1). Introduction
NengRenSi temple is located in the west of zhongshan road,lian cheng county, Huai'an , Jiangsu, North to Zhou Enlai Memorial Hall 30 kilometers away, south to ancient Yellow River, east to the beautiful LianYi Lake, west to highway of Nanjing to LianYunGang that through south to north. It was reputated as one of "Lianshui eight attractions". NengRenSi temple was originally called "Wenshu Institution", later renamed "ChengTianSi" (or "ChengTianSi"), renamed"NengRenJiao Temple" at SongRenZong time,"NengRenSi Temple"for short, this name has been used till now. The temple was built in the early Tang Dynasty, It has at least 1,400 years of history; MiaoTong Tower built in 1023 that more than 980 years of history. MiaoTong Tower and YueTower called "sister tower", Inside of it is for Master relic, gold coffin and other objects,experianced the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, was destroyed in the civil war 1948, rebuilt into octagonal with 68.88 meters high,seven layers up the ground, one layer underground palace, with total construction area of 1,719 square meters in September 2001,
2).History Development
MiaoTong Tower was built in the SongRenZong Tiansheng Yuan year(1O23).
Emperor Kangxi version "Anton County" ( Lianshui ancient named Anton) Records. "NengRenJiao Temple, Built in SongRenZong year of TianshengYuan,old name of Cheng TianSi,the place of Lou Tao get passing.Xiang FuJiang conferboard NengRenSi Temple,said MiaoTong Tower, Stored Taoist relic". Yongzheng version"Anton County" recorded: "MiaoTongTower was in NengRenSi Temple, Tibetan Buddha relic.Reported Luban built it.seventh Buddha, brick masonry, no wood supported inside.Looking from top, Yellow River looks likes line, shine lighted hundreds of kilometers away, people could see it far away , That is truely historical sites"
Few comments in Ancient Lianshui County made MiaoTong Tower more mysterious but also left a lot of questions.
"ChiJian," that as imperial command to build. Who was Buddha? Why does SongRenZong order to build the tower at the beginning of his enthroned?
Was MiaoTong Tower really built by Luban ? Why doesTower room shine?
3).Folks Legend
A magical folk tale about Lianshui
It reported that Emperor Song Zeng Zong Zhao Heng got a child(Song RenZong Zhao Zhen) at over fourty years old. After the prince was born He was crying endlessly all the day night ,many doctors are helpless. Desperation of Emperor Song, posted a proclamation to the country offering a reward if somebody could cured prince illness. Then there was a high practice Buddha monk called Loushou Jian in LianShui ChengTianSi temple.He taked the post rushing to the capital palace and took the Prince beating his ass, while he prayers: " Do not cry, because of smile.Do not cry,WenQu WuQu" When he abused approximately forty times, the ZengZong and Queen were worried about the baby prince and stoped him, Buddha sighed: " Prince would reigned forty years! "which means RenZong would have civilian official Bao Zheng helping, Military official Di Qing helping, one slap meaned one year in throne, The future came true as Buddha said. When RenZong was throned, Buddha had passed away.His mothe often talked him this magical experience, for memory Buddha, at the beginning throne Ren Zong confered to change Cheng Tian temple into NengRen Temple and Building MiaoTong tower in NengRen Jiao Si to mourn lying Buddha odd energy, MiaoTong Tower, also known as NengRen Tower. Although legend could not be investigated, but MiaoTong tower was built in TianSheng Yuan year, and indeed built by SongRenZong ordering, this has been confirmed"Chici ChengTianYuan building towers story" later found in the underpalace of the MiaoTong Tower.
That weather Miao Tong tower was built by LuBan still be a mystery. According to the Lian town old people reminding: 7 floors tower, 10 feet highth , made of masonry brick without one wood. there is a door north of first floor. People can go up from stone stairs to the fourth floor.There is 1 meter distance from outwall of lowest four floors to tower center. Tower heart was square column, There is masonry brick between each floor same as floor space, and each floor have door on different directions. There is hollow and no stairs inside and solid outwall above fourth floor.If people board on the fifth floor, ladder should be put onto the fifth floor hole. There is a path less two feet wide outside the tower from fifth floor to top of tower(avaiable door into sixth floor). Top of tower is about twelve meters diameter circular plane, same high and size with home round table, 20 cm thickness of surface is smoothing alum stone and There is copper roof with hub shape style 60cm highth that is the thing of "Bright shine, brighten dozens kilometers away", It also was swept by japanese army after war. The southeast corner of top tower has a 2-foot-long Cleaver handle that easy shakable but can not take away. It reported that was Luban left here after built. But Luban was born in ChunQiu period was not impossible to make it. According to professional analysts, "Cleaver handle" is actually lightning conductor. But MiaoTong Tower does have its ingenuity on building, not only delicate internal structures, but also people can get to the top, this is the peculiar difference from other towers and rare in china.
