Sizu Temple

CHINA, Hubei, Huanggang

Sizu means the Fourth Patriarch. This was once one of the largest temples in China and had a significant number of monks. Master Daoxin, the Fourth Chan Patriarch, established the temple in 624 during the Tang dynasty, and so the temple is thus named. The temple flourished and declined a number of times. It was badly damaged in 1949. Repairs started in 1995 and lasted for five years. It was listed as a National Cultural Heritage Site in 2001.
The principal buildings include the main temple gate, Heavenly King Hall, Great Hero Hall, Avalokitesvara Hall, Patriarch Hall, meditation hall, reception hall, sutra repository, bell and drum towers, and the abbot’s quarters. Other structures are the Sizu Temple Pagodas and the Lingrun Bridge.
The Sizu Temple Pagodas include the Vairocana Pagoda, Sentient Beings Pagoda, and Robe and Bowl Pagoda. The Vairocana Pagoda was built by Master Hongren, Fifth Chan Patriarch, in 651 as Master Daoxin’s True Body Pagoda. The square, single-story, brick pagoda is 11.3 m high and is built in imitation of a wooden structure. The lower part consists of a double-layer Sumeru base decorated with entwining honeysuckle and lotus patterns. There are ogee arch doorways with a lotus relief above on the south, east, and west sides, while the door on the north wall is fake. Inside the pagoda there is a vaulted ceiling. This is one of the better preserved Tang dynasty (618–907) pagodas in China.
The Lingrun Bridge was built in 1350 during the Yuan dynasty. It measures 20 m long, 6.1 m wide, and 4.9 m high. The arched section of the bridge is engraved with the construction date, as well as the names of donors and builders. The stone bridge is covered with a three-by-five bay wooden structure at the top, and has brick gateways at the ends.