Pagoda, Library Caves and Stone Tablets of sutra of Yunju Temple

Les noms des biens figurent dans la langue dans laquelle les Etats parties les ont soumis.

	Chine (Asie et pacifique)
Date de soumission :	28/03/2008
Critères:	(ii)(iii)
Catégorie :	Culturel
Soumis par :	State Administration of Cultural Heritage
Etat, province ou région :	Fangshan District, Beijing
Coordonnées	N39 48 85 E115 46 03
Ref.:	5319

Description

Yunju Temple is a Buddhist shrine in north China. Founded in Tang Dynasty, it was expanded or renovated in each of the following dynasties. It reached its heyday in the years of Kangxi and Qianlong reign in Qing Dynasty. It retains 7 pagodas built in Tang Dynasty, 5 built in Liao Dynasty, and 3 tomb pagodas built in Qing Dynasty. The Tang- or Liao-dynasty pagodas were an important integral part of the culture of stone scriptures (Buddhist scriptures inscribed on stone tablets), because they were closely associated with their engraving. On Stone Scriptures Hill are 9 caves for storage of scriptures (except for Leiyin, the 5th cave, on whose walls are fixed stone scripture tablets, all the caves are sealed with iron bolts). There are altogether 4,278 integral stone scripture tablets stored in those caves and the cellar before the south pagoda. The tablets started to be made in 616 A.D. (the 12th year of Daye, Sui Dynasty) by Jingwan, a monk who used to live in Zhiquan Monastery in Youzhou. Fearing recurrences of previous persecutions against Buddhism, he decided to have all Buddhist scriptures carved on stone tablets to be stored in caves for use in the future. The work went on for 1,039 years through Sui, Tang, Liao, Jin, Yuan, and Ming dynasties, and produced 1,122 Buddhist scriptures, in 3,572 volumes. These stone scriptures are based on Canon of Buddhist Writings printed in the years of Kaiyuan in Tang Dynasty and Qidancang printed in Liao Dynasty, two rare editions of Buddhist scriptures. In summary, the stone scriptures at Fangshan provide valuable data for research into the history of Chinese culture, especially in terms of the following fields at various periods in north China: history, politics, economy, geography, culture, calligraphy, sculpture, simplified characters, variant forms of characters, official titles, stone inscriptions, and history of Buddhism. They are not only important relics of the history of Buddhism in China, but also precious heritage of world culture.

Valeur universelle exceptionnelle

Justification de la Valeur Universelle Exceptionelle

The stone scriptures are based on an official version of Canon of Buddhist Writings printed in the years of Kaiyuan in Tang Dynasty and Qidancang printed in Liao Dynasty, which have become rare editions. So they provide the most reliable material data for correcting printing mistakes in Buddhist scriptures printed with wooden (printing) plates. More importantly, they include 50-odd rare editions not found in any edition of Canon of Buddhist Writings, and 10 apocrypha dating from different periods, which are of great value in the history of Buddhism worldwide.

The 6,800 epilogues attached to the scriptures for six dynasties contain information about history, politics, economics, culture, industry, and commerce in north China. They also record the native places of makers of the inscriptions and the name of the cities, towns, or villages where they lived, which are also important for historical and geographical studies. The styles and workmanship of inscription that varied according to times, the sculptures on top of tablets made in Tang Dynasty, and especially the artistic line carvings made in the late Tang Dynasty, are important historical data for study of the evolution of Chinese characters and calligraphy, and the art of sculpture in ancient China. The seven Tang-dynasty stone pagodas in the monastery are called gongdeta, or merits-and-virtues pagodas, which is the most types in China. The sculptures on them are classics of Tang-dynasty sculpture. The north pagoda is a Liao-dynasty brick tower; its special shape and complicated structure are rarely found in ancient Chinese pagodas. The brick sculptures of Liao-dynasty dances are important data for research into dances in that dynasty. Each of these ancient pagodas marks the special architectural achievements of a certain period.

Satements of authenticity and/or integrity

The authenticity of the relics has been confirmed. The pagodas, caves for stcne tablets storage, and stone tablets at Yunju Temple in Beijing provide precious material data for experts and scholars in history, politics, economics, culture, religion, geography, art, and other fields.

Comparison with other similar properties

The pagodas at Yunju Temple in Beijing are characterized by long history, large number, special shapes, and exquisite sculptures. Seven of them, dating from Tang Dynasty, are called gongdeta, or merits-and-virtues pagodas (The monastery has the largest number of such pagodas in China). Sculptures on them are classics of the art in Tang Dynasty. The north pagoda, dating from Liao Dynasty, is shaped in a way that is rarely found in other ancient pagodas in China. The brick sculptures of Liao-dynasty dances are important for research into dances in that dynasty. The stone scriptures and the caves for their storage started to be made in the early 6th century, in the years of Daye in Sui Dynasty, by Jingwan, a monk who came from Zhiquan Monastery. In case persecutions of Buddhism by two emperors, namely Taiwu in the northern Wei Dynasty and Wu in the northern Zhou Dynasty, should recur, and also to fulfill the deathbed behest of Master Huisi, his teacher, he decided to carve all scriptures on stone and store them in caves. The work went on for 1,039 years through six dynasties-Sui, Tang, Liao, Jin, Yuan, and Ming, and so far a total of 14,278 well-reserved stone inscriptions were found, 1,122 scriptures in 3,572 volumes. Analysis and research by experts indicate the possible existence of undiscovered scripture storage caves. So the caves and the stone scriptures are highly worthy of protection. The discovered 1,122 stone scriptures are based on Canon of Buddhist Writings printed in the years of Kaiyuan in Tang Dynasty and Qidancang printed in Liao Dynasty, two rare editions. They also include 50-odd rare editions not found in any edition of Canon of Buddhist Writings, and 0 apocrypha in 20-odd volumes engraved in different periods. The practice of inscribing scriptures on stone tablets, the quality of the editions used, the number of scriptures, and the duration of the work are all but unparalleled in China and any other country of the world.