Dali Chongsheng Temple: promoting national unity and helping to forge a strong sense of the Chinese national community

2022-06-01

During important festivals and activities, Chongsheng temple will hold a ceremony of raising the national flag and playing the national anthem. Witness the history of national unity The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple standing between Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake are landmarks of Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. They have bathed in the glory of the sun and the moon for thousands of years in the long river of years, and witnessed the history of exchanges and exchanges among various ethnic groups in Dali. Dali Chongsheng temple, founded in the Kaiyuan period of the Tang Dynasty, is a famous royal temple during the Nanzhao and Dali dynasties. Since ancient times, Chongsheng temple has fully displayed the features of national unity, religious harmony and border stability in the aspects of architecture, art, folk custom and cultural inheritance. Qianxun tower, the main tower of Chongsheng temple, was built from the 8th century to the 9th century AD. it was the standard style of dense eaved brick tower popular in China at that time. Its overall shape was similar to Xi'an little wild goose tower. It was built with the help of skilled craftsmen sent by the Tang Dynasty to Nanzhao. The two small towers in the north and South were built in the Dali state of the Song Dynasty. They are the transitional form from the dense eaved tower of the Tang Dynasty to the Pavilion tower of the Song Dynasty. They are typical architectural styles of the Song Dynasty. From the style of the three towers, it is not difficult to see that as early as the Tang and Song Dynasties, Dali maintained close contact with the central government, which is enough to prove the local minorities' enthusiasm and absorption of Han culture. In addition, the painting of Buddhist statues by zhangshengwen, a painter of Dali in the Song Dynasty, also depicts the scenes of 16 leaders of different ethnic groups around Dali in the Song Dynasty making pilgrimages to Chongsheng temple, presenting a scene of harmony and friendship, exchanges and mutual learning among the surrounding ethnic groups. Today, Chongsheng Temple inlays the wood carving of "Zhang Shengwen's painting scroll" on the inner wall of the main hall, so that visitors can feel the good wishes of all ethnic groups for unity and unity. Such multi-ethnic cultural integration and exchanges are more evident in the lives of local people. From March 15 to 22 of the lunar calendar every year, traders from all over the world gather at march street in Dali for trade and cultural exchanges. March street can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty. Every year, Chongsheng Temple sets up an altar to invite eminent monks to preach scriptures and laws. People of all ethnic groups come from afar and gather near Chongsheng temple to worship and listen to scriptures, slowly forming a market. For thousands of years, the influence of march street has spread to southwest China, even South Asia and Southeast Asia. Now, "march street Ethnic Festival" has become the embodiment of national unity in Dali Prefecture. National unity is one family. For thousands of years, Chongsheng temple has always been a link to promote national unity and maintain the feelings of local ethnic groups. During the Yihai year of Zhengde in the Ming Dynasty, a strong earthquake occurred in Dali, causing heavy damage to Chongsheng temple. Villagers of all ethnic groups around raised funds and contributed to the restoration of Chongsheng temple. During the years of Xianfeng and Tongzhi in the Qing Dynasty, Chongsheng temple was destroyed by wars and natural disasters, leaving only three towers. Villagers of all ethnic groups in the surrounding areas spontaneously protect the three towers and cherish each brick and tile of the three towers. Today, Chongsheng Temple continues the tradition of maintaining national unity since ancient times and plays an active role in the work of national unity. As Abbot Chonghua said, "Chongsheng temple is a place for religious activities. In border ethnic areas, promoting national unity is an important work of the temple." Keep in mind the instructions and actively participate in the protection of Erhai Lake Chongsheng Temple responded positively and proposed believers to participate in the protection of Erhai Lake. In april2017, Chongsheng Temple held the activity of "preaching the Dharma to protect the Erhai Lake and giving lectures to explain the" seven actions "for the protection of the Erhai Lake, vigorously advocated the protection of the Erhai Lake and the ecological environment, and distributed nearly 3000 publicity materials. Believers from the surrounding Han, Bai, Yi, Tibetan and other nationalities, as well as tourists visiting Chongsheng temple, also participated. During the preaching activities, master Chonghua suggested that people should not build houses against rules in the core protected area of Erhai Lake; Do not discharge sewage randomly; Actively participate in afforestation activities and consciously protect the forest resources in Erhai Lake Basin; Establish forest fire prevention awareness, offer incense in a civilized manner, and strictly prevent fire; Save water and resources, and do not use disposable chopsticks and paper bowls; Seriously implement the regulations of "no phosphorus" and "no white" and do not use phosphorus containing washing products, non degradable plastic products and other harmful substances; Release the animals reasonably, protect the students scientifically, resolutely put an end to all kinds of violations, protect Erhai Lake and protect our common home. In May of the same year, Dali Buddhist Association responded to the call and held the launching ceremony of "seven actions" to promote the protection