Stele of Taiping Xingguo Chan Temple

Stele of Taiping Xingguo Chan Temple

The Stele of Taiping Xingguo Chan Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Henan Province.

The Stele of Taiping Xingguo Chan Temple is located in Zhonghu Lake at the foot of Yong’an Mountain in Houzhuang Village, Shayao Township, Huixian City. It was erected in the sixth year of the Taiping Xingguo era of the Song Dynasty (981). Made of bluestone, the stele features a dragon-headed top and a tortoise pedestal. It stands 2.43 meters tall, 0.76 meters wide, and 0.26 meters thick. Both sides of the dragon head at the top are adorned with carvings of dragon claws playing with a pearl. The front of the stele’s top features a seal script inscription in the central guiform section that reads “Stele of Taiping Xingguo Chan Temple at Yong’an Mountain, Huixian” in nine characters. The reverse side of the stele’s top also has a guiform section in the center, featuring a carving of a Buddha seated in the lotus position on a circular, waisted, double-layered lotus base. The main body of the stele is rectangular, with both the front and back sides inscribed in running script. The front side begins with the title “Inscription of the Taiping Xingguo Chan Temple at Yong’an Mountain, Huixian, Bestowed by Imperial Decree in Gongcheng County, Weizhou,” authored by Zhiyuan with calligraphy by Qu Lan. The inscription consists of 25 lines, each containing up to 48 characters, totaling 1,060 characters; the reverse side contains 25 lines with up to 68 characters each, totaling 1,186 characters. It details the process by which Zhonghu Temple was renamed Taiping Xingguo Chan Temple on May 25 of the third year of the Taiping Xingguo era, outlines the temple’s historical evolution, renovation, architectural scale, surrounding environment, boundaries, and the life story of Master Yuanjue. This stele holds significant historical, artistic, and scientific value. In 1963, it was designated as a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit by the People’s Government of Henan Province.

Houzhuang Village: Houzhuang Village... More details about Houzhuang Village++

Further Reading:

· First Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units in Henan Province