Stele supporting half sky of Lian town, dusky locking thousands smoke. So far, we have been enjoying the wonderful splendor of MiaoTong Tower from the ancient poems ------
"Groveling soldiers wave sticking purple smoke, King palace connecting to the sky , rivers and oceans pouring from cups, moon and lights struggling to hanging in the sky", Ji Gang writes out its tolerance;
"Tower high top no sky, Climbing look leather as fairy. Weaver sounds as out windowsills,Yue e moonlight shading window." Yuan Qing writes out its quiet miracle;
"Ancient tower grandly facing sea, hidden relic protecting thousands years long. Climbing on the top looking high,a line Yellow River flowing aside of temple..", Zhang HongRu writes out its grand and mestery into one;
Seven grade Buddha honored and dignified years long. It should be said, is not only a wonderful ancient tower but also one attraction in the ancient Subei land, it is a symbol of Lianshui pride.
Su Yu and Zhang LingFu "battle of wits" - ancient tower continued Myth.
Lianshui County is the hinterland of northern Jiangsu that located in 30 km northeast to Huaiyin (now Huai'an) and Huaian (now Huai'an District) , "east to Bohai Sea, west to Shuhe River, 3 lian around north, Changhuai blocking front ", formerly Huaihe River estuary, an important geographical location, "straight to Huaiyang throat,QiLu gateway as well", the ancient battleground.
After civil war outbreak in 1946 ,the KuoMinTang Army frantically invade the liberated areas of Jiangsu and Anhui. Following the Lianghuai captured on September, all mechanical equiped reorganized US 74th Division and reorganized all 28 division total 30,000 people four brigades troops to pounce northern Jiangsu strategic Lianshui county in attempt to occupy Lianshui to cut two liberated areas connecting of central China and Shandong ties to destroy my main central China Field Army. The enemy originally planned to attack Lianyuan city by 28 division, one group from 74 division support, but overbearing Zhang LingFu,the 74 division commander relying on the arrogance of captured South Huai and North Huai , volunteered to take the initiative to Chiang Kai-shek to attack Lianshui by himself commanding, Zhang LingFu triumphantly announced: "return to Nanjing to rest after take Lianshui on october."
To reverse the passive situation of Lianghuai defeated and blow the arrogance of enemy, according to Central China Field Army Central Military Commission, "hit the Central Army" and " We must won the first battle," the instructions, Under the Cetral China Army district deputy commander and commander of central China Field Army Su Yu's commanding, mustered 28 groups of about 40,000 troops, defend the Lian town and Lianshui.
Oneside is the Nanjing garrison force of capital of Kuomintang , known as "elite troops" trump card "Guards" and one of five main divisions of KMT's 74. Oneside is central China Field Army Fourth Army that enemy frightened running from north to south in Sino-Japanese War.
Autumn night. ancient Lianshui town is in quiet, tile and bamboo and fence hut inside and outside the town are also quiet. MiaoTong Tower on southwest corner is also quiet, but stand tall in the howling wind.
Soldiers experianced seven times winning in seven Soviet Union wars are quietly watching grim long levee of ancient Yellow River with sharp eyes as eagle's .
On the 19th morning, There are guns sound. A famous historic Armageddon - Lianshui defending Battle started.
"10pcs, 20pcs or even 30pcs, a group of aircrafts, from dawn to dusk, kept hovering over Lianshui City and its four around upon roaring ... everything houses, trees, flowers, earth are trembling. "
Lianshui military writer Wu Qiang Who witnessed the Battle of Lianshui defending war describes the scene of the war at the beginning of his famous novel "Red Sun" .
Under the cover of a powerful artillery and tanks, the enemy infantry came toward our positions they launched the assault.
"Bang! Bang! Peng!"
"Da da da da ......"
New Fourth Army artilleries, machine guns, rifles, Tom guns roared as porridge-boiling sounds and heavyly fired to enemies .
In the running forward, a batch enemy have fallen after gunfired. Down on the road, down on the ancient Yellow River bank, fall on the reeds beach ....
An attack was crushed,offensive,assault. Then attack, assault, crushed again. A group of a group officers and shoulders have fallen on the causeway, on the road, on the reeds beach, found their graves ......
