Jiuhua Mountain Cultural Relics Museum

Jiuhua Mountain Cultural Relics Museum

Copper-cast unicorn "Diting," palm-leaf scriptures, the Ming Dynasty's "Tripitaka," blood-written sutras, as well as rare cultural relics such as gold and jade seals bestowed upon the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha of Jiuhuashan by emperors throughout various dynasties.

Huacheng Temple has four sections in total, comprising the entrance hall, the Mahavira Hall, the rear section, and the scripture depository. These four halls and buildings are arranged along the rising terrain, with a natural layout. The door frames, window lintels, brackets, beams, columns, and the stone foundations of the steps are all engraved with exquisitely beautiful patterns.

The Jiuhua Mountain Cultural Relics Museum houses and displays a collection of over a thousand items, including scriptures, Buddhist ritual implements, imperial edicts, jade seals, and calligraphy and paintings. Among them are many rare treasures. The courtyard corridor exhibits various calligraphic works and paintings, all masterpieces depicting the natural scenery of the mountain.

Copper-cast unicorn Diting: Weighing 250 kilograms, it is one of the precious cultural relics of Jiuhuashan. Legend has it that the monk Jin Qiaoju rode this unicorn across the sea from the Silla Kingdom to Jiuhuashan; in reality, this bronze piece was bestowed by an emperor of the Ming Dynasty in the 17th century.

"Tripitaka": Issued in the 14th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1586 AD), the Tripitaka is a block-printed edition from the 5th year of the Zhengtong reign, consisting of 6,771 volumes, bound with brocades of different patterns and colors. It was bestowed by Empress Dowager Cisheng, the mother of Emperor Shenzong of the Ming Dynasty. The original decree for its issuance was unfortunately destroyed in a fire in the 2nd year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty. In the 27th year of the Wanli reign (1599 AD), Emperor Shenzong issued another version with the inscription “Printed by Imperial Order in July of the Wannian Year of Wanli,” with specifications similar to the Zhengtong edition. The decree for its issuance (imperial edict) remains well-preserved. The scriptures are now housed in the scripture depository of Huacheng Temple.

Palm-leaf scriptures: Made from the leaves of the talipot palm by ancient Indian Buddhists, they are as thick as copper coins and inscribed with a knife on the leaf surface. They have a history of over a thousand years.

Blood-written sutras: Created by the Ming Dynasty eminent monk Haiyu, also known as Wu Xia, who practiced asceticism at Baiyagong. He spent 28 years using his tongue’s blood mixed with silver powder to carefully write out the "Avatamsaka Sutra." It is also referred to as the "Blood Sutra" or the "Ming Dynasty Blood Sutra." In the 3rd year of the Chongzhen reign (1630 AD), Emperor Chongzhen Zhu Youjian sent officials to pay homage and posthumously honored the monk Wu Xia’s body as the “Responsive Body Bodhisattva,” which was then gilded and enshrined. This Blood Sutra was henceforth regarded by the monastic community as a priceless treasure, and was kept with extra care. On February 1, 1988, it was authenticated by experts from the National Cultural Heritage Administration as a first-class relic.

Gold and jade seals bestowed by emperors throughout various dynasties upon the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha of Jiuhuashan, each gold seal inscribed with the six characters “地藏利生金印” (“Ksitigarbha’s Seal for Benefiting Life”). In 1705, Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty bestowed the imperial inscription “Jiuhua Sacred Realm” upon Jiuhuashan, showing his great reverence for Buddhism in the Jiangnan region. In 1766, Kangxi’s grandson, Emperor Qianlong, granted the imperial inscription “Fentuo Pujiao” to Jiuhuashan.

Tip: The Jiuhua Mountain Cultural Relics Exhibition Hall is in fact Huacheng Temple.

Thanks to netizen ad554 for providing the photo.

Transportation

Follow Jiuhua Street to the foot of Furong Peak to get there.