The largest Buddha in Shaanxi, palm width 5 or 6 meters! now a world heritage
Xianyang Binxian County is located in west of Weibei Plateau in Shaanxi Province and in northwest of Xianyang City. It is a small county with a long history and unique nature. Bin County is also very close to Xi'an, only a two-hour drive.
As we all know, Xi'an has a strong Buddhist atmosphere and there are countless temples, big and small. And Bin County is so close to Xi'an that Buddhism is also widely practiced in Bin County. Temple of Great Buddha is the most famous cave temple in Bin County.
1. Landscape and culture inside Great Buddha Temple
The main statue of grotto is in center of cliff, and two Bodhisattvas stand respectively to left and right. The main Buddha in middle is in a seated position, 20 meters high, with a shoulder width of about 13 meters and a large arm 5 meters wide when extended. Sitting cross-legged on a hexagonal lotus seat.
As for image of his face, some locals said that he was modeled after a Tang Dynasty monarch. Later generations compared this statue to portraits of Tang Dynasty, which also confirmed that this statue really looked like her. This Buddha is also worthy of its name and is said to be largest Buddha in Shaanxi.
In addition to this grotto, there are 136 grottoes of various sizes on rock, as well as about 2000 statues. In particular, five-story old high-rise building is very famous. The attic is called Mingjingtai. In doorway on second floor of Mingjingtai, a huge Buddha head hangs in doorway.
Mingjingtai's doorway is five meters high, so high that doorway can only fit a Buddha's head, showing how magnificent and tall this Buddha statue is. Apart from these two buddhas, many monks from past dynasties practiced here.
The earliest caves were excavated during reign of Li Shimin, and some were excavated during reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang Dynasty. Since ancient times, writers and inkwells have loved to write inscriptions on stone walls of cultural heritage scenic spots to express their praise, love, and respect for place.
There are almost 200 inscriptions on walls of grottoes of Great Buddha Temple of past dynasties, and even six stelae. It can be described as a shining light with deep cultural heritage and a long history with brilliance of traditional Chinese culture.
2. How to get to Great Buddha Temple
It is worth noting that tickets to such a shocking Buddhist temple are very cheap: if you arrive during off-season, tickets will cost only 20 yuan. If you want to experience most comfortable conditions and play during high season, ticket costs only 35 yuan.
Transportation in Bean County is also very convenient, you can take number 3 bus directly to Dafo Temple Station and walk 21 meters to reach Scenic Gate.
Since all cave temples are built on rocks, and Great Buddha Temple is no exception, road to this temple is also relatively difficult. The most convenient route is to arrive in Xi'an first, start from Xi'an, and go all way along Fuyin Expressway until you see Binxian exit and get off expressway.
After exiting expressway, you can exit onto National Highway 312. At this point, I should remind all tourists that there will be a lot of coal trucks passing along National Highway 312.
According to many tourists who have visited Temple of Great Buddha, there will be several coal refineries along way, so there will be many coal trucks in and out of factory, and there will be coal ash. and ashes everywhere, which sometimes makes people feel uncomfortable. Carefully watching road around you.
But it's all just rain before you see rainbow. As long as you see grottoes of Great Buddha Temple from afar, all fatigue on road will disappear in an instant - this temple is really shocking.
3. What is a cave temple?
Traditional cave temples are basically temples built to promote religion or hold religious events. Leaning against a mountain in a deep mountain, a stone wall was dug out, and ancient buildings were built from inside of mountain to outside.
Buddhism is most common religious content of cave temples. It can also be said that caves are one of oldest forms of Buddhist architecture. The Leshan Giant Buddha, which is quite famous now, and Longmen Grottoes are one of cave temples we are talking about.
The Grotto Temple in Bean County is a little less well-known than these two, and many people don't even know that this place actually has a Grotto Temple. But "age" of this great Buddhist temple is very ancient.
Even in second year of Zhengguan's reign in Tang Dynasty, this temple was born, and its history goes back more than 1400 years from today. At same time, it is also most exquisite and largest group of caves in province.
Conclusion: The grottoes of Great Buddha Temple are not only adorned with extremely powerful stone carvings of Buddha statues, but also have suggestive connotations and rich traditional historical roots. Therefore, visiting this place is not only a picturesque place to improve aesthetics, but also a great place to reveal spiritual world and improve worldview experience. Buddhist culture, style of Tang Dynasty, and even historical traces of ancient Silk Road are deeply felt in Buddha statues on this rock. Traditional culture is vividly represented.