XXXVI. White Horse Temple

Gao Changgong's carriage is not gorgeous on the outside, but the interior decoration is very comfortable, the carriage is covered with thick fur, with soft cushions, in the center of the carriage a small coffee table is fixed on it, there is a small incense burner, cigarette curls, the carriage is filled with a faint ambergris, is the smell of Gao Changgong's body, the coffee table is a little old but still very clean, it can be seen that the owner usually likes this carriage very much, often rides.

The three of them got into the carriage and sat on one side, the carriage was very comfortable and spacious, and the three of them did not seem crowded when they sit. After the three of them got into the carriage, the carriage drove towards Luozhou City, Gao Changgong took out a set of tea sets from the small cabinet on the right side of the carriage, and began to boil water to make tea.

"Brother Changgong, it's the first time I've been to the White Horse Temple, I don't know if Brother Changgong can introduce one or two." Helian Qingcheng was at ease, holding the tea brewed by Gao Changgong.

After listening to Helian Qingcheng's words, Lan Susu also retracted his thoughts, and it was the first time he went to the White Horse Temple, and he didn't know much about the White Horse Temple.

"If you're willing to hear it, I don't mind talking about it, I just hope you don't think I'm verbose." Gao Changgong put down the teacup and saw that Lan Susu and Helian Qingcheng were looking at him, waiting for him to talk about the White Horse Temple.

"Brother Changgong is not stingy in teaching, how can we think you are verbose? Although it's not the first time I've come to Tianyue, I'm not familiar with the customs of Tianyue, so I should be Brother Changgong and don't dislike it! For Gao Chang Gong He, Lian Qingcheng has always felt sympathy, but he also maintains the necessary bottom line and caution.

"Listening to you being so humble and humble, I feel tired, since you are a friend and a brother, why be so restrained. I am not very familiar with Qingcheng and the White Horse Temple, Changgong, you often walk around the country and see more than us, so tell us about it. Lan Susu naturally understood the thoughts of the two, but they really felt bored like this.

"Okay, Su Su is getting impatient, I'll be honest." There was a hint of a smile in Gao Changgong's tone, and Lan Susu's mind was really clear.

"If you want to say that this White Horse Temple has to start from the religious beliefs of our Tianyue people, although our Tianyue Continent is divided into three countries, but we all believe in Buddhism, although there are other religions, but Buddhism is the first major religion of our Tianyue veritable name, this White Horse Temple is one of the first Buddhist temples built by the founding of our Fengchen country, and it is not an exaggeration to say that it is the origin of Buddhism in my Fengchen country. Now the White Horse Temple covers an area of about 200 acres, and there are more than 100 large and small buildings in the temple. The temple sits in the north and faces south, with a symmetrical pattern of the central axis, with a regular layout and a clear distinction between primary and secondary. The main buildings in the temple are distributed on the central axis, built by the mountain, from south to north are the mountain gate, the Tianwang Palace, the Big Buddha Palace, the Daxiong Palace, the Reception Hall and the Qingliang Terrace, there are the bell and drum tower, the door hall, the Yunshui Hall, the guest hall, the dining hall, the ancestral hall, the meditation hall, the abbot's courtyard and other ancillary buildings on both sides. When these specific buildings arrive at the White Horse Temple, I will explain them to you one by one. ”

"It turns out that the White Horse Temple is such a storage for Fengchen Kingdom, and when I hear you, I want to see such a magical place immediately." After listening to Gao Changgong's introduction, Helian Qingcheng also had a trace of amazement in his heart, he really didn't expect that this White Horse Temple would have such a origin.

"Yes, we believe in Buddhism, and places like the White Horse Temple are the holy places in our hearts, and the White Horse Temple is full of incense, and many pilgrims come here all year round." Speaking of White Horse Temple and his religious beliefs, even people like Gao Changgong have a hint of fascination in their eyes.

"I just hope to arrive soon, so that I can have a glimpse of this century-old temple." Helian Allure was also infected by Gao Chang's courtesy.

