Qifo Temple

Qifo Temple
Qifo Temple
七佛寺
	The Mahavira Hall at Qifo Temple.
Religion
Affiliation	Buddhism
Prefecture	Wutai County
Province	Shanxi
Deity	Tibetan Buddhism
Location
Country	China
	Shown within Shanxi
Prefecture	Wutai County
Geographic coordinates	39°01′23″N 113°36′24″E / 39.023088°N 113.60656°E / 39.023088; 113.60656
Architecture
Style	Chinese architecture
Date established	Northern Song (960-1127)

Qifo Temple (Chinese: 七佛寺; pinyin: Qīfó Sì) is a Buddhist temple located in Taihuai Town of Wutai County, Xinzhou, Shanxi, China.

History

The Qifo temple was first construction in the Northern Song (960-1127), rebuilt in 1466 in the Chenghua period (1447-1487) and 1734 in the Yongzheng period (1678-1735). In 1734, the temple converted to Tibetan Buddhism.^[1]

Qifo Temple was completely destroyed in the Cultural Revolution. In 1991, monk Zhengti (正提) and Bentong (本通) started to rebuild the temple. Mahavira Hall, Hall of Four Heavenly Kings, Qifo Hall, Three Saints Hall, Hall of Guru, Hall of Manjushri, and Buddhist Texts Hall were added to the temple successively.^[2]

Architecture

Qifo Hall

The Qifo Hall (七佛殿) enshrining seven jade statues of Buddha from Myanmar. The hall in the west side of the temple.

Three Saints Hall

The Three Saints Hall (三圣殿) in the east side of Qifo Temple. The hall enshrining the Three Saints of Hua-yan (华严三圣). In the middle is Sakyamuni, statues of Manjushri and Samantabhadra stand on the left and right sides of Sakyamuni's statue.

Hall of Guru

The Hall of Guru in the south of the temple enshrining the statues of Buddha.

Qifo Tower

The Qifo Tower (七佛塔) is 22 metres (72 ft) high and built of white marble. It is the highest white marble tower in Mount Wutai. The tower was hexagonal with seven stories. It is composed of a pagoda base, a sumeru throne and a dense-eave body. The base was engraved patterns of lotuses, flowers and grasses. Each story has a nich with small statues of Buddha are carved on the body of the tower, from top to bottom, they are statues of Vipassī Buddha, Sikhī Buddha, Vessabhū Buddha, Krakucchanda, Koṇāgamana Buddha, Kassapa Buddha and Sakyamuni.^[2]

National treasure

A bell cast in 1466 in the 2nd year of Chenghua period of Ming dynasty (1368-1644) is collect in the temple.^[3]

Gallery

The Qifo Tower at the temple.
A giant statue at Qifo Temple.
The Hall of Skanda.

References

^ 五台山七佛寺 [Qifo Temple in Mount Wutai]. chinawts.com (in Chinese). 2015.
^ a b 七佛寺 [Qifo Temple]. wutaishanfojiao.com (in Chinese). 2014-12-29.
^ “一万菩萨绕清凉·护法心队”参访五台山七佛寺、普寿寺. Tencent (in Chinese). 2017-05-20. 寺内南面高高矗立著一座汉白玉砌筑的六角七层密檐式塔，石质塔基，束腰须弥座，上下雕刻仰覆莲瓣，束腰饰花草图案。塔身正面每层有拱洞一孔，从下而上置石雕毗婆尸佛、尸弃佛、毗舍婆佛、拘留孙佛、拘那含佛、迦叶佛和释迦牟尼佛，故名七佛塔。塔身侧面每层都雕有窗口，并雕有塔檐椽飞。该塔设计新颖，造型优美，通身高二十二米，高高耸立在山坡上，是当今五台山最高的汉白玉塔。

[1] 五台山七佛寺 [Qifo Temple in Mount Wutai]. chinawts.com (in Chinese). 2015.

[hafo-2] 七佛寺 [Qifo Temple]. wutaishanfojiao.com (in Chinese). 2014-12-29.

[3] “一万菩萨绕清凉·护法心队”参访五台山七佛寺、普寿寺. Tencent (in Chinese). 2017-05-20. 寺内南面高高矗立著一座汉白玉砌筑的六角七层密檐式塔，石质塔基，束腰须弥座，上下雕刻仰覆莲瓣，束腰饰花草图案。塔身正面每层有拱洞一孔，从下而上置石雕毗婆尸佛、尸弃佛、毗舍婆佛、拘留孙佛、拘那含佛、迦叶佛和释迦牟尼佛，故名七佛塔。塔身侧面每层都雕有窗口，并雕有塔檐椽飞。该塔设计新颖，造型优美，通身高二十二米，高高耸立在山坡上，是当今五台山最高的汉白玉塔。