Dule Temple: A Peaceful Place to Visit 3: Three Plaques and the Painted Clay Guanyin

Dule Temple is not large, but there are many historical relics worth seeing. The Guanyin Pavilion on the north side of the mountain gate in the courtyard is the main building. It has survived 28 earthquakes over the years, which is a miracle! Inside the Guanyin Pavilion is a 16.08-meter-high clay statue of Guanyin, the largest surviving Buddha statue in China. The Guanyin Pavilion is a brick and wood structure. It looks like it has three floors, but it actually only has two floors. Inside is the tall painted clay statue of Guanyin. In front of the Guanyin Pavilion is a cypress tree from the Tang Dynasty, which is over a thousand years old. The trunk is very thick, and the branches are thin like dragon whiskers. People who come to pray hang red cloth strips on it. According to the introduction, there is a line in the poem "Resting at Dule Temple" by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty: "The young man often stays here, the ancient cypress guards the front courtyard." This ancient tree is a witness to the thousand-year history of Dule Temple! The Guanyin Pavilion looks simple and solemn. At the top is a square plaque with the words "Guanyin Pavilion Taibai." I have seen such a square plaque in the Mahavira Hall of Huayan Temple, where the plaque for "Mahavira Hall" is square, with the four characters divided into two columns. The characters "Taibai" on the plaque at Dule Temple are very small and require careful observation. It is said that these are the words written by Li Bai when he was 52 years old and came to Youzhou. There has been controversy about this because Dule Temple was rebuilt in 984 AD during the Liao Dynasty, and Li Bai was a Tang Dynasty person (701–762 AD). The time span is large, and some say it may have been added by later generations. Liang Sicheng mentioned in "A Study of the Guanyin Pavilion and Mountain Gate of Dule Temple in Ji County" that the calligraphy on the plaque "resembles the style of Tang Dynasty calligraphy," but the two characters "Taibai" under the word "Pavilion" may have been added by later generations. The above mentioned that Li Bai went to Youzhou, which in ancient times was the area around present-day Beijing, with different jurisdictions at different times. Regardless of the age of the characters on the plaque, since there is a signature of "Taibai," it must have been written by Li Bai! This adds to the appeal of Dule Temple. Above the door on the lower level of the Guanyin Pavilion is another plaque with the four characters "Juzu Yuancheng," written by Emperor Xianfeng of the Qing Dynasty. "Juzu Yuancheng" is a Buddhist term meaning to praise Guanyin Bodhisattva for having the perfect merit to become a Buddha, but still choosing to save all beings as a bodhisattva. As soon as you enter the door, look up. There is another plaque on the beam at half height, with the words "Pumen Xiangjie" written by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. The horizontal stroke above the character "Men" is missing, replaced by the character "Xiao." This is very strange and may be his unique writing style. Looking up at the more than 16-meter-high painted clay statue of Guanyin, it is very tall! The caisson above its head is octagonal, with a background of a grid composed of small triangles. There are ten small Guanyin heads on top of the bodhisattva's head, so the Guanyin statue is also called the "Eleven-faced Guanyin." Because it is too high, it is difficult to see the face of Guanyin clearly. The face is bronze-colored, the lips are red, and the right hand is raised. The chest is prominent, and the skirt below the waist is divided into three layers, with pendants and beads in the middle. The colors are bright, including red, blue, yellow, green, purple, and bronze. Most of the patterns are flowers and plants, as well as auspicious clouds and phoenixes. I think the most amazing thing about the clay sculpture is the long, flowing ribbons from the bodhisattva's shoulders to the arms, which are very realistic, with perfect curves and folds, giving a sense of movement. This craftsmanship is truly exceptional! There are two attendants on either side of the bodhisattva, with slightly forward-leaning bodies, well-proportioned figures, slightly raised arms, and many folds in their clothing, which are also very beautiful. The clay sculpture marks can be seen on their bare feet, which are very full! Behind the statue of Guanyin is a statue of Guanyin sitting in reverse, facing north, in a cross-legged position. The background is a hollowed-out, colorful, suspended sculpture of Mount Sumeru. Because the light is dim, it is difficult to see the face of Guanyin clearly. There are full-body sculptures of red-faced Guan Yu and white-faced Weituo on the wooden pillars on both sides. This part of the clay sculpture is from the Ming Dynasty. I have seen such arrangements in other temples before. The cross-legged sitting posture of the bodhisattva is a Buddhist practice, which is a transliteration of Sanskrit, symbolizing concentration, calmness, and devotion to the Dharma. I have never seen Guan Yu and Weituo here before. This is a unique feature of Dule Temple. The two guardian deities are wearing armor, symbolizing loyalty and majesty. Another highlight in the Guanyin Pavilion is the murals. (To be continued)