One of the Few Domestic Shihfang in Ming Dynasty was Surprised to be Found in Mount Emei
the gate arch of ancient Lingyan temple
Mount Emei is located on the southwest edge of Sichuan Basin, a famous tourist destination, a national key scenic spot and a world natural and cultural heritage site. Recently, one of the few domestic Shihfang in Ming dynasty can be seen in the Millennium ancient temple ruins of Lingyan temple which is located in the back of Mount Emei.
the gate arch of ancient Lingyan temple
There is a bluestone arch stands majestically at Gaoqiao town middle school campus that is not far from the foot of Mount Emei which under the Sheshen cliffs. The patterns of Kirin, white deer, green lion, auspicious clouds, lotus and bluegrass are just discernible. According to experts, this is one of the few domestic Shihfang in Ming dynasty, its technological level and historical value are no less than the Shihfang of Ming Dynasty Tombs in Beijing.
According to the Mount Emei chronicles, from the Tang Dynasty to the Ming Dynasty, Mount Emei Buddhism had got a great development,was a great temple in China and world famous, became "the biggest temple in West Sichuan", commonly known as red lotus temple.
The local spread of a legend in the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, Lingyan temple had thousands of monks. These monks because of years of martial arts, each of them were very skilled. Kangxi was aware of the news that the monks in Mount Emei were growing powerful. He made a special trip to Mount Emei to find out, but was only to be trapped in Lingyan temple. After the escape, Kangxi ordered the soldiers besieged Lingyan temple, set fire to it. Thousands of monks in the temple, in addition to a handful of escape, were all killed, the Millennium Temple was destroyed.
the gate arch of ancient Lingyan temple
Another explanation: in the late Ming and early Qing dynasty, the grandson of Ming dynasty and the general were hide in this temple, took the temple as a base for military training to carry out "Oppose the Qing Dynasty and revive the Ming Dynasty" activities, so in a cleanup operation, monks and temples were burned by the Qing army. It is said that the fire lasted 7 days and 7 nights. Because time is long, the truth is buried by history.
Today, the Millennium ancient Lingyan temple has long ceased to exist, the only one of the few left Ming stone arches in China has become the only witness of history. It is expected that three years later, after the completion of the China cultural relics garden in Mount Emei, the amazing scenery of the mountains revealed themselves range upon range will reappeared. (Pictures are provided by Mount Emei scenic spot)