From 19th October to 1st November, the battle lasted 14 days and nights.Central China Field Army 6th Division and the 1st Division, 9th, l0th, 11th groups,the PiDing brigade that came from Central Plains victory to give close cooperation, with the strong support of Lianshui people, after bloody battle, destroied enemy 74 division and other units total more than 9000 people, achieved a major victory in the Defending Battle of Lianshui. In the "weiling hate while God anger, killed all to abandoned wilderness" tragic battle, 11 vertical, 15 groups, l3 groups in the commanding heights of the city - a number of light machine guns has erected on the MiaoTong tower, facing the open ground of ancient Yellow River side, killing the 74 divisions from frontal attack and cooperated with ground forces, shot down or damaged Jiang machine American B29 bomber one pce,achieved the victory in the Lianshui Battle. In this, Zhang Ling fu hated and blamed MiaoTong tower giving the Su Yu a hand, and angryly promise to defeat the hateful tower with 1000 howitzer shells on a military conference. Then his words was spread to the military with little "oil" add "vinegar", so fairy Miao tong tower blessed Su Yu and help New Fourth Army the modern myth spread like wildfire, Miaotong tower was therefore reputable.
However, Myth about ancient tower never stop there -
Chiang Kai-shek defeat in Lianshui prepared for the "end northern Jiangsu war " war plan, He gathered 28 brigades, divided into four groups attack to Huaihai, Yan Fu, Lu Nan, attempted to occupy central China firslt, then focus on main battle power in LuNan area in early December
Lianshui covered waring clouds one more time .
On the Heavy snow year of 3rd December, including GuangXi Army Seventh Army and enemy reorganized 74 division, reorganized twenty-eighth division of 40 thousand people attacked Lianshui once again.
Fighting fire more violent more intense than before.
"Shells spilled like water pouring out, plane dropped bombs like water downpouring; light machine guns, rifle bullets were roaring like flying locusts ... in the night, in the clear sky,
"Army commanders, combatants were fighting braveryly.
"On Ancient Yellow River embankment, in Lianshui suburbs, at the town gate, in front of the trenches, they were fighting with the enemies face to face , gun to gun, knife to knife , they weren't fear stronger, not afraid of bloodshed, successively fought seven days and seven nights.”
In fact,the second times of Lianshui Defeating Battle, Our militrary strategy has changed into wiping out the enemy's effective strength as our main objective, rather than getting or losing one town. After we has wiped out the enemy 5000 people's north from DongTai victory in the south east of Yancheng, our fighting forces has taken back from the Lianshui, we abandoned a ghost town in order to lure enemy coming in and to look for an opportunity to fight back. Zhang LingFu did not take his promise of bombing out ancient tower, while making use of the majestic tall tower as photo background, He took a cocky military uniform photo after the occupaying Lianshui town , or out of fear the tower gods, or hope gods bless him winning the war.Zhang Lingfu unexpected is he and his reorganized 74 division were defeated by Chen,and Su Yu in Shandong Menglianggu just five months later. Afterwards people said it was God punishing Zhang Lingfu, he really should not have said the words of using 1000 howitzer shells blewing down MiaoTong tower. In fact, God does not exist, but it is justice defeat evil, which responded the "Enlightenment get more help, unjust get less support" the proverb.
However, Standing over 925 years of Miaotong tower never able to get rid of the threat of war, destroyed in battle that we recaptured Lianyuan in July 7th 1948.
Opened underground palace was discovered gold silver coffin - waking up the Millennium Buddha.
MiaoTong tower destroyed in the war,only leaving a very short base, and was buried underground by loved Lianshui people.
"Dead Buddha when be awaken, BaiZhang FuTu dou qi lian," This is Ming Dynasty poet Wang Jian Yun chanting poem "Buddha,". Lianshui County authorities discovered MiaoTong tower site on May 20,1998. They found F1 have remained south arches and outflow of water when cleaning Base of tower on June l5, judged there may have underground palace.Two heritage experts who came from Nanjing visit the site after checking all the precautions and preparatory work,after openning four arches, he discovered an underground palace at morning 8:00 June l8. Underground palace is a square room, all made of brick, 2.05meters high, from north to south 1.35 meters long.rounded corners leaning column, the column is set brick flat disk head, and along the 45-degree line inwards arch out of three jumps, the third jump head with a brick Wells, embedded Lotus bronze mirror with a diameter 25cm, casted of "long years" words, including "million" is simplify body "万". Top of the underground palace is round well embedded with bronze mirrors, the lower part of the square, which means "round place." North inside is something to rectangular brick pier, pier is 1.2 meters high, middle pier partially exposed as a single Xumizuo, stone, and took part in inter-chief column, middle waist engraved with parallel lines tricyclic ball. the pier stone coffin on Place, coffin height about 28cm, about 60cm length and a width of 30cm. Outside stone coffin carved with fine patterns, according to experts, are "Preaching monk," "Nirvana," "winter-tolerate map".
