Tayuan Temple (Pagoda Courtyard Temple, 塔院寺) is one of the most renowned Zen sites on Wutai Mountain, located in Taihuai Town, south of Xiantong Temple. Originally, this area served as the pagoda courtyard for Xiantong Temple. However, during the Ming Dynasty, following the reconstruction of the Stupa, the site became a separate temple, named Tayuan Temple, in reference to the grand White Pagoda (Stupa) within its grounds.
The Majestic White Pagoda
The White Pagoda, officially known as the Shakyamuni Relic Stupa, is the most prominent feature of Tayuan Temple. Standing tall at 75.3 meters (247 feet), with a circumference of 83.3 meters (273 feet), it dominates the skyline of Wutai Mountain, surpassing even the White Pagoda in Beihai Park, Beijing, by 20.5 meters (67 feet). The stupa’s base is square-shaped, and the body resembles a vase with alternating thick and thin sections, creating a harmonious blend of shapes that is both elegant and majestic.
The top of the pagoda is covered with eight copper plates, arranged in a circular formation, representing the eight trigrams (Bagua): Qian, Kan, Gen, Zhen, Xun, Li, Kun, and Dui. At the very peak is a copper finial, approximately five meters (16 feet) high, with a diameter of over 21 meters (69 feet), adorned with 36 eaves that hang downward. Each eave is fitted with three wind chimes, and along with the chimes on the stupa’s waist, there are a total of 252 chimes on the entire structure. When the wind blows, the chimes produce a melodious sound that echoes throughout the temple grounds.
The Legend of the “Great Unrestricted Assembly”
According to legend, Tayuan Temple was the site of an annual event during the third month of spring, known as the “Great Unrestricted Assembly.” This event was inclusive, welcoming monks and laypeople alike, regardless of wealth, age, or gender. Everyone who attended was provided with the same food and drink.
One year, during the assembly, as the bell rang to signal the start of the meal, people began to gather at Tayuan Temple. Among them was a woman, dressed in rags, carrying a child in her arms, with another child by her side, and a dog trailing behind. She approached the monk in charge of distributing the food and pleaded, “I have an urgent matter. Please serve me first.” The monk gave her three portions, enough for herself and her two children. However, the woman insisted, “The dog is a living being too, it deserves a portion.” Reluctantly, the monk provided a fourth portion.
To the monk’s surprise, the woman then declared, “I am also carrying a child in my womb, it too deserves food.” The monk, now angry, retorted, “The child in your belly hasn’t even been born, and you already want food for it? You’re being greedy!” The woman calmly responded, “All beings are equal. The child in my womb is a life too.”
With that, she pulled a pair of scissors from her sleeve, cut off a lock of her hair, and placed it on the table. Then, before everyone’s eyes, she leapt into the air and transformed into the Bodhisattva Manjushri. The dog turned into a divine lion, and the two children became heavenly beings. The monk, deeply ashamed, realized his mistake.
To honor this miraculous event, a pagoda was built at the spot where Manjushri revealed himself. Inside the pagoda, the lock of hair left by the Bodhisattva was enshrined, serving as a reminder of the event and the teachings of compassion and equality.