"It will take another hour to get to the White Horse Temple, I don't know if Brother Qingcheng is willing to play a game of chess." Gao Changgong saw that the road was far away, so he mentioned playing chess to relieve boredom.

"Okay, let's play a game of chess." Helian Qingcheng didn't object, just turned his face to look at Lan Susu, "It's just that what does Su Su want to use to relieve his boredom?" Chess also can't be played by three people. ”

"It's okay, she doesn't care what we do," Gao Changgong just smiled and handed Lan Susu a book of poems, "As long as she has a book, it's the same wherever she is." ”

"It's okay, you don't have to worry about me, I'll just read a book, a cup of tea and an idle book, a rare clean day." Lan Susu was not annoyed, took the book with a smile, read it crookedly to the side, and no longer paid attention to the two, looking at the tacit understanding between the two, Helian Qingcheng felt a trace of loss in his heart.

Gao Changgong quickly took out the chessboard, the chessboard is made of good golden silk nan wood, the chess pieces are made of jade, and the four Gao Changgong likes jade very much, many things around him have traces of jade, the chessboard and chess pieces are very smooth, obviously the result of the master's frequent use, and the two of them each hold a piece to play chess......

"Master, the White Horse Temple has arrived." The three of them seemed to feel that it didn't take long for Mu Fei's voice to come from outside, and at this time, a game of chess between Gao Changgong and Helian Qingcheng had just ended.

The carriage has stopped, Mu Fei has put the small stool on the right side of the carriage, the three of them got off the carriage in turn, looked up, only to see a temple sitting in the north and facing south by the mountain, the building is magnificent and solemn, and the three of them also have a trace of admiration and worship in their hearts, especially Gao Changgong's eyes are more respectful and fascinated.

"This is the White Horse Temple, the solemn Buddhist holy place." Looking at the White Horse Temple, I was also very surprised, although I often went to the Forbidden City in my previous life, but I saw such a spectacular temple here, it is not good to say that I was not surprised, I didn't believe in gods and Buddhas in my previous life, and I felt that it was a void of the face of the store, but since I crossed it, I also felt that maybe those were the real ones.

"That's right, this is the White Horse Temple." After arriving at the White Horse Temple, Gao Changgong's temperament has changed a little, still noble and Qinghua, but also with a trace of the pride that the superior is born with overlooking the common people.

In front of the three people is the mountain gate of the White Horse Temple, the mountain gate is the archway type of three-hole arc coupon door, the single eaves rest on the top of the mountain, and the front is inlaid with the plaque of "White Horse Temple". Outside the mountain gate, a pair of stone horses stand separately after the mountain gate is said to be the White Horse Temple, after the completion of the White Horse Temple, the horse of the White Horse Temple, the size is equivalent to the real horse, the image is gentle and tame, the mountain gate is three arches side by side, representing the three liberation gates, Buddhism calls it Nirvana Gate.

"The most famous scenic spots of the White Horse Temple are Qingliangtai, the Big Buddha Hall, the Qiyun Pagoda, the Daxiong Palace, and the Pilu Pavilion." Standing in front of the mountain gate, Gao Changgong briefly explained to Helian Qingcheng and Lan Susu the more famous places of the White Horse Temple.

"Brother Lao Changgong has solved our doubts one by one," Helian Qingcheng looked solemn, and Lan Susu also put away his lazy face and looked at Gao Changgong.

"Okay, we'll introduce you as we go up the mountain." Gao Changgong is not talking or laughing, and he is willing to explain to the two of them when he sees the attitude of the two. Lan Susu and Helian Qingcheng didn't say much anymore, and followed Gao Changgong towards the temple.

