Nanchan Temple, an ancient temple standing at the foot of Wutai Mountain in Shanxi, is like a bright pearl inlaid in the land of China. Its long history, precious cultural relics, and stunning scenery make it one of the top five Buddhist holy sites in the world. However, this thousand-year-old temple, which has a ticket of only 10 yuan, is rarely visited. What kind of thousand-year-old mystery and treasure pain are hidden in this?
Nanchan Temple, founded in the third year of Tang Jianzhong (782), is like a Tang Dynasty art palace. The Great Buddha Hall, one of the only four remaining Tang Dynasty wooden buildings in China, supports the huge roof with its 12 pillars, showing the open and generous spirit of the Tang Dynasty. The tall eaves and huge bucket arches fully reflect the majestic and unpretentious architectural art characteristics of the Tang Dynasty.
However, the fate of this ancient temple has been as turbulent as its history. During the reign of Emperor Wuzong of the Tang Dynasty (845), most of China's temples were destroyed. However, Nanchan Temple was spared because of its remote location and small scale. Nowadays, the temple is managed by the cultural relics department, and there are no monks and no incense.
The inscription on the beams and pillars of the main hall proves that this is the earliest existing wooden structure in China, and breaks the assertion of Japanese scholars that there are no wooden buildings in China from the Tang Dynasty and before. However, what is even more shocking is the Tang Dynasty colored sculpture in the hall. The 17 Buddha statues with a height of nearly 4 meters are lifelike, as if people are in a Tang Dynasty art palace.
But unfortunately, in November 1999, three thieves stole the two most beautiful Tang Dynasty "like palace dolls" on the lotus seat to support the Bodhisattva, and the statue of the lion boy on the side was also broken and robbed from the heel, and the rest of the statues were also destroyed. Today, the stolen artifacts have not been reported.
The thousand-year-old mystery of Nanchan Temple lies in how it has survived countless natural and man-made disasters such as wars and fires. The pain of this ancient temple's treasures lies in the stolen Tang Dynasty painted sculptures and offerings to the Bodhisattva. These precious cultural relics are not only the treasures of Nanchan Temple, but also the treasures of Chinese civilization. They have witnessed the glory of China's ancient art, and also tell the reverence of human beings for history and the cherishing of cultural relics.
We cannot allow these priceless artifacts to continue to be lost. We should strengthen the protection and management of Nanchan Monastery and increase its visibility and influence. At the same time, we should also strengthen the protection and publicity of cultural relics, so that more people can understand and cherish our historical and cultural heritage.
The thousand-year-old mystery and pain of treasures at Nanchan Temple reminds us that history and artifacts are precious treasures of mankind. We should treat history and artifacts with reverence and let them shine more brightly in our hands. Only in this way can we live up to our ancestors and future generations.