1.9 Text 讲解词资料文件与下载

Ladies and gentlemen, today we are going to visit Famen Temple Buddhist Cultural Scenic Area. Famen Temple, famous for storing the real Finger Bone of Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, is located in Fufeng County of Shaanxi Province, 120 km east of Xi'an. 

The whole Scenic Area comprises four sectors including the four gates, Foguang Avenue, Famen Temple, and the Namaste ['nʌməsteɪ] Dagoba ['dɑːgəbə]. The scenic area is known as the "No. 2 Cultural Symbol of Shaanxi", second only to the Terracotta Warriors.

Four Gates

Between the Gate Square and Foguang Avenue stand four gates: Foguang Gate, Prajna ['prʊdʒnə] Gate, Bodhi ['bəʊdɪ] Gate and Perfect Wisdom Gate. Foguang Gate is where the light of Buddha is said to save all beings from torment and guide them to the Buddhist Faramita. Inside the Foguang Gate are two water pools known as the "Heart-Pacifying ['pæsɪfaɪ] Pool."    Prajna refers to the great wisdom of Buddhism. Bodhi means enlightenment [ɪn'laɪtnmənt] and wisdom. The Perfect Wisdom Gate is also called "Gate of Sunyata." for it is said the Buddha dharma ['dɑːmə] is attained by observing sunyata

Foguang Avenue

Foguang Avenue is 1,230 meters long and 108 meters wide. As the main axis ['æksɪs], it divides the Scenic Area into the Western Section and the Eastern Section. The Eastern Section displays the process from birth to nirvana [nɪə'vɑːnə] of Sakyamuni. The Western Section exhibits[ɪɡ'zɪbɪts] the spreading of Buddhism ever since Sakyamuni achieved nirvana. Along the Foguang Avenue are ten statues of well-known Bodhisattva [ˌbɒdɪ'sɑːtvə].

Famen Temple

Famen Temple Stupa experienced twice reconstruction during the Tang and the Ming Dynasty. In 1981,the western side of the stupa collapsed after incessant [ɪn'sesnt] rains.

According to the historical records, the finger bone had always been kept in "the Real Spirit Stupa”, and it is famous for the fact that it houses the finger bone of Sakyamuni. After Sakyamuni's nirvana [nɪə'vɑːnə], an ancient Indian King decreed [dɪ'kriːd] to send Skayamuni's relics to places all over the world to spread Buddhism. Famen Temple Stupa is one of them. Thus the Famen Temple and its stupa enjoyed the reputation of being the forefather of the Buddhist temples in Central Shaanxi.  From the Northern Wei Period to the Tang Dynasty, emperors of different periods believed that the worship of the finger bone could bless the security of the nation and bring a stable life to the people. So the emperors often took the enshrined finger bone to the capital to worship as their god. The ceremony took place during the reign of Tang Yizong and that was the last time of the imperial worship.

The underground palace at the Famen Temple is the largest palace among the stupas discovered so far in China. The four finger bones discovered there are most riveting ['rɪvɪtɪŋ].   The first one was 40 millimeters long and hollow, hung on a silver bar on a gold stupa base. The second, which is like the first in shape, was kept in a double-eave marble ['mɑːbl] coffin. The third one was kept in a five-layer marble chest. This finger bone is tube-like, 37 millimeters long and is slightly yellow. The fourth one was kept in a colored King stupa. Its color and shape are very much like that of the first and second one. Zhao Puchu determined that the third one is the only real finger bone of the Buddha. The other three were "shadow bones”, imitations which the Tang emperor made in order to protect the real one. But in the eyes of Buddhist believers, even the “shadow bones" were so sacred ['seɪkrɪd] that they also enjoyed the same significance and importance as the real one.

Many other relics were also unearthed from the underground palace and displayed in Famen Temple Museum. They are considered to be national treasures. The technique of gold brocade [brə'keɪd] weaving developed in the Tang Dynasty was exquisite.The embroidered skirts that Empress Wu Zetian consecrated ['kɒns ɪkreɪtɪd] were made out of this material. They are the best preserved imperial silk of the top quality in the Tang Dynasty.

The secret celadon ['selədɒn] is a kind of Chinese green porcelain. The techniques used to make the celadon are very intricate ['ɪntrɪkət]. The court kept all of this information as a secret, which is indicated by its name, “secret celadon”. The secret celadon unearthed at the Famen Temple was a breakthrough ['breɪkθruː] for the study of the history of Chinese porcelain. It provides much information for the technique and characteristics of this type of porcelain.

The gold and silver ware unearthed at the Famen Temple is of high quality and great value. The four-faced, twelve-ringed gilded monk's cane is the most precious Buddhist cane in terms of style, technology and material. This is a gilded incense-burner which is the heaviest and biggest one in the Tang Dynasty. The exquisite imperial tea setunearthed in the palace is a real eyeopener in the field of tea culture studies. These gold and silver bowls, vases [veɪsɪz] and basins are very exquisite and valuable.

Namaste Dagoba

Namaste ['nʌməsteɪ] Dagoba ['dɑːgəbə] was completed on May 9, 2009 after the construction of three years. The full height of the dagoba is 148 meters. The numbers "148" were chosen because "1" symbolizes that the Buddha does not differ from all other beings. The Buddha is only the awakened being while other beings are yet to be enlightened. The "4" and "8" denote [dɪ'nəʊt] the 8th day of the 4th lunar month, the birthday of Buddha. The only relic of Sakyamuni's finger bone was enshrined in the underground palace in the Namaste Dagoba. The finger bone is brought up to the first floor on the 1st and 15th day of each lunar month plus weekend for tourists and devotees [ˌdevə'tiːz] to pay homage ['hɒmɪdʒ].

OK, everyone, so much for my introduction. Thank you for your listening.