Qingliangtai is called "the courtyard in the air", it is the abbot monk Xiangru of the Shengjing Temple of the White Horse Temple, who once wrote a poem to praise: "The Xiangtai Treasure Pavilion is exquisite, the flower rain surrounds the Fangong Palace for many years, the stone is high and the people are rare, and the time to hear the clear chime falls into the air." "This 43-meter-long, 33-meter-wide, 6-meter-high platform is made of blue bricks, which has the distinctive characteristics of Tianyue architecture. Qingliangtai is the Pilu Pavilion, the Pilu Pavilion is the last Buddha hall in the White Horse Temple, located on the Qingliangtai, is a group of courtyard-style buildings, the emperors of my Fengchen Kingdom have studied in the Qingliangtai when they were young, and my father is also one of them. Speaking of this, Gao Changgong also had a trace of pride in his heart.

"This White Horse Temple is really not simple, I wonder if the singing gong bear has also studied here??"

"When I was a child, I was fortunate to be sent here by my father, and I studied here for two years with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and the Fifth Prince." Gao Changgong said calmly.

Helian Chengcheng didn't say anything, but he felt that this Gao Changgong was really one of the strong contenders for the throne of Fengchen Kingdom, just from the fact that he had read here, he could be sure.

"Qingliangtai is not only the place where the emperors of my Fengchen Kingdom read but also the place where the monks of the past dynasties translated the scriptures and promoted the Dharma, the highest position in the temple, 43 meters long, 33 meters wide and 5 meters high. The front hall is a pavilion type building with heavy eaves resting mountain, 15.8 meters long, 10.6 meters wide, a brick pedestal in the middle of the pavilion, set up a wooden niche, enshrine a Buddha statue of Viluchana in the niche, stand Manjushri on the left, stand Puxian on the right, this Buddha and two Bodhisattvas, collectively called "Huayan Three Sages" in Buddhism. There are two side halls on both sides of the outside of the Pilu Pavilion, namely the matching hall of Loteng and Zhu Flange, and the clay statues of the two high monks are placed. Gao Changgong continued.

The Big Buddha Hall is the main hall of the White Horse Temple, built on a 1-meter-high pedestal, facing five wide rooms, four deep rooms, and a single eaves resting on the top of the mountain. The back wall and the gables on both sides are stacked with wedge-shaped masonry, and the shape is relatively rare. There are four big characters in the front and back parts of the temple ridge, which are "the light of the Buddha shines" and "the wheel of law always turns". In the center of the hall, there are statues of Shakyamuni Buddha, Ananda, two Arhats, Manjushri and Puxian Bodhisattva, and there is a statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva behind the hall. The southeast corner of the hall hangs a big bell that Gao Huan, the founding emperor of my Fengchen country, ordered to cast, this big bell weighs 2,500 kilograms, and the inscription is engraved on it, 'the wind and rain are smooth, the country and the people are safe', to show that every time the bell is to pray for the people; behind the big Buddha hall, it is a hanging mountain style building "Daxiong Palace". It is 22.8 meters long and 14.2 meters wide. There is a platform in front of the temple, which is the largest temple in the temple. The area was reduced from the top of the hill to the top of the hanging mountain. The big Buddha shrine with gold carvings in the hall is the three Buddhas: the middle is the Buddha Shakyamuni in the world, the left is the Medicine Buddha in the Eastern pure glass world, and the right is the Amitabha Buddha in the Western Elysium. In front of the three Buddha statues, there are statues of Wei Tuo and Wei Li, two protector generals, holding Dharma weapons. On both sides, eighteen Arhat statues with different expressions and handsome eyebrows are arranged, and more than 5,000 miniature Buddha statues are neatly carved on the back hall wall; Qiyun Pagoda is located on the east side of the mountain gate of the White Horse Temple, it is a delicate and elegant, upright and handsome pagoda, Qiyun Pagoda is a square brick tower with dense eaves, 13 floors, 25 meters high. It has a unique shape and is unique in the ancient tower, which is rare. Qiyun Pagoda was formerly known as the Shakya Rulai Relic Pagoda of the White Horse Temple. ”

As he walked, when Gao Changgong finished introducing the main buildings of the White Horse Temple, the three of them had already entered the mountain gate and walked towards the mountain. At this time, outside the mountain gate of the White Horse Temple, a son dressed in ink-colored brocade clothes is riding a horse, if you look closely, his appearance is also three points similar to Gao Changgong.