Famen Temple

Author: Li Xinling
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-08-01
Features: The Famen Temple is located 10 kilometers north of Fufeng County in Shaanxi Province. It was first established in the late Eastern Han Dynasty and became famous for housing the finger relic of Sakyamuni Buddha. According to Buddhist scriptures, over 2,000 years ago, after the passing of Sakyamuni Buddha, Emperor Ashoka of India sent the relic to the southern continent of Jambudvipa. At every location where the relic was enshrined, a pagoda was built for worship. China had 19 such places, and Famen Temple was the fifth. Famen Temple was established around the pagoda and was originally named Ashoka Temple. It was renamed "Chengshi Dachen" during the Sui Dynasty and later changed to "Famen Temple" in the early Tang Dynasty. The temple was expanded during the Northern Wei Dynasty and the early Sui Dynasty. During the Xianqing period of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, the magnificent Rulin Palace with 24 courtyards was built. The architecture was grand and spectacular, with the pagoda towering into the sky, facing the peaks of Mount Taibai. It also reached a large scale during the Song Dynasty. The original pagoda was commonly known as the "Sacred Tomb." In the Zhenguan period of the Tang Dynasty, it was rebuilt into a four-story wooden pagoda, also known as the "Guozhou True Body Pagoda." In the third year of the Longqing period of the Ming Dynasty (1569), the wooden pagoda collapsed. It was rebuilt into a thirteen-story octagonal brick pagoda between the seventh and thirty-seventh years of the Wanli period (1579-1579), standing 47 meters tall and exquisitely crafted. In the eleventh year of the Shunzhi period of the Qing Dynasty (1654), the pagoda tilted and cracked due to an earthquake. In the twenty-eighth year of the Republic of China (1939), General Zhu Ziqiao donated funds to repair it. On August 24, 1981, the pagoda collapsed due to heavy rain.
The first opening of the pagoda for worship occurred in the second year of the Northern Wei Dynasty (494) by Taoyu, the small prime minister. In the second year of the Renshou period of the Sui Dynasty (602), Li Min, the right inner history, opened the pagoda for a second time. In the second year of the Wude period of the Tang Dynasty (619), Prince Li Shimin, leading his victorious army to Fufeng, had eighty monks ordained at Famen Temple. In the fifth year of the Zhenguan period (631), Emperor Taizong donated silver to repair the temple and ordered Zhang Liang, the prefect of Qizhou, to open the pagoda for a third time to worship the relic. Starting from the fifth year of the Xianqing period of Emperor Gaozong (660), a grand ceremony was held to enshrine the Buddhist bone relic in Luoyang. In the fourth year of the Chang'an period of Empress Wu (704), it was enshrined in the newly built Mingtang. Emperor Xuanzong enshrined it in the inner Buddhist hall. Emperor Dezong invited it into the imperial palace. Emperor Xianzong demoted Han Yu, who had opposed the enshrinement of the relic, to Chaozhou and personally went to Anfu Gate to welcome the relic into the palace. In the fourteenth year of the Xiantong period of Emperor Yizong (873), the welcoming ceremony was extremely grand, with about 10,000 teams of banners and canopies, and crowds of officials, nuns, and monks came to worship, accompanied by music and singing, filling the air with the sound of Buddhist chants. The Tang emperors were devout Buddhists and showed great respect for the finger relic. Empresses and concubines often offered their own hair and clothing to the relic. Emperor Zhongzong brought the empress, imperial consorts, and princesses to the temple to shave their heads and place them in the pagoda for worship. Over 380 years and ten worship ceremonies, Famen Temple not only became a royal temple but also an Buddhist sacred site revered by the entire nation.
Today, in the 21st century, the Chinese nation is advancing and developing at an unprecedented pace, accomplishing our great national rejuvenation. As a valuable historical and cultural heritage, the underground palace of Famen Temple and its unearthed artifacts embody the grandeur and dignity of the Tang Dynasty, which holds positive significance for us to achieve national rejuvenation. This is the original intention behind writing this book.