Most surprising is we found a silver coffin with frame after openning stone coffin. Openning silver coffin, there are dazzling treasure: an Blue and White Porcelain vial engraved "ZhengYing masters received relic inside of bottle",colored glass prism, a golden phoenix hairpin, an agate, crystal 3pcs , 24 kinds of 40 versions1400 copper coins. Openning silver coffin of length 28cm, width 10cm, height about 13cm , amazingly golden coffin of length 17cm width 7cm high 10cm appeared, there are relic tooth , an alloy round urn, monks ashes placed in the box. There is tower building monument east side of the wall in the underground palace. 80cm height, 30cm width, 6cm thickness, Legible inscription inscribed with monument: happy heartly Granted ChengTianYuan building towers on Song Zhiping four-year, DingWei JiaTzu XinHai day, Master ZhengYin was buried in Lou Tao brick tower: tooth relic, recorded that confered in Song Dynasty , golden board events, Emperor granted that Master ZhengYing moved inside to be supported serving for two dynasty. One serving for Emperor TaiZong, declaired the grant on Janurary Chun hua three years: Emperor Yu Shu gatha one, imperial collected books thirty volumes, imperial XiaoYao Song books 11 volumes; Second serving on November emperor Zheng Zong JingDe 4th year declaired the grant: Emperor printed books 2 pcs kept here, recorded for ever.
Looking from this, whether "Buddha" Lou ShouJian had treated prince still be a mystery to be solved, but MiaoTong Tower have indeed been built by Emperor Song for commemorating Master ZhengYing, the eternal legends could be confirmed.
4).MiaoTong Tower reconstruction
The feeling of Lianshui people to MiaoTong Tower just like old wine, stored longer, more tempting aroma throwed off. Except Buddha medical treating prince legend,There also any other legends about Miao Tong Tower about tower pressured lazy dragon to control flood, Buddha dig well beat off pirates, Zhang LaTa braned grassrope to pull pagoda, sisters in law built pagoda and such beautiful folklores. These stories and legends havs been spread generation by generation, even MiaoTong temple passed as wind, people still praised its beauty and magic. Even people returned from abroad , they did not forget to Miaotong pagoda to walk and look at the site to fulfill their deep loving for hometown. Miaotong pagoda like a lock, locked Lianshui people nostalgic feeling for hometown.
It is also because of this, Rebuilding Miaotong Pagoda message issued, people are all responsive.
In 1998, Lianshui County committee and Lianshui County People's Government has decided to establish reconstruction work leading team of Miaotong temple and Nengren Temple,make agenda. After three months, we received donations more than 2 million including overseas. It's not difficult to see that reconstruction of Miao tong temple are Lianshui people’s common aspiration really welcomed!
5).Relics
Jiangsu Huai'an Lianshui Miaotong pagoda underground palace unearthed national historical relic.
After Huai'an cultural relics management department experts judging that, three pieces of cultural relics phoenix head,dragon body, golden hairpin that unearthed in underground palace of Lianshui Miaotong pagoda in Huaian Jiangsu Province were judged as national three class; building towers monument, golden coffin, relic tooth, relic, more than 10 pieces of cultural relics,were judged as above national two class artifacts.
It recorded, Miaotong pagoda built in Northern Song Dynasty was destroyed in 1948 war, when the reconstruction of the tower in 90 years last century,Lianshui underground palace was opened, 15 cultural relics have been unearthed sensational.
6).Calligrapheres title
Faced with such high public enthusiasm, and Miaotong pagoda, Nengren Temple reconstruction work leading group determination icing on the cake, invite National Buddhist Institute president, National Calligraphers Association Vice-President Mr. Zhao PuChu title for tower. But a few times visits, we discovered that was real not easy. because of Mr.Zhao in poor health, lying in bedside long time,It is difficult to meet. Even so, the team still did not give up, find way to solve.
"Doubt no way out of lots of Mountains and rivers,found another villiage out of dark willows bright flowers," Under the the helpless occasion, the county Bureau of Religious Affairs welcomed a special guest Ms. Dai ChenJing-chief editor in first editorial department and associate managing editor in the Religious Affairs Bureau of the State religion in China Religious Culture Publishing House who returned home to visit relatives in early November l998. During meeting they discussed the matter, Ms. Dai Cheng Jing promised to help because she had been contacted with Mr.Zhao as working and keeping deep personal friendship. It was "super surprise!" , Ms. Dai brought back good news from the capital on 5th January 1999 after Mr.Zhao very carefully check the presentation of cultural relics of Lianshui, He praised and not only gladly wrote for the MiaoTong tower titles, but also collectively titled Nengren Temple. Tower and Temple, this is a rare exception that rebuilding team would have been unthinkable, you know Zhao generally did only for one, this is breaking a precedent! Our group office comrades went to the capital to take calligraphy on night. But most mournful is the world-famous poet, calligrapher, famous social activist, people of world admired the patriotic Buddhist leader president Zhao died actually on May 21, 2000!
