Xingguo Temple in Jun County

　　Taiping Xingguo Temple (commonly known as Xingguo Temple) is located on Dapi Mountain in Jun County. It was built during the reign of Emperor Taizong of the Northern Song Dynasty, making it over 1030 years old. Compared to other imperial temples, Taiping Xingguo Temple resembles a hermit sage—profound, serene, and tranquil.

　　　　A temple is like the eye of a mountain—revealing the essence and cultural spirit of the hills. With a temple, a mountain becomes even more serene and boundless. The clustered temples and Taoist shrines lend Dapi Mountain a distinct character. I often hike in the suburbs near the ancient city walls, where I can feel the pulse of the mountains. Compared to the bustling streets of the city, the tranquility here is refreshing. I hope those weary travelers will come and experience such a serene mountain temple.

　　　　Visiting Taiping Xingguo Temple

　　　　Following the verdant stone path up Dapi Mountain, you’ll soon see the grand temple gates and the solemnly seated Maitreya Buddha. At the heart of the temple complex stands the majestic Mahavira Hall. Its architectural details—such as the upturned eaves, vividly colored brackets, and elaborately carved beams—are considered the finest examples of traditional religious design still preserved here. Each year during the Spring Festival, the temple holds the vibrant "Burning Incense Festival," attracting crowds of worshippers who come to light incense and pray. Major annual events include the Spring Festival, Lantern Festival, Ghost Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and Winter Solstice. Among them, the first three days of the Lunar New Year see the largest gatherings. Key structures within the temple include the Mountain Gate, Maitreya Hall, Mahavira Hall, and Scripture Repository.

　　　　Passing through the Mountain Gate, you’ll arrive at the Maitreya Hall. Inside, the Maitreya Buddha sits cross-legged on a lotus throne, smiling serenely as he welcomes all visitors. A couplet on the gate reads: “A broad belly can hold all the unbearable things under heaven; a smiling face greets all the laughable people in the world.” This conveys profound wisdom about engaging with and transcending worldly life. The monks of Xingguo Temple say that the Maitreya Hall was originally the temple’s Mountain Gate. In those days, the first sight that greeted visitors upon entering Xingguo Temple was the smiling Maitreya Buddha. There’s a folk legend about the origins of the Maitreya Buddha. During the late Tang and Five Dynasties period, there was a “Cloth Sack Monk” who was short and stout, with a round belly and a perpetual smile. Orphaned as a child, he later became a monk. Known for cherishing every grain of food, he would collect rice and beans while cooking and store them in his sack. In times of poor harvest, he would distribute the saved grains to the hungry. People often saw him carrying his sack around, begging for alms, which is why they called him the “Cloth Sack Monk.” The monk’s behavior was eccentric, and he could even predict the weather—wearing wet shoes when rain was coming and wooden clogs during droughts. Before his passing, the Cloth Sack Monk recited a verse: “I am the true Maitreya; my manifestations are countless. I appear before people all the time, yet they fail to recognize me.” After saying this, he passed away peacefully. Only then did people realize that this mysterious monk was actually the reincarnation of Maitreya Buddha. Since then, the temple has enshrined the Maitreya Buddha.

　　　　As one of the main structures of Xingguo Temple, the Mahavira Hall originally housed a wooden Buddhist shrine containing a Ming Dynasty "sand mound" statue of Shakyamuni Buddha. Both the shrine and the statue were exquisitely crafted, possessing high artistic value, but unfortunately, they were destroyed during the 1965 "Four Cleanups" campaign. Today, the hall enshrines the Three Ages of Buddhas: Shakyamuni, Amitabha, and Bhaisajyaguru (Medicine Buddha). There are two cave shrines on Dapi Mountain, both located within Xingguo Temple—the Guanyin Cave, carved in the early Republican era, and the Chaoyang Cave from the Ming Dynasty. The Chaoyang Cave, situated north of the Guanyin Cave, is named for facing the morning sun and is also known as the Ziyang Cave. It is the largest cave on Dapi Mountain, measuring approximately 4.3 meters long, 3.46 meters wide, and 2.5 meters high. Inside, there are three Buddha statues and the Eighteen Arhats. Legend has it that when rain is imminent, moisture seeps from the cave walls, and when clear weather approaches, the walls dry up first, making it a natural “weather indicator.”

