years.
Between the 4th and 10th centuries C.E., many monks from South Asia (especially India) or mainland China came to the coastal Guangxiao Temple. During the period, Guangxiao Temple reached its peak. In the subsequent centuries, some eminent Chinese monks also visited or lived at Guangxiao Temple to propagate Buddhism, such as Danxiatianran (丹霞天然) and Yangshanhuiji (仰山慧寂).
After the late Ming Dynasty (1368–1644 C.E.),
Guangxiao Temple fell into decline, although it underwent minor restoration
several times. In the last two centuries, Guangxiao Temple was fatally damaged
by the “Requisition Temple Property to Promote Education” (廟產興學,
1898–1931 C.E.) movement and “Great Cultural Revolution” (文化大革命,
1966–1976 C.E.) movement in China. Over this period, most of the buildings of
Guangxiao Temple were either destroyed or occupied for secular usage.
In the 1980s, Guangxiao Temple was reoccupied by
Buddhist monks. Since then, some of its main halls have been rebuilt, such as
the Mahavira Hall, Samghrma Hall, and Ksitigarbha Hall. ‘Dharma pillars’ have
also been erected in front of each hall. In addition, an animal liberation pond
has recently been built near these structures. These reconstructed buildings
have restored the beautiful scenery of Guangxiao Temple to some extent.
However, the scale of the temple today is much smaller than in the past.
Obviously,
Guangxiao’s 1700-year history is actually a microcosm of the history of Chinese
Buddhism. Its historical affairs, however, are faithully recorded in a precious
thread-bound edition named Annals of
Guangxiao Temple, which was written in 1769 C.E.[2]
Transportation
The temple is accessible within walking distance north of Ximenkou Station of Guangzhou Metro.
Gallery
See also
References
[2]. Xican Li (2016) Guangxiao Temple (Guangzhou) and its Multi Roles in the Development of Asia-Pacific Buddhism. Asian Culture and History; 8( 1): 45-56
Notable Buddhist temples in China |
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Coordinates: 23°07′56″N 113°15′04″E / 23.1321°N 113.251°E / 23.1321; 113.251
