The former site of Miaozhi Nunnery and the Imperial Stele of Emperor Ming’s Sacrificial Text for Yao Guangxiao

The former site of Miaozhi Nunnery and the Imperial Stele of Emperor Ming’s Sacrificial Text for Yao Guangxiao

The former site of Miaozhi Nunnery and the Imperial Stele of Emperor Ming’s Sacrificial Text for Yao Guangxiao is a cultural relic protection unit of Suzhou City.

Miaozhi Nunnery is located 150 meters east at the end of the back lane behind Renmin Street in present-day Yangchenghu Town, with the Land Temple of Lu Yun to its southwest. Originally built in the second year of the Tianjian era (503) during the Liang Dynasty of the Southern Dynasties—a time of rapid Buddhist development, as referenced in the line “Four hundred eighty temples of the Southern Dynasties, how many towers and terraces in misty rain”—the nunnery was first established through the efforts of the eminent monk Ximing, initially named Fahua Nunnery. During the Xuanhe era of the Northern Song Dynasty, the monk Zifeng rebuilt it and renamed it Miaozhi Chan Monastery, commonly called Miaozhi Nunnery. Closely associated with Yao Guangxiao, it has been recorded throughout the dynasties. According to the *Changzhou County Annals* of the Ming Dynasty: “The shrine of Yao Shaoshi (Junior Mentor) of our dynasty is located in Yidi Township, Xiangcheng. Initially, the Junior Mentor was named Dao Yan; after rising in status, he was given the imperial name Guangxiao. In his youth, he lived in seclusion as a monk, met an extraordinary person, and fully received his teachings. The Supreme Emperor campaigned against Yan, supporting the great cause of the Jingnan Rebellion, and he was posthumously granted the title of Duke of Rongguo and the posthumous name Gongjing. A shrine was erected in the village to worship him.” The *Changzhou County Annals* of the Qing Dynasty states: “In the early Ming Dynasty, Yao Guangxiao resided here as a monk; after gaining prominence, he renovated the site.” From this, it can be seen that the site was closely tied to the eminent monk Yao Guangxiao. According to Volume 14 of *The History of Ming · Biographies of Eminent Monks*, “Yao Guangxiao (1335–1418), styled Daoyan, was a native of Qiantang, Renhe County (now Hangzhou), originally surnamed Yao. His ancestral home was in Yuhang. He became a monk in his youth at Miaozhi Nunnery in present-day Yangchenghu, Changzhou, where he studied under the eminent monk Huiguang. He was intelligent and quick-witted, proficient in Buddhist scriptures, medicine, divination, and physiognomy. Later, he traveled to the north and became acquainted with the Prince of Yan, Zhu Di...” Therefore, the nunnery is the place where the eminent monk Yao Guangxiao resided during the Ming Dynasty. As recorded in Volume 41 of *The History of Ming · Biographies of Buddhist and Taoist Clergy*, “Yao Guangxiao, styled Daoyan, was a native of Qiantang, Hangzhou. In his youth, he became a monk at Miaozhi Nunnery in Yangchenghu. He had a dignified appearance, was eloquent, and skilled in divination and astrology. After meeting the Prince of Yan, he resided at the Prince’s residence in Beiping.” Thus, it can also be confirmed that the nunnery is where the eminent monk Yao Guangxiao resided in his youth.

The former site of Miaozhi Nunnery and the Imperial Stele of Emperor Ming’s Sacrificial Text for Yao Guangxiao is a cultural relic protection unit of Suzhou City.