Beipanlong Temple in Anyang

　　Beipanlong Temple is situated in Anyang City, Henan Province. The ancient city of Anyang is recognized as one of China's oldest and culturally richest cities, once being the capital site during the late Shang Dynasty. There are two Panlong Temples in Anyang—South Panlong Temple and North Panlong Temple. However, during the Cultural Revolution, the South Panlong Temple was completely destroyed with no trace left. The North Panlong Temple has been restored and still houses historical relics. Over the past thousand years, the Buddhist temple has undergone multiple instances of destruction. Today, in this prosperous era, the country has reinstated the opening of temples and freedom of religious belief. Venerable Master Shichangliang, having experienced many trials in life, took over the management of Anyang's Sanquan Temple and Beipanlong Temple to lead Buddhist activities, bringing blessings to the faithful in Anyang.

　　History

　　In the early Tang Dynasty, before Li Shimin sought refuge at the Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng, Henan, he once faced hardship in Anyang. At that time, he took shelter at Beipanlong Temple, which was then a Guan Yu Temple. He hid behind the statue of Guan Yu and narrowly escaped danger. Kneeling before the deity, he pledged devoutly, “I have survived this calamity today, and I will build you a grand temple.” As a result, while most temples across China enshrine the Maitreya Bodhisattva in their Heavenly King Halls, only Beipanlong Temple’s Heavenly King Hall houses the Sangharama Bodhisattva, also known among the people as Guan Sheng Emperor (Guan Yu). After the temple was destroyed, it was later restored, and even today, many local devotees come to pray to Guan Sheng Emperor when facing difficulties and make wishes.

　　Millennium-old Stele

　　This stele records the history of the temple’s construction. Having endured a thousand years of wind and rain, along with damage during the Cultural Revolution, most of the inscriptions on the stele have become blurred. However, a small portion remains faintly legible.

　　Current Condition of the Temple

　　The current abbot of Beipanlong Temple is Venerable Master Shichangliang. There are currently 13 resident monks. Having gone through various trials in life, the monks are striving hard to restore the temple in order to better serve the people of Anyang. Although the temple buildings are simple and old, they still exude a solemn dignity. Due to the small size of the main hall, it can accommodate about 20 people, but any more would make movement difficult. The monks have initiated the construction of a two-story building in the east courtyard, combining living quarters, meditation space, and a chanting hall to meet the needs of monastic practice and the congregation.

　　Source: Buddhist Navigation