Tomb of Master Yingci

Tomb of Master Yingci

The Tomb of Master Yingci is a cultural relic protection unit of Suzhou City.

Tomb of Master Yingci

Located on the southwestern side of the Polong Gully at the northern foot of Yushan Mountain, about 200 meters from Xingfu Temple. The stupa faces south and is the second one from the south in the stupa cluster. It is constructed from granite, has a hexagonal layout, with a base side length of 0.7 meters and a height of 2.6 meters. The front is inscribed with: “The 46th Patriarch under Nanyue, Heavenly Character Faxian, Dharma Preacher of Huayan, Master of Xingfu Branch... [text truncated]”. The site is flanked by a stone path of about 10 meters, with a three-bay, towering stone memorial archway at the entrance. The archway’s lintel is inscribed with “Admired by Gods and Men”, and its pillars bear the couplet: “The venerable master’s virtue soars high, erecting the Dharma banner to guide future generations; his boundless compassion reaches deep into the sea of suffering, saving souls with boundless kindness.” Master Yingci (1873–1965), Dharma name Xianqin, also known as Huayan Zuo Zhu (Master of Huayan) or Nianhua Laoren (Elder of Flower Picking), was originally from She County, Anhui Province, and was born in Dongtai, Jiangsu. In 1898, during the 24th year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty, he became a monk on Mount Putuo. In 1899 (the 26th year of Guangxu), he received full monastic ordination at Tiantong Temple in Ningbo. In 1914, he assisted Yuexia in founding the Huayan University in Shanghai. In 1917, he went to Xingfu Temple in Changshu. In 1922, he secluded himself for intensive practice at Bodhi Temple in Hangzhou. In 1925, he traveled to Changzhou to establish the Qingliang Academy. In 1939, he founded the Huayan Accelerated Teachers College in Shanghai. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, he served successively as honorary president of the Shanghai Buddhist Association and the Buddhist Association of China, and as vice president of the Chinese Buddhist Academy. After his passing, he was laid to rest on Yushan Mountain in front of Xingfu Temple in Changshu. His major writings include “A Brief Explanation of the Heart Sutra,” “The Treasury of the True Dharma Eye,” and “Brief Commentary on the Verses on the Eight Consciousnesses.” The tomb was designated as a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit in June 2011.