　　　　Emperor Taizong of Song and Xingguo Temple

　　　　The exact founding date of Taiping Xingguo Temple is unknown. Today, there is a stone stele erected in the second year of the Taiping Xingguo era (977 AD), known as the "Imperial Decree Granting the Name Taiping Xingguo Temple" stele. Due to the passage of time and exposure to wind and rain, the inscriptions have become blurry, with only about one-third of the characters still legible. Perhaps because of this obscurity, the stele is not recorded in either the *Tianshu Di Zi* or the *Qishui County Epigraphy Records* by Xiong Xiangjie of the Qing Dynasty. According to Mr. Fu Wenqing, a cultural figure from Qishui County, the stele details how the temple initially had no official name, and the monks petitioned the imperial court. Eventually, Emperor Zhao Guangyi of the Northern Song Dynasty granted the temple its name. Mr. Fu, who has extensively studied the stele, explained that despite the illegible parts, it's clear the temple existed as early as the late Tang and Five Dynasties period. Originally called an “an” (a smaller type of temple) during the Tang Dynasty, it was later renamed Xingguo Temple. It wasn’t until the third year of Taiping Xingguo (978 AD) that Emperor Taizong Zhao Guangyi bestowed the name “Taiping Xingguo Temple” after his reign era and erected this stele to commemorate the event. During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, warfare was frequent in Qishui County, leading to repeated closures of the temple. However, it was restored several times during the Tiancheng, Qianguang, and Guangshun eras.

　　　　Taiping Xingguo Temple is the only temple in China named after an emperor’s reign title. What was the special bond between Emperor Zhao Guangyi of the Northern Song and Taiping Xingguo Temple that led him to bestow his own reign name upon it? A local legend offers an explanation: It is said that during Zhao Guangyi’s campaign against Youzhou, he was chased by enemy soldiers and severely wounded. He fled to the banks of the Yellow River, but there was no boat to cross (the river had not yet changed course). With his serious injuries and enemies in pursuit, Zhao Guangyi was in mortal danger. Just then, monks from Xingguo Temple risked their lives to rescue him and brought him back to the temple, where they took turns caring for him and treating his wounds daily. Thanks to their attentive care, Zhao Guangyi’s injuries healed quickly. To help him cross the river, the monks went to great lengths to find a father and daughter who made a living fishing on the river. Having suffered greatly from the chaos of war, the father and daughter readily agreed to help the great Song general cross. On a dark night, they rowed the general across the river, but the fast current drew the attention of Jin soldiers, who shot arrows at the boat. The old fisherman was hit by several arrows and, as he lay dying, urged his daughter to ensure the general reached the other side safely. Overcome with grief but determined, the fisherwoman rowed hard and finally got Zhao Guangyi out of harm’s way. Later, after ascending the throne, Emperor Zhao Guangyi heard that there was a temple on Dapi Mountain where such a life-saving event had occurred. Remembering his benefactors, he named the temple after his reign era, Taiping Xingguo Temple, and erected a stele in 978 AD, the "Imperial Decree Granting the Name Taiping Xingguo Temple," to commemorate the experience. From then on, the temple gained fame.

　　　　The Buddhist Culture of Taiping Xingguo Temple

　　　　Abbot Yuanjie of Taiping Xingguo Temple and Liu Hongliang, director of the Qishui County Religious Affairs Bureau, spoke enthusiastically with reporters about the temple’s Buddhist culture. According to Liu Hongliang, in the early days, religious activities at Taiping Xingguo Temple followed a strict schedule. Monks and nuns spent about four hours each day on morning and evening chanting. On the first and fifteenth days of each lunar month, the temple would ring the Avatamsaka Bell 108 times to symbolize the release of 108 worldly afflictions. In the old society, aside from regular religious activities and major Buddhist festivals, monks and nuns were also invited to chant scriptures at funerals or memorial ceremonies. During the 1960s, due to the damage caused by the “Four Cleanups” and the Cultural Revolution, the temple suffered repeated setbacks. Buddhists were labeled as “monsters and demons” and faced criticism and home raids. All religious activities in the temple ceased. It wasn’t until 1986 that the temple’s Buddhist activities were resumed, making it one of the earliest temples in Henan Province to reopen.

　　　　Venerable Yuanjie, formerly a monk at the royal Zhonghua Temple in Kaifeng, is the current abbot of Taiping Xingguo Temple. His arrival brought a fresh vitality to the temple, bringing its religious practices back on track. He said that the formal religious activities at the temple fully showcase the essence of Buddhist culture. Historically, the performance of Buddhist music at Xingguo Temple held extremely high value—even surpassing that of other temples in the Central Plains. He noted that only temples of a certain scale and influence could form an orchestra. In Henan, apart from the royal Zhonghua Temple in Kaifeng and the Chaocha Temple in Xinmi, only Taiping Xingguo Temple in Qishui had a history of performing Buddhist music.

　　　　However, due to the advanced age of the older monks, the temple can no longer perform Buddhist music regularly. Abbot Yuanjie successfully applied for the inclusion of Kaifeng Zhonghua Temple’s Buddhist music as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2008. He emphasized that rescuing and inheriting the Buddhist music of Taiping Xingguo Temple is urgent and vital for cultural preservation and the protection of intangible heritage.

