Bamboo Forest Temple in the Mountains

Bamboo Forest Temple is located in Zhuchuan Village, Gaoshan Town, Xingyang City, Henan Province, and is one of the three temples of Tianzhong (Bamboo Forest, Shaolin, Donglin). The date of its founding is unknown, but it is said to have been built during the Han Dynasty. It is said that when Bodhidharma came to China from India, he called the temple one of the three temples of Tianzhong. Surrounded by Longshan (Motianling), Fengshan (Jiguanshan), Hutoushan, Jiudingxuehuashan, and other mountains, the temple is surrounded by lush forests and beautiful scenery, with the sound of wooden fish often heard, and the five-colored flags of the black, white, blue, red, and yellow churches fluttering in the wind. There are clear springs such as Taixi, Shaoxi, and Yongqingchi, among which the two springs of Taixi and Shaoxi flow all year round, often with the appearance of surging waves. During the Tang Dynasty, Zhuchuan Village was also called Sankucun, Longquan Township, Sishui County, and "Sanku" refers to Taixi, Shaoxi, and Yongqingchi, and Longquan is a divine name for the three springs. It is said that Zhuchuan Village is the place where the prince appeared in the world, and the two springs were called "Taixi" and "Shaoxi" by later generations, commonly known as the Prince's Pool. For thousands of years, the three springs have flowed continuously, often in the form of surging waves, and the streams are lined with lush bamboo, also known as the Bamboo Forest Living Water, and the Qing Dynasty Emperor Qianlong's imperial inscription "Bamboo Forest Living Water" comes from this. The Bamboo Forest Temple has the Seven Monks Cave, Yuxian Shengmu Hall, Thousand Buddha Hall, Three Saints Hall, and Mahavira Hall. In addition, it is worth mentioning the statue of the Bodhisattva Weituo in the Bamboo Forest Temple. The Bodhisattva Weituo is the head of the thirty-two generals under the four heavenly kings and is a well-known Buddhist protector. In Chinese Buddhist temples, his image is mostly that of a strong warrior in armor, holding a vajra pestle, either with the pestle on the ground or with his hands clasped together, with the pestle resting on his elbow. In the Bamboo Forest Temple, the Bodhisattva Weituo holds a demon-subduing pestle. Moreover, the direction of the Weituo pestle has different meanings: if the Weituo pestle is carried on the shoulder, it means that the temple is a large temple and can accommodate monks who travel here for free for three days; if the Weituo pestle is held flat in the hand, it means that the temple is a medium-sized temple and can accommodate monks who travel here for free for one day; if the Weituo pestle is on the ground, it means that the temple is a small temple and cannot accommodate monks who travel here for free. Bamboo Forest Temple