Berlin Zen Temple

Berlin Zen Temple is located in the southeast corner of Zhao County, Hebei Province (formerly known as Zhaozhou), and is far away from the Zhaozhou Bridge, the first bridge in the world. It was first built during the Jian'an period of Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty (196-220). It was called Guanyin Temple in ancient times, Yong'an Temple in the Southern Song Dynasty, Berlin Zen Temple in the Jin Dynasty, and has been called Berlin Zen Temple since the Yuan Dynasty. Throughout the long course of history, this ancient temple has experienced several ups and downs, but it still continues to be popular and has produced many eminent monks. According to the records in the Buddhist biography, the famous Buddhist translator Xuanzang came here to study the Abhidharmakosha with Master Daoshen before he went west to India to seek Buddhist scriptures. During the late Tang Dynasty, the great Zen master Congren lived here for forty years, spreading the Dharma and forming the far-reaching "Zhaozhou School". Berlin Zen Temple thus became an important ancestral temple in the history of Chinese Zen. During the Jin Dynasty, this place was converted into a Vinaya school, and five generations of Vinaya school masters promoted the precepts here for fifty years. The most famous one is lawyer Quanzong. At the end of the Jin Dynasty, Master Guiyun Zhixuan, who spread the orthodox Linji school of Buddhism, presided over the Dharma seat at Berlin Zen Temple, and the Buddhist Vinaya was changed to Zen, and the sect flourished. In the Yuan Dynasty, Master Yuanming Yuexi and Master Luyun Xingxing preached here successively, and Berlin Zen Temple became magnificent and became the center of Buddhism in the Yanzhao area. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Sengzhengsi, the institution of the central court to manage Buddhist affairs in Zhaozhou area, was set up in Berlin Zen Temple. At that time, the abbot of Berlin Zen Temple often served as the chief monk of the Abbot's Office at the same time. Over the past hundred years, Berlin Zen Temple has suffered repeated disasters. By 1988, when monks moved in again, the halls, scriptures and statues had all disappeared. Only the stupa of Zhaozhou Zen Master and more than 20 ancient cypresses from the Tang Dynasty were still standing, showing the world that this was once an ancient Buddhist temple. In 1988, Berlin Zen Temple was opened as a Buddhist activity venue. The president of Hebei Buddhist Association, Master Jinghui, personally presided over the restoration of Berlin Zen Temple. With the strong support of people from all walks of life, in 1992, Pu Guangming Hall was completed; subsequently, the bell and drum tower, Guanyin Hall, Sutra Library, Zen Hall, Huaiyun Tower, Kaishan Tower, Huixian Tower, Zhiyue Tower, Yunshui Tower, Xiangji Tower, Gufo Temple, Guanfang, Buddhist College, The Tea Fragrance Tower, Manjusri Tower, and Samantabhadra Tower were built one after another; on September 6, 2003, the majestic Ten Thousand Buddhas Tower was completed and the Buddha statue was consecrated, marking a major achievement in the revival of the Zhaozhou ancestral temple. A thousand-year-old temple covering an area of ​​more than 100 acres, with halls and pavilions lined up in a solemn and dignified manner, has regained its vitality. The current abbot of Berlin Zen Temple is Minghai Zen Master. There are more than 160 monks living in the temple. It has the Hebei Buddhist College and Hebei Zen Studies Institute. Every year, we hold large-scale Dharma propagation activities such as the auspicious Dharma Assembly for the Lantern Festival, the Dharma Assembly for repaying gratitude for the Ghost Festival, the Water and Land Dharma Assembly for the Qingming Festival, the Living Zen Summer Camp, the Buddha Chanting Seven, and the Zen Seven. The monks insist on chanting, eating in the dining hall, and meditating every morning and evening, reciting the precepts every half month, and observing the summer retreat in accordance with the Dharma. 2Berlin Temple Pagoda, also known as the Zen Master Congshen Relic Pagoda, is located in the southeast corner of Zhao County, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province. It was built in the third year of Tianli in the Yuan Dynasty (1330) and has a history of more than 670 years. The building area is 15,000 square meters. The tower was built to commemorate the relics of Zen Master Zhenji. It is a brick-and-wood structure with a dense eaves. It has seven levels and an octagonal plan. It is 28.3 meters high and sits on a two-story stone base with an "eight" shaped stone staircase on the south side. Berlin Zen Temple>