Xingfu si 興福寺

Xīngfú sì 興福寺 Location: Jiāngsū 江蘇, Sūzhōu 蘇州, on Yú Mountain 虞山 in the northern part of Chángshú 常熟 Other names: * Dàcí sì 大慈寺 Pòshān sì 破山寺

First Founded during the Southern Qí 南齊 (479-502)

Lineage: Status:

Institution section editor: Erik Hammerstrom

Xīngfú sì 興福寺 is a temple in Chángshú 常熟.

Contents 1 History 2 Personnel 2.1 Important Abbots 2.2 Notable Residents 3 Temple Institution 3.1 Important Buildings or Artifacts 3.2 Associated Organizations and Groups 4 Notes 5 References

History

Originally a hermitage, it was converted into a temple during the Southern Qí 南齊 (479-502) and it was given the name Dàcí Temple 大慈寺. During the Zhēnguān 貞觀 years of the Táng 唐 (627-649), the name was changed to Pòshān Temple 破山寺. It received its current name from Emperor Yìzōng 懿宗 in 869 (Xiántōng 咸通 9).

The Dharmadhatu Seminary 法界學院, an influential early Buddhist seminary ran here from the late 1910s into the 1930s.

In the mid and late 20th century the monk Miàoshēng 妙生 (a former student of the Dharmadhatu Seminary) played a pivotal role in preserving the temple under early communist rule, and then in renovating and restoring the temple once the Cultural Revolution had passed. The temple reopened in October 1988, and was repaired over the next five years.

Personnel

Important Abbots

• Yuèxiá 月霞 (1917)
• Miàoshēng 妙生

Notable Residents

• Yīngcí 應慈 (1917 - 1922)
• Chángxǐng 常惺 (teacher at the Dharmadhatu Seminary 法界學院 from [1919]] to 1922)
• Chísōng 持松 (teacher at the Dharmadhatu Seminary 法界學院 from [1920]] to 1922)

Temple Institution

Important Buildings or Artifacts

Associated Organizations and Groups

• Dharmadhatu Seminary 法界學院 (1919 - 1934)

Notes

References

• 常熟縣破山興福寺志 (1643/Chóngzhēn 崇禎 15), from Dharma Drum's Temple Gazetteer Project.
• Entry for 興福寺 from Chinese Wikipedia.