Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s3.t3.10

v1.c7.s3.t3.10

Baoguo Temple, sitting at the foot of Mount E'mei was originally named Huizong Temple. It was built during the reign of Emperor Wanli, Ming Dynasty (1573-1620 CE), and rebuilt during the reign of Emperor Kangxi (1662-1722 CE). It treasures a huge number of cultural relics, the most important of which include (1) the 14-floor red copper Avatamsaka Sutra pagoda is 7 m high, made in Ming Dynasty and carved with 4,700 small Buddhism statues and entire Avatamsaka Sutra (2) the Buddha statue was made out of colour ceramic glaze and was built in the 13th year of the reign of Emperor Yongle, Ming Dynasty (1415) which is 2.47 m high with glittering and translucent colour. The Wannian Temple, originally named Puxian Temple, was built during the Eastern Jin Dynasty (4th century CE). It was renamed as Baishui Temple in the Tang Dynasty and as Baishui Samantabhadra Temple in the Northern Song Dynasty. During the period of the reign of emperor Wanli, Ming Dynasty, a palace hall made out of bricks was built there so emperor Wanli named it as Shengshou Wannian Temple and the name of Wannian Temple still exists. The brick palace hall was also named Wuliang Hall which boasts of significant research value from the perspective of architecture. Inside the hall, there is a huge copper statue of Samantabhadra riding a six-tooth white elephant measuring 7.35 m high and weighing 62 tonnes. This was built in Taipingxingguo 5th year of the reign of Emperor Taizong, northern Song Dynasty. Until now, it has stood there for more than 1,000 years.