Pidu Stone Buddha Temple

Pidu Stone Buddha Temple

The Pidu Stone Buddha Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Sichuan Province.

The Stone Buddha Temple is located in Pitong Town, Pidu County, Sichuan Province. It is an abandoned temple, with only a main hall, a rear hall, and a side hall remaining.

Next to a country road in Changle Village, Pitong Town, Pidu County, there stands an abandoned Stone Buddha Temple, with only a main hall, a rear hall, and a side hall left. The main hall covers an area of about a hundred square meters and is around 10 meters high. It is an ancient building constructed with wood and earth. The main hall is piled with straw, farming tools, and other items, and its roof tiles are dilapidated, letting in light from all sides. Yet, on the crumbling walls of this rundown hall, one can find exquisitely painted murals everywhere.

The lower parts of the hall’s walls are adorned with colored patterns, above which are black-and-white murals. The paintings depict images of Buddhas, figures, animals, and trees, along with text annotations such as “The Tathagata of the Good Kingdom Sacrifices Himself,” “The Prince Worships an Immortal as His Master,” and “The Fairy of the Good Kingdom Tests Her Dao Heart.” Each painting seems to tell a long-preserved story. A rough count shows that there are at least 40 murals on the walls of the hall, with over 10 of them relatively well-preserved. In addition to the murals, the pillars of the main hall are also covered with colorful patterns and inscriptions.

According to reports, on March 31, 2012, the newly appointed village committee director accidentally discovered these murals while inspecting the village’s assets. He initially judged that the murals might date back to the Ming Dynasty. The Tongzhi-era edition of the Pidu County Annals records that the Stone Buddha Temple was located eight li west of the county, where a stone Buddha statue was erected during the Yuan Dynasty. However, judging from the existing statue of Sakyamuni in the Stone Buddha Temple, the stone figure was carved during the Tang Dynasty, which confirms that the temple was built no later than the Tang Dynasty. Pidu County is located in the central part of the Chengdu Plain and was historically known as Piyi, the capital of the ancient Shu Kingdom. In 314 BC, after the Qin State conquered the Shu State, it established Shu Commandery, and Piyi was renamed Pidu County, which has a history of over 2,300 years to date.

Protected Area: Starting from the drip line around the main hall, the boundary extends 65 meters east, 65 meters west, 115 meters south, and 70 meters north.

Construction Control Zone: An additional 20 meters beyond the protected area.

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Sichuan Province