Dongliangxiang Three Saints Ancient Temple

Dongliangxiang Three Saints Ancient Temple

Dongliangxiang Three Saints Ancient Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Dongliangxiang Three Saints Ancient Temple is located in Dongliangxiang Village, Shijiazhuang City. The exact date of the temple’s establishment is unknown, but it is believed to have been built during the Northern Wei Dynasty (385–420 AD). In the rear hall of the Three Saints Temple stand three stone Buddha statues, which are designated as municipal cultural relics. In 1993, they were approved by the provincial people's congress to be elevated to provincial-level protected cultural relics.

Originally, the temple complex was very large, with stone lions at the entrance and both a bell tower and a drum tower inside. By 1981, only the front and rear halls remained, each with three bays, and were renovated during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty. The front hall no longer had any Buddha statues and was being used by the production brigade as a hay storage room; the rear hall was also being used to store miscellaneous items. However, the three stone statues inside the rear hall still stood in their original positions. The public referred to the one on the left as Taishang Laojun, the one on the right as Ānanda, and the tallest one in the middle, with a kind expression, as the “Self-Coming Buddha” (according to research, the Buddha statues at Dongliangxiang Three Saints Temple should represent the Three Saints of Buddhism: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. Some believe they represent the Three Saints of the West: Amitabha, Guanyin, and Mahasthamaprapta).

The “Self-Coming Buddha” stands approximately three and a half meters tall, with a high ushnisha, bare chest, draped kasaya robe, and a large halo shaped like a peach, with 230 small Buddha figures carved on the back along with the names of the donors. This statue was carved from bluestone. The two flanking stone Buddha statues were both made of white marble, standing 304 cm tall (including the base) with a back width of 72 cm. At the center of the roof ridge of this hall stands a small revolving stupa, with the inscription “Repaired in the 44th year of Qianlong (1769 AD)” on the back.

Currently, the face and nose of the central standing Buddha have slight damage, as do both hands and arms; the tip of the nose of the right-side statue has been broken off, and both hands are fractured at the wrists, though the spiral crown remains intact. The left-side statue has lost both its head and hands. It is said that the head of this statue was buried in the ground on the right side of the hall—someone had discovered it and then reburied it in place, but it has not yet been found. (This Buddha head was found in 1985 and restored to its position. However, in 1993, all three Buddha heads were stolen. They were restored in 1994 by artisans from Quyangqiao, only to be stolen again shortly after.)

Due to long-term disrepair, all three stone Buddha statues have lost their arms. The right-side statue once lost its head but was later found and restored. The noses of the other two have been damaged. The middle statue is carved from white dolomite limestone, with a bluish-gray hue and fine craftsmanship. Its head is slightly larger, about one-sixth the height of the body, with the entire figure standing 2 meters tall on a 1.2-meter-high limestone base. Behind the statue is a Buddha’s halo barrier engraved with patterns of golden dragons playing in the sea and lotus flowers, originally painted in bright colors, though only fragments of the coloring remain. The two flanking statues are made of white marble, each about 2.6 meters tall, standing on lotus-shaped stone bases approximately 0.4 meters high. All parts of the statues are proportionate, draped in kasaya robes with inner monastic vests, and topped with spiral hair buns. Additionally, 12 lines of small painted Buddha figures are carved on the back of the central statue’s halo, with the bottom line inscribed with “Renqiu Jinggui Shi Shi,” while the base features mythological patterns of Tang Sanzang’s journey to retrieve Buddhist scriptures. These three Buddha statues hold significant artistic, historical, and scientific value.

By 1995, local government authorities and devotees jointly initiated efforts to invite the venerable Master Youming from the Linji lineage to reside at and oversee the restoration and reconstruction of the Three Saints Ancient Temple. That August, the master arrived with disciples to take up residence. Thanks to the tireless work of the venerable master and the current abbot, Master Huizhen, the majestic Mahavira Hall was completed and consecrated in 1998. In 2001, the East Dormitory, Guest Hall, and Dining Hall were built and put into use.

Transportation Guide

Address: Dongliangxiang Village, Qiaoxi District, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province

Transportation: Take bus No. 211 or Tourist Line 2 from the train station to the east entrance of Dongliangxiang Village, then walk west to the Three Saints Temple