Wenshu Monastery: A Place Covered in Gold

Take the subway to Wenshu Monastery Station, and after exiting the station, you will see the Wenshufang Archway on the roadside after a few steps. Wenshufang is the name of this historical and cultural block, named after the Wenshu Monastery hidden within it. Opposite the Hall of Heavenly Kings is a screen wall with a yellow wall body and red palace walls on both sides. The ginkgo trees in front of the screen wall are golden, and although the sky is a bit gloomy, this place is warm. Walk into the Hall of Heavenly Kings, and opposite is the Hall of Three Saints, also known as the Guanyin Hall, built during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty. The hall enshrines the statues of Guanyin, Manjushri, and Samantabhadra, symbolizing compassion, wisdom, and action. The hall also enshrines Wenchang and Guan Sheng Emperor, set up during the Tongzhi period, making it rare for Buddhism and Taoism to coexist in one hall. On the left and right sides are the Bell Tower and Drum Tower, with plaques reading "Golden Bell" and "Dharma Drum," which are also somewhat unique. There are two ginkgo trees in the courtyard, and the fallen ginkgo leaves attract tourists to stop and capture beautiful moments. Behind the Hall of Three Saints is the Mahavira Hall, with a plaque reading "Namo Shakyamuni Buddha" above the door lintel. Wenshu Monastery was built during the Sui Dynasty and was initially named Xinxiang. It was destroyed by war at the end of the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt in the 36th year of the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty (1697). It was renamed Wenshu Monastery because of the frequent appearance of firelight in the sky at night, which was traced to the place where the monk Cidu practiced, and it was said to be the manifestation of Manjushri Bodhisattva. Monk Cidu is the founder of Wenshu Monastery. Behind the Mahavira Hall is the Dharma Hall, built during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty. The hall houses two stone tablets inscribed with "Empty Forest" and "Lin Mifu's 'Sea Moon' Poem" by Emperor Kangxi. Because of the imperial plaque, Wenshu Monastery is also known as Baolin Hall. The last building in the monastery is the Sutra Library, and on the east side, there is a large hall building, including the Yuantong Hall and Jade Buddha Hall, which were added later. Although the monastery is called Wenshu Monastery, there is no Wenshu Hall, which confuses many tourists. To make up for this regret, a Wenshu Pavilion was newly built behind the Sutra Library. Wenshu Pavilion has three floors: the first floor is the Konglin Lecture Hall, the second floor is the Konglin Buddhist Library, and the third floor is the Wenshu Hall. Wenshu Pavilion and Wenshu Monastery are separated by a wall and are not directly connected, so you need to go around the small road on the east side of the monastery, which is easy to overlook. Due to its relative seclusion, there are fewer tourists here, and the environment is quiet. The ginkgo trees here seem taller, reflecting the surrounding pavilions and towers, making people linger.