Liyang Baonen Temple

Liyang Baonen Temple

Liyang Baonen Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Baonen Temple is a famous temple in Liyang. The old temple was located in Huangjia Village outside Liyang City, while the new one is situated by the picturesque Tianmu Lake. The old temple has an antique charm, whereas the new temple features a Thai-style architectural design, surrounded by towering trees and overlooking the vast, misty waters of the northern side of Tianmu Lake. Nestled within this setting, Baonen Temple offers a serene, otherworldly feeling akin to a paradise on Earth. Both the old and new temples were rebuilt in 1994, with the new temple covering an area of 33,350 square meters.

Historical Changes of Baonen Temple:

The name "Baonen Temple" is derived from the concepts of "repaying the kindness of parents, all sentient beings, the country, and the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha)" as mentioned in the "Buddha Speaks of the Sutra on the Contemplation of the Mind" and the "Great Means Expansive Buddha’s Sutra on Repaying Kindness." The temple was first built during the Tianjian era (502–519 AD) of Emperor Wu of Liang in the Southern and Northern Dynasties’ Liang Dynasty. Its original site was located 50 Chinese miles northwest of Liyang City, in the area now known as Shangxing and Shangpei towns.

The establishment of Baonen Temple coincided with the peak period of Buddhism's prosperity. Emperors of the Song, Qi, Liang, and Chen dynasties of the Southern Dynasties all devoutly believed in Buddhism, making it almost a “state religion.” Emperor Wu of Liang was a Buddhist devotee and famously four times took monastic vows at Tongtai Temple, the largest temple in the capital city of Jiankang (now Nanjing). He played a significant role in promoting the development of Buddhism. The Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu once wrote: “Three hundred sixty temples in the Southern Dynasties…” One can imagine the spectacular sight of towering pavilions and grand pagodas reaching into the clouds at that time.

The original Baonen Temple in the northwest of Liyang City was abandoned during the Huichang era (841–846 AD) of Emperor Wuzong of the Tang Dynasty. By the fifth year of Yuanfu during the reign of Emperor Zhezong of the Northern Song Dynasty (1090 AD), Gao Xian, a local from Liyang County, relocated Baonen Temple to Huangjia Village in the southeast of Liyang City. During the Southern Song Dynasty, in the Xuanhe era (1119–1125 AD) of Emperor Huizong Zhao Ji, it was renamed Shenxiao Palace, but later reverted to Baonen Temple, with the temple plaque inscribed by the Prime Minister Li Gang. Qin Zi, the notorious brother of Southern Song Prime Minister Qin Hui, lived in seclusion near Liyang’s Baonen Temple, leading to the temple also being called Qin Gong Temple. Additionally, because the temple was close to Xiaqiao (now known as Xiaqiao), locals also referred to it as Xiaqiao Temple. Qin Huoyu, the eldest son of Qin Zi who was a successful imperial examination graduate, wrote the "Baonen Chan Temple Stele Record," unfortunately, which did not survive through time. In the 11th year of the Jiaqing era of Emperor Renzong of the Qing Dynasty (1806 AD), the main hall and the Thousand Buddha Tower were destroyed in a fire. During the Xianfeng era of Emperor Wenzong of the Qing Dynasty, when the Taiping Rebellion occupied Liyang for four years (1860–1864 AD), Baonen Temple was demolished. The "Liyang County Continuation Annals" from the Guangxu era of Emperor Dezong of the Qing Dynasty recorded: “Baonen Temple, located at Qin Gong Bridge, was destroyed in war. During the Tongzhi era (1862–1874 AD), a certain abbot built three simple rooms, and through fundraising by the monk Dahui, two more sections were added.” The rebuilt main hall of Baonen Temple was burned down by Japanese invaders during the War of Resistance Against Japan (1937–1945 AD), leaving only several dozen meters of yellow walls outside the mountain gate, with the six characters “Namo Amitabha Buddha” inscribed on them. In front of the temple was a forest spanning several acres, within which stood several stone stelae mounted on what are commonly called stone turtles.

After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, during the land reform in 1951, monks in the temple had to work for their livelihood. Baonen Temple was left with only nine dilapidated simple rooms. The four resident monks divided the nine rooms and 1.2 mu of foundation land, along with 2 mu of arable land. After the land reform, most monks across the county returned home to claim land, and one monk from the temple took up secular life locally and found employment.

Since its initial construction during the Tianjian era of the Liang Dynasty in the Southern and Northern Dynasties to the present, Baonen Temple has a history of approximately 1,500 years. Having been moved to Huangjia Village outside Liyang City for over 900 years, despite repeated destructions due to wars and reconstructions, it remains a historic ancient temple.

Cultural Relics of Baonen Temple: To date, Baonen Temple has left behind two relics: one is a (commonly called stone turtle), and the other is a stone well curb.

Stone Artifact: Used as a base for steles. As there is no stele on top of it, the exact period of its origin is unknown. It has now been relocated within the Baonen Temple in the Tianmu Lake area and is recorded in the "Record of the Reconstruction of Baonen Temple." This stone artifact is also an ancient relic available for worship by devotees and visitation by tourists.

Stone Well Curb: This well curb is considered the finest among ancient well curbs in our city, with a definitive recorded date. It was originally placed in front of Lingling Temple (now the site of Liyang Hotel) outside the west gate of the city during the Tang Dynasty. In the Tang Dynasty, there was a well in Lingling Temple known as the Chengguan Well, dug by the monk Chengguan, and this well curb was later called the “Tang Well Curb.” After the Song Dynasty, the well curb was moved to the front of Baonen Temple in Huangjia Village outside Liyang City. In the early 1990s, it was relocated to Fenghuang Park in the northern suburbs, where a pavilion was built to house it. This is the only well curb from the Tang Dynasty, over a thousand years old, preserved in our city. The stone curb is inscribed around its perimeter: “In the 15th day of the 5th month of the Yuanhe era (811 AD), the monk Chengguan made this stone well curb and stone basin for permanent use at Lingling Temple, as offerings.” It is signed by “Master Chu Qing and Guo Tong.” During the Jiaqing era of the Qing Dynasty, Chen Hongshou, the magistrate of Liyang (also known as Mansheng), praised it in a verse: “This is stone from the southern mountain, used to make a well curb. Passed down for thousands of generations, it forms karmic bonds with all. Those who wholeheartedly cultivate merit shall enjoy eternal life. Sharing in this blessed fortune, they surpass Maitreya.” Though the verse was not inscribed on the well curb, it illustrates a meaningful connection. This well curb has endured for over 1,190 years and can be considered a long-lived artifact among Liyang’s ancient relics. In the autumn of 1957, it was designated as a “Second-Class Cultural Relics Protection Unit” by the Jiangsu Provincial Government.