　　　　Buddhist music is primarily used in rituals and dharma assemblies. After the founding of New China, the local government showed great concern for monks and artists involved in temple music and undertook efforts to rescue and revive it. In 1957, Qishui monks, as part of the Anyang Regional Buddhist Music Troupe (Qishui was then under Anyang’s jurisdiction), performed pieces such as *Six-Line Praise* and *Wind Like Pine* at the Third National Folk Music and Dance Performance in Zhengzhou, winning an Outstanding Performance Award. Henan People’s Broadcasting Station even recorded the performances. Since becoming abbot of Taiping Xingguo Temple, Abbot Yuanjie has been dedicated to reviving the temple’s Buddhist music. He contacted the Qishui Radio and Television Bureau and Anyang Radio but was unable to locate the original recordings. Fortunately, the musical scores still exist.

　　　　Wind and percussion music was once a specialty of the monks and nuns at Taiping Xingguo Temple. The scores used were Gongche notation, with the syllables: “Shang, Shang, Wu, Liu, Fan, Gong, Che.” High-pitched notes were called “jian” (sharp) tones, and low-pitched ones were called “ta” (flat) tones. In the past, most monks and nuns became ordained in their youth and first learned music, specifically wind and percussion instruments. Wind instruments included the guan (mouth organ), sheng (mouth-blown free reed instrument), and dizi (bamboo flute); percussion instruments included drums, gongs, cymbals, and bells. Some of the pieces performed were: *Lock South Branch Tail*, *I Now Lament*, *Little Green Sheep*, *Willow Mist*, *Little Open Door*, *Caoxi Stream*, *Five-Tone Buddha*, *Three Refuges Praise*, *Weapon Hymn*, *Six-Line Praise*, *Wind Like Pine*, *Karma Mantra*, *Skull Mantra*, and others. At the time, Qishui monks were divided into “literary” and “martial” categories. Literary monks focused on chanting scriptures and playing music, while martial monks trained in martial arts and acrobatics. During festivals or funerals, they would perform various acts along the route or on open grounds, known as “playing cymbals.” Performances on grounds were called “field cymbals,” while those performed while moving were called “road cymbals.” “Road cymbals,” accompanied by music, resembled folk lantern festival performances, showcasing ancient acrobatic elements with unique religious artistry. This ancient and distinctive art form was preserved exclusively by monks. Their performance areas extended beyond Qishui’s urban and rural regions to surrounding counties such as Huaxian, Neihuang, Tangyin, Qixian, Weihui, Yanjin, Fengqiu, and Changyuan. The reputation of “playing cymbals” spread far and wide along with the monks’ travels. The monks referred to “road cymbals” as “martial arts.” Their postures—whether in strides, gestures, or movements—reflected the martial style of Shaolin. In the past, performers wore kasayas (monk robes), dressed neatly, and played solemnly in two lines. The central performers wore short monk robes, white socks, and cloud shoes, exuding the charm of the Tang Dynasty. Throughout the performance, they followed the beat of the hand drum. The “road cymbals” art incorporated elements of qigong, magic, and martial arts. The acts included flying cymbals, flying knives, flying bullets, plate spinning, water rope tricks, fire rope tricks, and more. The performance postures included: Su Qin Backing Sword, Kuixing Lifting the Dipper, Lone Tree Rooted, Zhang Fei Trick Riding, Phoenix Seizing Rest, Lion Wagging Tail, Black Dog Darting Through Legs, and Embracing Moon in Arms. Some acts were performed during the day, others at night, but all were accompanied by Buddhist music, and each began with a Zen saying—often classical poetry or rhymed verses in five or seven characters. For example, during cymbal performances, they might say: “A small copper fork, crafted by skilled hands. Now it’s in mine, let’s play a trick no one can understand.” Or during flying bullet tricks: “A tiny flying bullet, a silk ball it seems. Flying high in the sky, it bows to Buddha, then turns into a pearl on my head.”

　　　　Finally, Director Liu Hongliang lamented that these performance arts were maintained by Qishui monks until the early years of New China. Later, with the development of agricultural cooperatives, monks joined production teams for farm work, abandoning their basic training and artistic performances, and these activities gradually disappeared.

