Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s3.t4.5

v1.c7.s3.t4.5

Since Tang Dynasty till now, there have been many Buddhists following golden Ksitigarbha’s lead, thus establishing the tradition of flesh body Nirvana in Mount Jiuhua. There were 15 monks and nuns who underwent flesh body nirvana and now there are flesh bodies of five eminent monks available for believers to worship. The Flesh Body Palace is where the body of golden Ksitigarbha is saved and there was a flesh body pagoda in the palace. During the reign of Emperor Wanli, Ming Dynasty, the government granted heavy funds to rebuild the flesh body pagoda of golden Ksitigarbha and great hall outside the pagoda. The palace was rebuilt again in the 22nd year of the reign of emperor Kangxi, Qing Dynasty (1683) and was later repeatedly rebuilt in 1886, 1914, 1955 and 1981. Currently, it covers an area of 705 sq m. Each year, on July 15th of the lunar calendar, when Ksitigarbha was born and on July 30th of the lunar calendar when he became immortal, his believers and followers surge to Mount Jiuhua to burn incense, chant sutras and even keep watch at night.