Kongxiang Temple

Kongxiang Temple

Kongxiang Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Originally named Dinglin Temple (also known as Xiong’er Mountain Temple), Kongxiang Temple is located at the foot of Xiong’er Mountain in Xilicun Township, Shanxian District, approximately 53 kilometers from Sanmenxia City. According to the “Shanzhou Annals” from the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China, Kongxiang Temple was built when Buddhism was introduced to Shanzhou during the Yongping era (58–75 AD) of the Eastern Han Dynasty, making it over 1,900 years old. It is a sacred Buddhist site from the same period as China’s first ancient temple, the White Horse Temple.

Kongxiang Temple is the burial place of Bodhidharma, the First Patriarch of Zen Buddhism, and is world-renowned for his dedication to seeking the Dharma and founding the Zen sect.

Historical records state that after transmitting the Dharma to Huike at Shaolin Temple, the First Patriarch Bodhidharma went to Dinglin Temple at the foot of Xiong’er Mountain, where he preached for five years. He passed away in December of the second year of the Datong era (536 AD) during the reign of Emperor Wu of Liang, at the age of 150. His disciples were overwhelmed with grief, as if mourning their own parents, and buried the First Patriarch in accordance with Buddhist rites within Dinglin Temple. They also constructed the Bodhidharma Stupa and the Bodhidharma Hall. Emperor Wu of Liang, Xiao Yan, personally composed the inscribed stone tablet titled “Eulogy and Preface for Master Bodhidharma of the Southern Dynasties” in honor of Bodhidharma’s founding of the Zen sect. Later, when the Eastern Wei envoy Song Yun returned from retrieving scriptures in the Western Regions, he encountered Bodhidharma carrying a single sandal on his staff as he headed west, returning to the heavens. Song Yun immediately reported this to the emperor, who ordered the tomb to be exhumed. Inside, they found only one sandal and an empty coffin, confirming that the master had attained enlightenment and become a Buddha. The temple was then renamed “Kongxiang Temple” (Empty Chamber Temple).

Unfortunately, Kongxiang Temple suffered severe damage from warfare during the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican period. The main relics that remain today include one Bodhidharma Stupa and ten stone tablets. Among these, two are particularly significant: the first is the Southern Dynasties Bodhidharma Tablet, which is the stele inscribed with “Eulogy and Preface for Master Bodhidharma” written by Emperor Wu of Liang; the second is the Bodhidharma Statue Tablet, erected in the first year of the Yuanyang era of the Wei Dynasty (538 AD). At the center of this tablet is a line-engraved image of Bodhidharma standing, his head surrounded by auspicious light, wearing a wide-sleeved robe. The image is strikingly lifelike. In the upper right corner of the tablet are four lines of verse: “Crossed the sea westward with purpose clear, / Talks in Jinling bore no fruit, I fear. / Wall-facing practice at Shaolin done, / Left one shoe behind at Xiong’er, son.” These verses succinctly summarize Bodhidharma’s life.

Although Kongxiang Temple is not as famous as the White Horse Temple or as illustrious as Shaolin Temple in modern times, as the burial place of Bodhidharma, the First Patriarch, its status and role in Chinese Buddhism are irreplaceable. In recent years, Buddhist monks from countries and regions such as India, Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan have continuously come here to pay homage. The number of worshippers visiting to burn incense and pray has also been growing steadily, keeping the temple’s spiritual flame alive.