Leshan Temple
| Leshantang | |
|---|---|
| Native name Chinese: 乐山堂 | |
 Photograph of Leshantang ruins displayed at the Xiapu County Museum | |
| Location |  China Shangwan Natural Village, Tazhou Village, Baiyang Township, Xiapu County, Ningde, Fujian Province |
| Coordinates | 27°05′58.6″N 119°54′49.4″E / 27.099611°N 119.913722°ECoordinates: 27°05′58.6″N 119°54′49.4″E / 27.099611°N 119.913722°E Fatal error: The format of the coordinate could not be determined. Parsing failed. |
| Built | 966 CE (Northern Song, Qiande 4) |
| Demolished | 2006 (destroyed by Typhoon Saomai) |
| Rebuilt | Minor repairs in Qing dynasty; temporary shelter after Cultural Revolution |
Leshan Temple (Chinese: 乐山堂; "Hall of Joyful Mountain"), popularly known as Gaizhu Hall (盖竹堂) and originally called Longshou Temple (龙首寺), was a Manichaean religious building located in Shangwan Natural Village, Tazhou Village, Baiyang Township, Xiapu County, Ningde, Fujian Province, China. Founded in 966 CE by the Fujian Manichaean believer Sun Mian, it is the earliest documented Manichaean structure in Fujian and served for over a millennium as a major centre of Manichaean activity in the Baiyang region until its destruction by Super Typhoon Saomai in 2006.[1][2]
Name
The original name was Longshou Temple (Dragon-Head Temple). During the Yuan dynasty it was renamed Leshan Temple. Early explanations linked “Leshan” to the Confucian phrase from the Analects “The wise find joy in water; the benevolent find joy in mountains”.[3] A later theory proposes that “Leshan” derives from the Middle Persian word Rōšan (or Rōšn), meaning “light”, aligning with Manichaean emphasis on light.[4]
The change from “temple” (寺) to “hall” (堂) may reflect its primary function as a communal gathering place for lay believers rather than a monastery for ordained clergy.[1]
History
According to the 1932 edition of the Sun clan genealogy, Sun Mian of Zenyang Village (now Shenyang Village) purchased the land and built Longshou Temple in 966 (Qiande 4). He became its first abbot. In 1027 (Tiansheng 5), Lin Deng of Shangwan Village converted to Manichaeism at the temple and later became the second abbot, greatly expanding its influence. Lin Deng's direct disciple Chen Pingshan succeeded him.[5]
During the Yuan dynasty the name was changed to Leshantang. The building was renovated twice in the Ming and Qing periods. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, it still retained several courtyards. It was demolished at the beginning of the Cultural Revolution and later crudely repaired as a simple shelter for farm tools. In 2006 it was completely destroyed by Super Typhoon Saomai; only pillar bases, steps, and the pedestal of the sacred niche remain.[1]
Architectural style and function
Due to its age and lack of records, the original appearance of Leshantang is unknown. From photographs of the simple post-Cultural Revolution shelter, the building appears to have been supported by pillars with no surrounding walls. Such open construction would be unsuitable for monastic seclusion. Moreover, the temple was located at the village entrance, easily accessible to lay followers, rather than in a remote area typical of monasteries. These features suggest that Leshantang functioned primarily as a **communal hall** for lay believers rather than a monastery, which may explain the name change from “temple” to “hall”.[1]
Related activities
Every year on the Ghost Festival (15th day of the 7th lunar month), Manichaean believers from Shangwan Village gathered at Leshantang to perform rites for the salvation of the dead. This practice of delivering the souls of the deceased appears to contradict Manichaeism's original emphasis on light and liberation, indicating that Xiapu Manichaeism incorporated local Chinese beliefs to survive and spread among the populace.[6]
See also
- Xiapu manuscripts – the most extensive collection of Chinese Manichaean texts discovered to date; Leshantang is mentioned in the Record of Leshantang (《乐山堂神记》).
- Shangwan Manichaean stone carvings
- Puxi Fushou Palace
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Fan, Li-sha; Yang, Fuxue (2011). "霞浦摩尼教文献及其重要性". 世界宗教研究 (in 中文). Beijing: Institute of World Religions, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (06). ISSN 1000-4289.
- ↑ Kósa, Gábor (2018). Der östliche Manichäismus im Spiegel seiner Buch- und Schriftkultur (in Deutsch). Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. ISBN 978-3-11-059393-8. Search this book on
- ↑ Ma, Xiaohe (2009). "Remains of the Religion of Light in Xiapu County, Fujian Province". Remains of the Religion of Light in Xiapu County, Fujian Province. Eurasian Studies Yearbook Vol. 9. Beijing: Zhonghua Book Company. pp. 83–84. Search this book on
- ↑ A Concise Pahlavi Dictionary. London–New York–Toronto: Oxford University Press. 1971. p. 72. Search this book on
- ↑ 杨富学 (2014). "林瞪及其在中国摩尼教史上的地位". 中国史研究 (in 中文). Beijing (01): 109–124. ISSN 1002-7963.
- ↑ Ma, Xiaohe; Wu, Chunming (2010). "摩尼教与济度亡灵——霞浦明教《奏申牒书科册》研究". 九州学林 (in 中文) (3): 45–46.
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