Mahayana Temple
By admin on 2015-01-19

Mahayana Temple is also called Temple of Big Buddha, which is located at the southeast part of the central city area of Qiqihar City and adjacent to Cemetery of Ximan Revolutionary Martyrs in south. The preparation for construction was started in the 24th year of the Republic of China (1935), the construction was started in the 28 th year of the Republic of China (1939), and the construction was completed in the 32 nd year of the Republic of China (1943). The temple covers 31000 ㎡. It's named Mahayana because it was established by family dependants and disciples of the 44 th Master Yanxu of Tiantai Sect of Chinese Buddhism.

Mahayana is a Sanskrit word, which is a comparison to ferry all the flesh from the temporality of reality to the Faramita nirvana ambit. This temple is currently the largest Buddhist glass tile building complex of Heilongjiang Province, which is called the three large jungles of modern Buddhism in Heilongjiang Province together with the Bliss Temple of Harbin and the Fahua Temple of Suihua.

Mahayana Temple faces south, which consists of 2 halls of glory, 8 wing halls, 1 Scripture Tower, fences of the Eight Diagrams shape and 8 gates. The gates are porch type, with rows of colored drawing and sculpture rare birds and strange beasts, and the kylin carries 1-meter exquisite pagoda on its back.

After entering the gate, one could see a copper bell with 1.5-m diameter and over 3-m height hanging on the left; and a big drum with diameter of over 2-m on the right. The roofs of halls are arch type covered with yellow and green glazed tiles. The front hall is the exquisitely decorated and magnificent Heaven King Jeweled Hall and 3 characters of Mahayana Temple pieced together with glazed tiles beneath the eaves of the hall. There are three halls in the center of the temple, the Laughing Buddha is enshrined in the middle hall, the Amitabha Buddha is enshrined in the left hall and the Dipamkara Buddha is enshrined in the right hall. The entire height of the small lotus seat and golden Buddha is around 4 m high. The Four Heavenly Kings are respectively standing on both sides in front of the Laughing Buddha with dharma instruments in their hands. Goddess of Mercy and Dizang Wang Buddha (Rescuer of the Dead) are enshrined respectively in the single rooms at the east and west end of the hall.

The main hall, that is the magnificent and grand Jeweled Hall of the Great Heroes, is behind the Heaven King Jeweled Hall. Buddha Sakyamuni, Wisdom Buddha and Samantbhadra Buddha are respectively enshrined in the three central rooms of the hall. The Eight Guardian Warriors are being arrayed on both sides in front Buddha Sakyamuni with dharma instruments in their hands, and there are statues of disciples and serving arhats behind them. Fathers of Confucianism and Taoism are respectively enshrined in the singe rooms at the east and west end of the hall. The back hall is Scripture Tower, which has upper and lower two storeys. The middle room downstairs is for recite-sutra or meeting. There are Three Collections of Sutra, Law Essays and History in rooms on both sides. There are 5 rooms respectively for the 8 wing halls for purposes of dinning, kitchen, dwelling, temple fair and temple, etc.

This famous northern temple was once closed for a long time. The temple was ranked to be the Municipal-Level Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit in 1980. In the same year, there were 39 large white marble Buddhas of Sakyamuni, Wisdom, Samantbhadra and Goddess of Mercy, etc that were buried more than 30 years underground unearthed from the surroundings of the temple under the instruction of Rabbi Yuan Zhi who once assumed as Temple Supervisor. The temple was ranked to be Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit by Heilongjiang Provincial Government in 1987. The temple is listed in Dictionary of Chinese Historic Interests.

 The construction of renovation and expansion in accordance with the former appearance of the temple was completed in June 1995. All the 15 halls respectively of East Hall of Three Saints, Jeweled Hall of Great Heroes, Heaven King Hall, Drum-Towner, Dizang Hall, Temple Gate Hall, Yunshui Hall and Jialan Hall, etc have become brand-new. The newly-built Arhat Hall covers more than 5000㎡ , which is a Qing Dynasty temple style with 500 arhats inside and looks magnificent and grand. Mahayana Temple has become a tourist scenic spot integrated with Buddhist culture and sight-seeing.