Limestone Buddha of Qinghua Temple

Limestone Buddha of Qinghua Temple

The Limestone Buddha of Qinghua Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Hebei Province.

About 15 kilometers south of Quyang County, in Xiguo Village, Xiyangping Town, there lies the ruins of Qinghua Temple. Only a stone stele inscribed with the "Record of the Reconstruction of Qinghua Temple" from the 11th year of the Zhengde era in the Ming Dynasty and a Northern Dynasties limestone standing Buddha statue remain today.

The Buddha statue stands over 7 meters tall, is 2 meters wide, and 1 meter thick; the inverted lotus pedestal has a diameter of 2 meters and is 0.9 meters thick; the square base below measures 2.5 meters in both length and width and is made of white marble. The Buddha wears a flowing kasaya with wide sleeves, his left hand tugging at the garment’s front, while his right hand forms the fearlessness mudra. Barefoot, he stands atop the inverted lotus pedestal. The sculpture is massive, exquisitely carved with smooth lines and richly adorned garments. The lower hem is intricately carved with dense folds. Unfortunately, the head has been stolen and was replaced in recent years, resulting in proportions and style that are quite mismatched. The tips of the thumb, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger of the right hand show slight restoration, but otherwise the statue is largely intact. It is a rare masterpiece among early Chinese Buddhist statues.

Xiguo Village: Xiguo Village is under the jurisdiction of Yangping Town, located 20 kilometers from the county seat and 2.5 kilometers from the Yangping Town government. The village covers a built-up area of 1 square kilometer, with 2,800 mu of arable land and 1,000 mu of barren hills and slopes. The total population is 3,580, across 1,187 households. The main sources of income for villagers are traditional agriculture, labor export, and processing of plank and stone carvings.

The village’s two committees are elected, consisting of 11 members—9 from the Party branch and 5 from the Village Committee—with ages ranging from 24 to 62. The village has 80 full Party members, 1 probationary member, and 62 villager representatives. … More detailed information about Xiguo Village ++

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Hebei Province