and governance of Erhai Lake in Chongsheng temple, contributing to the protection of Erhai Lake. Jointly build a demonstration and harmonious Temple of national unity and progress On october1,2018, Chongsheng Temple held a solemn national flag raising ceremony and the launching ceremony of the national flag anthem, constitution, laws and regulations, core socialist values, excellent Chinese traditional culture, national unity and progress into the religious activity site at Shanmen square. Since the launch of the "five entrances" activities, Chongsheng temple has led monks and believers to fly the national flag in the Mountain Gate Square, and held a ceremony of raising the national flag and playing the national anthem on every important festival and activity. In a series of 14 sermons, each sermon has incorporated the "five elements" into it to explain the truth to the monks. Chongsheng temple and surrounding villages have implemented the demonstration of national unity and progress and the framework agreement on co construction and co creation of harmonious monasteries, and carried out co construction and co creation in patriotism education, poverty alleviation, charity and respect for the elderly, environmental protection, public security and fire control, flood control and Drought Relief, etc. Since the restoration and reconstruction of Chongsheng Temple in 2006, the temple has absorbed the surplus labor of surrounding villages and towns and increased the employment opportunities of villagers. More than 50 staff directly participate in the temple logistics services, providing temporary employment for the surrounding residents for about 500 working hours per month. Xiao Li and her husband, who live in xiajiyi village, Dali Town, do not have a stable job. They have two elderly parents and two children to raise. They can only make a living by working as temporary workers. By chance, Xiao Li saw that Chongsheng temple was recruiting summer attendants, so he went to apply. After learning about Xiao Li's family situation, the temple decided to give Xiao Li a long-term and stable job and signed an employment agreement. A month later, when the temple added security personnel, it gave priority to providing security personnel for Xiao Li's husband. Now, both the husband and wife work in Chongsheng temple, which has solved the problem of basic living security for the family. During the outbreak of COVID-19, the cause of self-care in monasteries was seriously affected. The surrounding villagers sent rice oil, vegetables and hand-made sweaters and stockings to the temple to help the temple tide over the difficulties. Take an active part in charity Since 2008, Chongsheng temple has introduced the "bright plan" project, and has conducted free clinics in Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, Baoshan City, Dali Prefecture and other places, making more than 8000 people see light again. On the eve of the Spring Festival in 2019, Chongsheng Temple organized activities to visit, comfort and help poor households in Binchuan and Xiangyun counties, visit orphans, and work with village cadres to formulate long-term measures for poor households to get rid of poverty and become rich. In August, 2019, Chongsheng Temple held an annual donation activity to help students. It provided love assistance to 6 college entrance examination students from Xiaguan No. 1 middle school, Dali No. 1 middle school and Dali ethnic middle school who had difficulties in their families and were excellent in both character and learning. Each student was 5000 yuan. Among them, liuwanqing from Dali No. 1 middle school was admitted to Shanghai University of traditional Chinese medicine with 607 points. Xiaoliu's family is in Daxin community, Jinniu Town, Binchuan County. His father suffers from chronic diseases and needs long-term drug treatment; My grandmother had a car accident and had sequelae; My sister is in college. The family is all supported by her mother, and the economy is very difficult. The 5000 yuan financial aid was a timely help to Xiao Liu. Tell the "Chinese story" of national unity and progress Dali is close to other countries in South and Southeast Asia in terms of geography and Buddhism. Chongsheng Temple makes full use of and gives full play to the unique advantages of Dali Buddhism. It has been invited to South and Southeast Asia for cultural exchanges for many times, deepening good neighborly and friendly relations, publicizing China's policy of freedom of religious belief, introducing China's great achievements since the reform and opening up, and showing the good situation of China's national unity and progress, religious harmony and stability. From 2007 to 2017, Chongsheng Temple successfully held 7 sessions of "Chongsheng forum", which invited eminent monks, experts and scholars from nearly 30 friendly countries in South and Southeast Asia and Taiwan region of China to participate. It has become a business card for foreign friendly exchanges in Dali and even Yunnan. In 2014, the Chongsheng forum proposed "building a community of shared future in Asia", advocating "mutual understanding, tolerance and exchange between countries, nations, within Buddhism, and between Buddhism and other religions, so as to build a community of shared future in Asia, jointly safeguard world peace, and jointly promote the progress of human civilization". Chongsheng Temple always has a clear direction, continues the tradition and maintains innovation. Master Chonghua said that the cause of promoting national unity and progress has no end and is always on the way. We should take forging a strong sense of the community of the Chinese nation as the main line, promote the localization of religion in China, and contribute to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. (outlook new era)

Edit:Yuanqi Tang    Responsible editor:Xiao Yu

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