　　　　Precious Cliff Stone Carvings

　　　　During the late Tang Dynasty, amid frequent warfare, people yearned deeply for peace and tranquility. On the cliffs behind the temple, there is an inscription left by a visitor after paying homage to the Great Stone Buddha in the eighth year of the Dazhong era (854 AD), making it the earliest preserved inscription here. The text reads: “Having endured the chaos of war, I came here seeking peace. After worshipping the Great Buddha, I felt immense relief. I walked up the mountain in the morning, bathed in sunlight, and descended in the evening, my heart filled with joy.” It expresses the visitor’s deep satisfaction and relief after fleeing turmoil and finding solace. Due to its historical and artistic value, the inscription was designated as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit by the State Council in June 2001. However, the historical reality that Hong Jinglun’s mismanagement led to the mutiny of Tian Yue’s troops and his subsequent dismissal (as recorded in the *Old Book of Tang: Biography of Hong Jinglun*) tells us that in the declining late Tang era, achieving peace and stability was nothing short of a fantasy. Nearby, another inscription, the *Wei Bo Generals’ Merit Stele*, documents a major rebellion led by Li Xilie during the Tang Dynasty, just four years after Hong Jinglun’s inscription. It describes how, after the rebellion was quelled, soldiers engraved the words “Suppressed the bandits, pacified the region, achieved great merit, and earned eternal glory” on the cliffs behind the temple.

　　　　Cliff stone carvings from the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties are scattered across the cliffs behind Taiping Xingguo Temple, silently narrating the dramatic ups and downs of history.

　　　　Xingguo Temple

　　　　The monks refer to "playing the road cymbals" as "martial arts." The movements—whether in legwork, hand strikes, or body postures—all reflect the martial arts style of Shaolin. In the past, the musicians who played the road cymbals wore monastic robes, dressed neatly, and performed solemnly. They marched in two lines, while the performers wore short monastic garments, long white socks, and cloud shoes, exuding an elegant Tang Dynasty style. Throughout the performance, they followed the rhythm of the hand drum. The art of "road cymbals" incorporates elements of qigong, magic, and martial arts. The performances mainly include: flying cymbals, flying knives, flying projectiles, plate spinning, water ropes, and fire ropes. The postures and movements feature: Su Qin carrying a sword on his back, Kui Star lifting a dipper, a lone tree with twisted roots, Zhang Fei tricking a horse, Phoenix seizing a resting spot, Lion wagging its tail, Black dog darting through legs, and Embracing the Moon in the Arms. Some of these acts are performed during the day, others at night, but all are presented within the accompaniment of a Buddhist musical ensemble. Before each act, a Zen verse is recited—often classical poetry or rhymed seven- or five-character verses. For example, when playing the cymbals, they might say: “A small copper fork, crafted by skilled hands. Today it falls into mine, let me play it so no wind can pass.” Or when playing the flying projectiles: “A small flying projectile is like an embroidered ball, soaring into the sky for a stroll. Bowing before the Buddha, it turns into a precious pearl and lands on my head.”

　　　　Finally, Director Liu Hongliang said with regret that these acrobatic skills were maintained by the monks of Jun County until the early days of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Later, with the development of agricultural collectivization, the monks joined production teams to engage in farming and gave up basic training and artistic performances. As a result, these acrobatic activities were discontinued.

　　　　Invaluable Cliff Carvings

　　　　During the late Tang Dynasty, with frequent warfare, people yearned deeply for peace and tranquility. On the western cliff of Dapi Mountain in Jun County, there is an inscription left by Li Deyu in the fourth year of the Kaicheng era (840 AD) after visiting the Great Stone Buddha. It is the earliest known inscription preserved in Jun County. The text reads: “Arrived here in the morning, the mountain air is fresh and cool. The trees are lush, the valleys deep. Bathed in sunlight, I feel uplifted. Ascending the mountain, I gaze into the distance, as if entering a fairyland. The sun is high, the shadows short, the mountain path rugged and steep. Arriving at the cave, I am drenched in sweat, yet my heart is filled with joy.” It expresses the joy of leaving worldly troubles behind and finding solace in nature. Due to its historical and artistic value, it was designated as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit by the State Council in June 2001.

　　　　However, the historical fact that Hong Jinglun was dismissed for wrongly disbanding Tian Yue’s troops, which later led to a mutiny (according to the "Old Book of Tang: Biography of Hong Jinglun"), tells us that in the declining late Tang Dynasty, achieving peace and stability was nothing short of a fool’s dream. Nearby, another inscription, the "Wei-Bo Generals’ Merit Engraving," records a major rebellion during the Tang Dynasty—the Li Xilie Rebellion—which occurred just four years after Hong Jinglun’s inscription. The text states: After the successful suppression of the rebellion, the soldiers erected this monument on Dapi Mountain in Jun County, praising their commander with the words: “Valiant in battle, formidable in command.”

　　　　Cliff carvings from the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties are distributed along the cliffs behind Taiping Xingguo Temple, silently recounting the dramatic ups and downs of history and the ever-changing tides of fortune.

　　　　Xingguo Temple

　　　　Address: Xun County, Hebi City, Henan Province