Incense Wreathes Taiping Mountain
Near Longshan County in Xiangxi, there is a renowned Taiping Mountain, where tourists come year-round, and the temple incense is especially abundant. At the end of 2006, together with several friends from Changsha, I visited this mountain for half a day. From what I saw, the mountain is not high, and the temple is not large, but its fame is considerable. Why is the incense on the mountain so abundant? After a detailed investigation, I learned there are five reasons. First, the temple on this mountain has a long history, and its Buddhist name is far-reaching...
Near Longshan County in Xiangxi, there is a renowned Taiping Mountain, where tourists come year-round, and the temple incense is especially abundant.
At the end of 2006, together with several friends from Changsha, I visited this mountain for half a day. From what I saw, the mountain is not high, and the temple is not large, but its fame is considerable. Why is the incense on the mountain so abundant? After a detailed investigation, I learned there are five reasons. First, the temple on this mountain has a long history, and its Buddhist name is 'far-reaching.' It was first built in the second year of Long'an in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. The earliest building was the Puzhao Zen Grove, which was destroyed in successive wars. Second, during the Guangxu period, the abbot of this mountain, Monk Hongsong (also known as Banyue), had a legendary experience, and people greatly revered him. Hongsong was from Hunan and came to Taiping Mountain in the Gengwu year of Tongzhi to become a disciple of Changli, later becoming abbot. During the Guangxu period, Hongsong traveled widely and reached the capital, where he received from a Ministry of Works official... For these several reasons, it is not surprising that the incense at Taiping Mountain is abundant. In addition, although modern society has significantly improved people's living standards, people still encounter many contradictions and troubles in reality. Praying for peace, auspiciousness, and happiness is a universal aspiration. The driver Xiao Sun, who drove us up the mountain, burned a stick of incense in front of the Guanyin Pavilion, praying for safety and smoothness in driving outside. This sincere expression is, for those in the driving profession, a very precious wish.
Along with Xiao Sun, standing in the Guanyin Pavilion, I also silently burned a bundle of incense and made a wish: may human society have eternal peace. I think that only by eliminating war and achieving permanent peace can humanity's future truly become beautiful. Without a peaceful and tranquil social environment, what use are all personal beautiful wishes?