Introduction to Jiangsu tourist attractions: Xiyang Temple

Xiyang Temple is located in the west of Gailiang River in Xinyang Village, Jianyang Town, Jianhu County. There is a small island with an area of ??about fifty acres. A Taishan Temple was built on the island, because it was close to the ancient Xinyang Pu (river). After the temple was built, it was named after the Pu name and was called Xinyang Village Taishan Temple. The ancient temple has long been destroyed by war. Because the temple is located on the west side of the Jialiang River in Xinyang Village, people generally call it Xiyang Village.

Taishan Temple is also called Dongyue Temple. According to the "Yancheng County Chronicles" written by Wanli of the Ming Dynasty: "There are five places in Dongyue Temple for ancient salt: one outside the west gate, one in Wuyouchang, one in Shanggang Town, one in Beilonggang, and one in Xinyang Village."

Taishan Temple in Xinyang Village was built in the Tang Dynasty. According to the "Annual Examination of Taishan Temple in Xinyang Village" records: "In the Tang Dynasty, the foundation was first laid. The first ancestor was the old monk Yongxiang Gong, and the second ancestor was divided into three rooms: the east room. The old monk Sigong, the old monk Xifangweigong, and the old monk Jigong in the middle room said: "The name of Dongyue Temple should belong to Taoism, but in recent years it has been mostly occupied by monks, or it has been worshiped as Buddhist statues." ." He also said, "The Dongyue Temple in Xinyang Village is very popular today." There is a widely circulated saying called "Xiyang Village Little Ghost Standing Image", which means that the Xiyang Temple in Xiyang Village is large. , there are so many statues of gods that the little ghosts can’t fit in the seats and can only stand. Therefore, Xiyang Temple was once known as "the largest temple in northern Jiangsu".

The Xiyang Temple in Xiyang Village has gorgeous architecture and a classical national style. Xiyang Temple faces south and has more than 370 tile-roofed houses and 28 patios. Xiyang Temple has ten main halls. In addition to the Bian family hall (donated by the Bian family) and Wuliang hall, they were rebuilt in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China. In addition, most of the palaces were built in the Ming Dynasty. The entire Xiyang Temple building is divided into three parts: left, right and middle. The three gates in the middle are lined up. The banner of the middle gate has four gold characters "Taishan Temple" embedded in it. This gate is usually not open. Entering the east gate is Sanyuan Palace. There are more than 100 statues of gods including Thunder God, Lightning Mother, Feng Po and Yu Si. Across the courtyard to the north is the Yue Wang Hall. The statue of Yue Fei sits in the hall, Yue Zi stands beside him, and the imperial minister Qin Shi and his wife kneel in front of the Yue Wang statue. In the wing rooms on both sides are the statues of Lord Yama in the Ten Halls, which contain statues of bull-headed horses and eighteen levels of hell. Their ferocious faces and fangs are gloomy and creepy. There are two incense burners facing the sky in the middle of the courtyard of Xiyang Temple, more than one foot high, and the incense burns day and night. To the north of the Yuewang Hall, enter the Bian Family Hall. There are more than 200 statues of the Dongyue Emperor, the Lady of Concubine, the Lady of Encouragement, the Three Immortals, the Bodhisattva of Eyes, and the God of Measles, Pox and Plague. On the east and west sides, a large bell with a height of two meters and a diameter of one and a half meters hangs on one side; a large cowhide drum is stored on the other side. The last step to enter is the Wuliang Hall. In Xiyang Temple, there is a Wuliang Buddha that is more than two feet and one foot high, and behind it is the statue of Ksitigarbha. The Jade Emperor Pavilion is parallel to the Wuliang Hall and is located in the northeast corner of Xiyang Temple. It contains statues of the Jade Emperor, Taibai Jinxing, Erlang Shen, and King Li Tianwang on the tower. Inside the west gate is the Wenchang Palace, which houses the statues of Confucius and his seventy-two disciples; in the east is the abbot's room and the Luohan Hall. In the east of the hall is the monk's house, in the back is the scripture study room, in the front is the dining hall, and there is a big pot in the kitchen with one person It is so high that it can cook more than 320 kilograms of rice. As soon as you enter the Ermen, you can see an ancient pine with a diameter of more than one meter in the courtyard. Behind the tree, there is a wooden statue of Avalokitesvara with Thousand Arms and Thousand Eyes on the upper floor. Downstairs is the monk's dining room; the second step is the Buddhist hall, where there are Tathagata Buddha and Amitabha. Buddha and other wooden statues. There is also a longevity plaque hanging in the hall. Whoever gives more money and support to the temple will be awarded the plaque. There is also a "meditation room" with thirteen locks on it, where the monks can live and eat for three years. Whoever wants to practice atonement and open a lock must give a sum of money to the monk. In the northwest corner is the Sutra Collection Building, and in the east of the building is the Dharma Hall. There are more than 5,000 clay and wood carvings of gods and ghosts in Xiyang Temple.

Address: Gaolianghexi, Xinyang Village, Jianyang Town, Jianhu County