Anyang Beipanlong Temple

Anyang Beipanlong Temple

Anyang Beipanlong Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Beipanlong Temple is located in Anyang City, Henan Province. The ancient city of Anyang is one of China’s oldest and most historically rich cities, serving as the capital site of the late Shang Dynasty. There are two Panlong Temples in Anyang—South Panlong Temple and North Panlong Temple—but the former was completely destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. The North Panlong Temple has been restored and still houses historical relics within the temple. For over a thousand years, the Buddhist temple has undergone multiple instances of destruction. Now, in this prosperous era, with the national restoration of temples and the freedom of religious belief, Venerable Master Shichangliang, having experienced many trials in life, took over the management of Anyang Sanquan Temple and Beipanlong Temple, leading Buddhist activities to benefit the devotees of Anyang.

History

In the early Tang Dynasty, before Emperor Li Shimin sought refuge at the Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng, Henan, he once found himself in distress in Anyang. At that time, he fled to Beipanlong Temple for shelter. Back then, Beipanlong Temple was a Guan Yu Temple, and he hid behind the statue of Guan Yu, thus escaping disaster. Kneeling before the statue of Guan Yu, he made a sincere vow: “I have survived this calamity, and I will build you a grand temple.” That is why, in the Heavenly King Halls of temples across China, the Maitreya Bodhisattva is enshrined, but in the Heavenly King Hall of Beipanlong Temple alone, the deity enshrined is the God of the Martial Temple—commonly known as Guan Sheng Di Jun (Guan Yu). Later, when the temple was destroyed, it was eventually restored. To this day, many local devotees still come to pray to Guan Sheng Di Jun and make vows when facing difficulties.

Millennium Ancient Stele

This stele records the history of the temple’s construction. After enduring a thousand years of wind and rain, along with damage during the Cultural Revolution, most of the inscriptions on the stele have become blurred. However, a small portion is still faintly visible.

Current Status of the Temple

The current abbot of Beipanlong Temple is Venerable Master Shichangliang. There are currently 13 resident monks. Having gone through various trials in life, the monastics are working diligently to restore the temple in order to better benefit the people of Anyang. The temple buildings are simple and aged but still maintain an air of solemn dignity. Due to the small size of the main hall—only about 20 people can fit inside, and any more would make it difficult to move—the monastics have initiated the construction of a two-story meditation and residential building in the east courtyard, integrating functions for chanting and practice to meet the needs of both monks and devotees.

Source: Buddhist Navigation