Luoyang Baima Si (White Horse Temple)
Baima Si (White Horse Temple) was the first Buddhist temple in China, and the first translations of the Holy scripts from Sanskrit into Chinese were completed here.
Located about 12km away from Luoyang City, Baima Si (White Horse Temple) established by the Han Dynasty in 68 AD when Buddhism started to spread.
According to the historical recorded, A minister was sent by the Emperor of the Eastern Han to learn about Buddhism. After the study, two eminent Indian dignitary monks came back with the minister, and a white horse carried the sutra and the figure of Buddha. In order to memorialize the white horse’s contribution of taking back the sutra, the emperor constructed the temple and named it Baima Si (White Horse Temple). The carving horse in front of thee entrance is the right one.
Baima Si (White Horse Temple) was highly reputed as the “the originating court”, and the “cradle of Chinese Buddhism”. Since it established, the temple has experienced the vicissitudes of centuries. It was rebuilt for several times, in which the restoration during the reign of Emperor Wu Zetian was especially notable for its large scale.
Baima Si is facing the south on the east-west axes. Covering an area of 200 mu, the temple contains several main architectures: Tian Wang Hall, Great Buddha Hall, Da Xiong Hall, Jieyin Hall, Qingliang Terrace and Pilu Pavillion. There is one tomb each at the southeastern and southwestern corners of the temple respectively where two accomplished monks from India were buried. A pagoda named Qiyun Pagoda of about 200 meters once stood at the southeast of Baima Temple. This pagoda was destroyed in the Song Dynasty (960-1279) by war and in the 15thyear of the Dading reign of the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234), a 13-storeyed square pagoda was built at the same place, and the pagoda is called Baima Temple Pagoda now. The pagoda has a unique style, and is of high artistic value as well as one of a few ancient buildings of the Jin Dynasty extant in the Chinese Central Plains. It was listed as the National Key Temple in 1983.
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