Guide to Longxing Temple Scenic Area: History and Attractions

📜【History】: Longxing Temple was first built in the sixth year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty (586 AD), initially named Longzang Temple. During the Tang Dynasty, it was renamed Longxing Temple. In the 49th year of the Kangxi era (1710 AD), it was granted the name 'Longxing Temple' and has been used ever since. It is one of the earliest, largest, and best-preserved Buddhist temples in China, historically receiving significant royal attention. For instance, Emperor Taizu of Song, Zhao Kuangyin, personally ordered the construction of the Bodhisattva statue. Emperors of the Qing Dynasty also left their footprints and handwritten inscriptions and plaques. 📍【Address】: No. 109, Zhongshan East Road, Zhengding County, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province 🚗【Transportation】: - Self-driving: From Beijing, take the Beijing-Hong Kong-Macau Expressway to the Zhengding exit; from Tianjin, take the Baojin Expressway and transfer to the Beijing-Hong Kong-Macau Expressway to the Zhengding exit; there are also expressways directly from Henan and Shandong directions. - Bus: Take a bus from Shijiazhuang city to Zhengding County, then transfer to a local bus to reach the temple. Additionally, there is a free shuttle bus from Guanghui Temple to Longxing Temple. 👍【Must-visit Attractions】: 1️⃣ Mani Hall: Built in the fourth year of the Huangyou era of the Northern Song Dynasty (1052 AD), the main structure is a square hall with seven bays in depth and seven bays in width. Each of the four sides has a cross-shaped porch with a gable roof. The eaves are grand and sparsely distributed, with obvious curved ridges, side angles, and rises. It was praised by Mr. Liang Sicheng as a unique example of ancient architecture in the world, with high historical, scientific, and artistic value. Inside the hall, there is a colorful seated statue of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara on the north wall, with a unique sitting posture and vivid colors, praised by Mr. Lu Xun as 'humanizing the deity' and known as the 'Oriental Beauty Goddess.' 2️⃣ Zhuanlun Zang Pavilion: Built in the Northern Song Dynasty, the beam structure is unique. Due to the placement of the revolving scripture cabinet on the lower floor, the column network layout breaks conventions, adopting the method of moving columns. The eaves columns use the method of inserting columns. Inside the pavilion is a revolving scripture cabinet from the Song Dynasty (commonly known as the scripture cabinet), a large rotating bookshelf made of small octagonal wood, with a diameter of 7 meters. The cabinet above is double-eaved, with eight brackets, the most early example of brackets in China. The upper eaves are round with flying eaves, a typical Song Dynasty construction method, and the oldest and largest scripture cabinet in China. 3️⃣ Great Compassion Pavilion: The main building of Longxing Temple, the existing structure was rebuilt in 1999. Inside the pavilion stands the Great Bodhisattva of Zhengding, known as one of the 'Four Treasures of North China,' a thousand-hand, thousand-eye Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, 22.28 meters high, first cast in the fourth year of the Kaibao era of the Northern Song Dynasty (971 AD), with 3000 craftsmen participating in the casting. It was cast in seven sections from bottom to top, the largest bronze artwork in ancient China. The existing body of the Avalokitesvara and the two arms folded in front of the chest are Song Dynasty bronze casts, while the remaining 40 arms on both sides are wooden arms reinstalled during the Republic of China period. 4️⃣ Longzang Temple Stele: Standing inside Longxing Temple, it is the earliest existing regular script stele in China. This stele was carved on the fifth day of the twelfth month of the sixth year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty (586 AD). The stele head is 82 cm high, with the regular script 'Hengzhou Governor, Duke of E, for the country, built Longzang Temple Stele' carved in relief. The stele is 164 cm high and 90.5 cm wide, with 30 lines of regular script on the front, each line with 50 characters, totaling 1447 characters. The calligraphy is square and neat, with a rigorous structure, simple yet elegant, solemn yet not rigid, slightly revealing the charm of Wei-style clerical script. It is an important stele for studying the transition from Wei-style clerical script to regular script, first recorded by Ouyang Xiu in 'Ji Gu Lu,' and later praised by Kang Youwei as 'the first stele of the Sui Dynasty,' known as the 'first stele of regular script.' 5️⃣ Pilu Hall: Originally the main hall of Chongyin Temple, one of the eight major temples in Zhengding, built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. In 1959, due to the dilapidation of the temple, it was relocated to Longxing Temple. In the center of the hall is a bronze statue of Pilu Buddha from the Ming Dynasty, 6.42 meters high, tapering upwards like a pagoda, with a gold-plated surface. The statue is divided into three layers, each with four Pilu Buddhas, wearing five Buddha crowns, making the Pilu mudra, and sitting in the lotus position. Each of the thousand lotus petals on the three-layer lotus seat is carved with a small Buddha statue, forming a pattern of a thousand Buddhas surrounding Pilu Buddha, totaling 1072 Buddha statues. The statue is proportionate, exquisitely crafted, with finely carved floral borders on the skirts, possessing high historical, artistic, and scientific value. It was praised by the famous ancient architecture expert Mr. Qi Yingtai as 'the most exquisite statue of its kind in China, a treasure of Ming Dynasty art.' 🎟️【Tickets】: Adult ticket: 50 yuan/person Student ticket: 25 yuan/person (valid ID required) 💗【Other tips】: 1️⃣ Recommended visit time: 2-3 hours 2️⃣ It is recommended to hire a guide for a better understanding of the temple's history and culture. 3️⃣ An extra 1 yuan is required for the bus from Shijiazhuang city to Zhengding ancient city. The driver will give a ticket, and those with a bus card need to swipe twice. 4️⃣ The ticket office is on the left facing the entrance of Longxing Temple, not opposite. 5️⃣ You can buy red banners with messages to hang in the temple for 10 yuan each. Longxing Temple is large, with many precious cultural relics and ancient buildings. Walking through the temple halls, you can deeply feel its historical and cultural heritage and unique charm. Remember to follow the scenic area regulations and visit civilly during your tour.