Famen Si
Famen Si ( Chinese 法门寺 , Pinyin Fǎmén Sì ) is the Chinese name for the Famen Monastery , one of the most famous ancient Buddhist monasteries in China in the large community of Famen in the north of the Fufeng district in the district-free city of Baoji in the west of Shaanxi Province .
The Chinese term fǎmén ( 法門 / 法门 ) in the name of the monastery stands for the " gate to enlightenment " or " gate of the Dharma " of Buddhism.
Legendary past
The history of the temple complex goes back a long way. There are numerous legends about the origin of the temple. One says that the Indian Emperor Ashoka (304-232 BC), who ruled in the forty-third year of Nanwang of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770-256 BC), had the first pagoda built at this location. Another legend claims that the Famen Si goes back to a temple that was built by the emperors Huan Di and Ling Di in the time of the Eastern Han Dynasty (25–220 AD) .
history
The earliest historical evidence of the temple's existence is recorded in AD 494, during the Northern Wei Dynasty (385-535). Until it was completely destroyed in an anti-Buddhist movement under Emperor Wu Di (ruled 561-578) during the Northern Zhou Dynasty (557-581), the temple was called "Ayuwang Si" ( 阿育王 寺 , Āyùwáng Sì ) after Emperor Ashoka ). After the - more modest - reconstruction he became in the 3rd year (583 AD) of the Kaihuang reign of the Sui dynasty (581-618), under Emperor Wen Di (581-604) in "Chengshi Daochang" ( Chinese 成 实道场 , Pinyin Chéngshí Dàocháng ). During the Tang Dynasty (618–907), the temple was given its current name in 625, "Famen Si". A brief change of name to “Fayun Si” ( 法 云 寺 , Fǎyún Sì ) in 838 could not change anything.
According to historical lore, the Famen temple monastery developed into one of the most important shrines of Buddhism in northwest China and reached its heyday during the up-and-coming, economically strongly developing Tang dynasty. Sources report that during the Tang period, Famen Si was one of the four temples in China where the finger relics Sarira (Chinese: 舍利 , Shèlì ) of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni were kept. This not only helped the temple monastery to gain religious prestige, but also gave it political influence.
Historical sources document several destruction of the temple complex as a result of the persecution of Buddhism. B. 844 by order of the Tang emperor Wuzong (r. 840–846). Multiple collapses, rebuilding, renovations, extensions and new constructions of the temple complex are also documented. In the Ming dynasty - during the reign of Emperor Longqing (1566–1572) - a wooden pagoda that was built during the Tang period collapsed . In 1609 - in the 37th year of Emperor Wanli (reigned 1572–1620) - an octagonal brick pagoda was built in the Si family.
Modern times
In 1981, half of this Ming Dynasty pagoda collapsed due to earthquakes and heavy rainfall. Buddhist monks and believers were dismayed and asked for help and support from around the world. The Shaanxi Province government decided to rebuild. In the following years, Chinese archaeologists examined the foundation and artifacts of past foundations. In 1983 they happened upon a previously untouched cavity - the treasure chamber of the temple complex. Inscriptions on the exposed entrance door to the 'Underground Palace' - document the solemn closing of the treasury in 874 by order of Tang Emperor Xizong (r. 873-888) - on the 4th day of the 1st month (according to the lunisolar Chinese peasant calendar ) .
When the underground treasury was opened and examined from May 5 to 12, 1987, four shèlì relics ( sarira ) were found, which had already been mentioned in old reports. Two turned out to be bone replicas made of white jade and one as a bone relic of a Buddhist monk. These three so-called "shadow relics" were used to protect the fourth, which, in terms of age and condition , could actually be a finger bone of Gautama Buddha . A total of more than 600 objects were recovered: 122 gold and silver objects, jade, glass, porcelain, silk, coins and very valuable silk brocades from the Tang period as well as other precious objects . In addition, inscriptions from the time the treasury was closed (15th year of the Xiantong reign, i.e. 874 AD) were discovered, which were dedicated to the Tang emperor Li Xuan ( 李 儇 , Lǐ Xuān ), temple name "Xizong" .
The earliest Buddhist inscription of Famen Si, the "Thousand Buddha Stele" ( 千佛 碑 , Qiān Fó Bēi ) from the time of Empress Wu Zetian (r. 690-705) with the text of the Nirvana Sutra has not been found .
Along with the Terracotta Army near Xi'an and the Neolithic village of Banpo , the finds are among the most important archaeological finds in Shaanxi Province .
The site of the Famen Monastery has been on the list of monuments of the People's Republic of China since 2006 .
literature
- Lai, I-Mann: The Famensi reliquary deposit: icons of esoteric Buddhism in ninth-century China . University of London, London 2006. Thesis (Ph.D.)
- Roderick Whitfield: Esoteric Buddhist Elements in the Famensi Reliquary Deposit . In: Asian Studies 44 (1990), pp. 247-266
- Famen Si Bowuguan yanjiushi (ed.): Famen Si wenji (anthology of the Famen monastery), Shaanxi, Famen Si bowuguan yanjiu shi, 1990 (Famen lishi wenhua yanjiu congshu)
- Zhu Qixin: Buddhist Treasures from Famensi . In: Orientations 21 (May 1990)
- Shi Xingbang (Ed.): Famen Si digong zhenbao: Precious cultural relics in the crypt of Famen Temple. Xi'an 1989 (Shaanxi zhenshi wenwu congshu)
- Wu Limin: Famen Si digong Tang mi Mantuluo zhi yanjiu. (1998)
- Alexander Koch: Famensi's gold treasure: pomp and piety in Chinese Buddhism of the Tang period . In: Yearbook of the Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum Mainz , vol. 42, 1995, pp. 403–542, plates 91–148 (Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum, Research Institute for Pre- and Early History, Mainz 1995)
- Chen Quanfang (Ed.): Famen Si yu Fojiao ( The Famen Monastery and Buddhism ) Shaanxi lüyou chubanshe 1991, ISBN 7-5418-0238-7
- Shaanxi Fufeng Famen Si digong. Wenwu chubanshe , Beijing 1994 ( Zhongguo kaogu wenwu zhi mei )
- Hartmut von Wieckowski: The Bodhisattva from the temple treasure of Fa Men'Si - 法门寺 - PR China / spectacular, and new research results from the restoration 2008 - gray literature / not yet published!
