Bo're Temple (Changchun)

Bo're Temple
Bo're Temple
般若寺
	Bo're Temple
Religion
Affiliation	Buddhism
Sect	Tiantai
Location
Location	Nanguan District, Changchun, Jilin
Country	China
	Shown within Jilin Bo're Temple (Changchun) (China)
Geographic coordinates	43°53′42″N 125°20′05″E / 43.894903°N 125.334735°E
Architecture
Style	Chinese architecture
Founder	Tanxu
Date established	1923
Completed	1936 (reconstruction)
Website
	www.ccbrs.com

The Bo're Temple (Chinese: 般若寺; pinyin: Bōrě Sì; lit. 'Prajna Temple') is a Buddhist temple located in Nanguan District of Changchun, Jilin, China.^[1]

History

In 1923, master Tanxu went to Changchun, capital of Jilin province, to teach the Heart Sutra, and founded the Bo're Temple subsequently. On September 18, 1931, the September 18th incident broke out, then the Japanese army occupied Changchun. In order to build a railway, they demolished Bo're Temple. The temple was moved to Changchun Street and renamed "Huguo Bo're Temple" (护国般若寺) in 1934. In 1936, the Shanmen, Hall of Four Heavenly Kings and Mahavira Hall were successively completed. Master Tanxu held a consecration ceremony.^[1]

In 1983, Bo're Temple has been designated as a National Key Buddhist Temple in Han Chinese Area by the State Council of China.

Architecture

The temple occupies an area of 14,000 square metres (150,000 sq ft) and is the largest Buddhist temples in Changchun. The entire complex divided into three courtyards. Along the central axis of the temple stand seven buildings including the Shanmen, Hall of Four Heavenly Kings, Hall of Maitreya, Mahavira Hall, Hall of the Three Sages of the West, and Buddhist Texts Library. Subsidiary structures were built on both sides of the central axis including the Drum Tower, Bell Tower, and wing-rooms.^[2]

Shanmen

In the center of the eaves of the Shanmen is a plaque, on which there are the words "Huguo Bo're Temple" (护国般若寺). On both sides of the shanmen there are two Chinese guardian lions.^[2]

Hall of Four Heavenly Kings

Maitreya is enshrined in the Hall of Heavenly King and at the back of his statue is a statue of Skanda. Four Heavenly Kings' statues are enshrined in the left and right side of the hall.^[2]

Mahavira Hall

The Mahavira Hall is the main hall in the temple. In the middle of the hall placed the statue of Sakyamuni, with statue of Guanyin at his back. The statues of Eighteen Arhats stand on both sides of the hall.^[2]

Hall of the Three Sages of the West

The Hall of the Three Sages of the West (西方三圣殿) enshrining the Three Saints of the West, namely Guanyin, Amitabha and Mahasthamaprapta.^[2]

List of abbots

English title	Chinese title	Entered office	Left office
Tanxu	倓虚	1923	1932
Shupei	澍培	1932	1983	^[3]
Chenggang	成刚	1983	2017	^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b Zhang Yuhuan (2012), p. 59.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Zhang Yuhuan (2012), p. 60.
^ 长春般若寺住持释澍培. tlfjw.com (in Chinese). 2010.
^ 2017年7月5日原长春般若寺方丈成刚老和尚圆寂纪念日. iFeng (in Chinese). 2017-07-05.

Bibliography

Zhang Yuhuan (2012). "The Largest Temples in Changchun: Huguo Bore Temple" 《长春最大的寺院：护国般若寺》. 《图解中国著名佛教寺院》 [Illustration of Famous Buddhist Temples in China] (in Chinese). Beijing: Contemporary China Publishing House. ISBN 978-7-5154-0135-5.