Statue Stele of Zhongxing Temple

Statue Stele of Zhongxing Temple

The Statue Stele of Zhongxing Temple is a cultural relic protected at the provincial level in Henan Province.

In the southwest (about 500 meters) of Jiavillage, Yangying Town, Zhenping County, Henan Province, stands Zhongxing Temple (also known as Dengchan Temple). Inside the temple courtyard is a stele pavilion, housing a statue stele. According to Volume 39 of the Nanyang Annals, the temple was first built in the first year of the Northern Wei Dynasty (386 AD) and has a history of over 1,600 years. The stele was carved in the third year of the Datong era (537 AD) during the Western Wei Dynasty of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, making it over 1,460 years old.

The statue stele is gui-shaped, standing 184 cm tall and 82 cm wide, and is divided into upper and lower sections. The upper part is a Buddha niche, while the lower part contains inscriptions. The niche features high-relief carvings of one Buddha, two disciples, two bodhisattvas, and four flying apsaras. The Shakyamuni Buddha is seated cross-legged on a square pedestal in the center. His right chest is exposed, and he wears a kasaya with wide sleeves and a crossed-collar design, the pleats of the garment draping over the front of the pedestal. The two disciples wear kasayas with hanging collars and stand behind the Buddha on either side. Behind the Buddha and disciples are flaming halos in the shape of peach blossoms. The two bodhisattvas are located on either side in front of the Buddha, barefoot and standing on inverted lotus pedestals. They wear floral crowns, with silk ribbons hanging down their shoulders, shawls draped over their arms, necklaces around their throats, and jeweled pendants on their chests. They wear long skirts that trail on the ground and hold a horsetail whisk and a lotus flower respectively. Above and behind the Buddha are four flying apsaras, arranged in upper and lower tiers on the left and right. The apsaras wear floral crowns, necklaces, and armbands, their bodies twisted as they ascend, with fluttering scarves and ribbons, each holding a lotus flower or a pipa. Between the apsaras appears a radiant burst of auspicious Buddha light. The carvings feature meticulous composition, refined carving techniques, clean lines, and exquisite craftsmanship, with the figures rendered vividly. The bodhisattvas are proportionally well-balanced, while the fluttering shawls of the apsaras, the feather-like edges of their skirts, and the flowing patterns all convey strong dynamism. The stele largely retains the artistic style of the late Northern Wei period. Unfortunately, some of the carvings were damaged during the Cultural Revolution.

The inscriptions recount how Bai Shi (courtesy name Shuangcheng), a military officer during the Western Wei Dynasty—specifically the General Who Calms the Distant Lands, Infantry Commandant, former Governor of Hebei, Grand Commander of Zhengu Fortress, and the First-Ranked Nobleman of Zhoucheng County—led the people of Gu Cheng and surrounding villages, regional governors, military leaders, and warriors from ten provinces to carve the stone statues of Zhongxing Temple for their king. It also records how 62 civil and military officials, including the governors, county magistrates, prefects, aides-de-camp, commanders, commandants, generals, assistants, and officers from the three commanderies of Nanyang, Xinye, and Shunyang at the time, donated fields and supplies to the temple. These details provide valuable material evidence for studying the administrative and military systems, as well as jurisdictional boundaries, of the Western Wei Dynasty. Many of the place names and official titles recorded here do not appear in the Book of Wei or the History of the Northern Dynasties, thus helping to fill gaps in historical records and offering significant historical value.

The calligraphy of the inscriptions is structurally rigorous and forceful. The brushwork is graceful, smooth, and elegant, with characters taking on a horizontal emphasis, square strokes, and curved lines, retaining the wave-like strokes characteristic of clerical script. It became a model for later calligraphic styles and is historically referred to as "Wei Stele Script." For over a thousand years, scholars and artists have come in an endless stream to make rubbings, admire and appreciate the work, give it as gifts to friends, practice calligraphy by copying it, or collect it as a treasure.

In 1950, shortly after the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Central People’s Government issued an order to the People’s Government of Zhenping County to properly protect and strictly manage this stele (“to protect the precious cultural relic of Zhongxing Temple [the statue stele]”). In 1956, 1962, and 1982, the People’s Government of Henan Province successively designated it as a provincial-level key cultural relic protection unit.

Further Reading:

· First Batch of Provincial-Level Cultural Relic Protection Units in Henan Province