Ancient building in the romantic season of Zhengzhou, Ciyun Temple

Located in Qinglong Mountain, south of Minquan Village, Dayugou Town, Gongyi of Zhengzhou City, Ciyun Temple is a place with rich cultural deposits and beautiful natural scenery.

Covering an area of 60 mu( a unit of area, 1mu =0.0667 hectares), Ciyun Temple has 101 stone carvings, including 52 ancient monuments, 43 square meters of pagoda inscriptions on the tombs of monks from the Yuan Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, 1 flagpole stone of Song Dynasty, 5 Buddhist stone statues and buildings with Buddhism lection and joss. In addition, there are also one ancient pagoda, one Pagoda named "dagoba of Master Kongji", 8 tower footings, Main Hall ruins of Han Dynasty , Baiyi Pavilion site, Bell and Drum Tower site and Thousand Buddha Hall site as well as other architectural relics.

photo/Wang Yi

According to historical inscriptions, Ciyun Temple was built in the 7th year of Yongping year during the reign of Emperor Ming in Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 64). It is the first folk temple personally founded by the eminent monk of India. It is known as "the Ancestral Court of Shiyuan" and known as "the first Temple in China". In the 23rd year of Zhenguan in the Tang Dynasty (649), Xuanzang ordered the restoration of the temple, which was reconstruct many times in the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.

photo/Wang Yi

The contents of stele inscriptions in Ciyun Temple include the rise and fall of the temple, the succession and change of Buddhist sects, the situation of farmers' production activities, the ancient business administration system, the military service system, the administrative system, the official system, the temple management organization and the title of the job, the descriptions of physical geography, the masterpieces of poetry, historical disasters and other important contents. It provides important information for the study of ancient Buddhist culture, historical evolution, administrative system and so on.