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Founded in Eastern Han 东汉. Located in Xindu County 18 km north of Chengdu. Good vegi restaurant.It's original name was Dashisi 大石寺, Big Stone Temple because a large boulder was carried a long distance to place as the foundation of the pagoda. As the Tang Dynasty was in its final years (811), a rebellion by the peasant rebel Huang Chao黄巢 caused the emperor Xi Zong 僖宗 to flee and take refuge in the Baoguangsi. Isn't it curious that the Confician emperors of China always took refuge in Buddhist temples when in trouble? While here he observed a purple glow issuing forth from the base of the Fugan 福感 Lucky Omen Pagoda. Upon excavation of the site, 'what to his wondrous eyes should appear' but a marvelous collection of thirteen sarira relics! He, somewhat mistakenly assumed this was a good omen for him and built a new thirteen story pagoda on the site. It is this pagoda that survives today. The Luohan Tang 罗汉堂, the Luohan Hall containing 500 Luohan from the Qing Dynasty is the most impressive collection of Luohan I have seen. They are beautifully molded with wonderful facial expressions, a far cry from the usual billboard characatures that have been molded since the Cultural revolution. A feast for the eyes! The monks say this is a Chan 禅宗temple of the Xianzong subsect.

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