"Ayuwang (Asoka) Temple (c. 282, 405, 502, rebuilt thereafter)
The Asoka, or Ayuwang, temple is located about a dozen miles east of Ningbo in Zhejiang Province. Along the way the flat terrain of the city soon gives way to somewhat scenic hills and an interesting pagoda. The temple is located near the Luhua Peak in the Taibai mountains, one of China's five important Buddhist mountains. The temple is part of the Chan (Zen) sect and attracts many Chinese and Japanese pilgrims and tourists as well as the occasional European or American visitor. It is the only remaining temple in China named after the Indian king and Buddhist proselytizer.
There are numerous legends connected with the founding and early history of the temple complex. The original temple apparently was built during the reign of Taikang of the Western Jin Dynasty in 282 AD, though traces of it have long disappeared. Its prized possession is a parietal bone of Sakyamuni, the Buddha, dug up in the late 3rd century. It is one of the reported 84,000 reliquaries made by King Asoka, India's first major patron of Buddhism (c. 274 -237 BC). The relic is housed in a seven-step stone stupa, about 20 inches high, in the Hall of Stupa.
Asoka, or the 'king of Zhouli' according to the Chinese, reportedly saw the area of Ningbo as a place of peace and harmony. Soon Hui Lian, a senior monk, searching for a place for a temple, heard a sound from the ground and found a hotspring, and the temple miraculously appeared. In 405 the emperor confirmed that this was the truth and built another temple to protect the first one and added other buildings. In 502 another layer of temples was built, and Emperor Liang Wudi became a major Buddhist proselytizer; he named it "A yu wang." It still has many 'layers' today and has very extensive grounds." Ciccione et al. (1998-2010: Ayuwang)
In autumn 1223, a place of Buddhist studies & meditation training of Eihei Dogen - (Kodera 1980:47)
Ningbo, China Page
Other names: Chiang-pei-an,Yin-hsien,Ning-po-shih,Ning-po,Ning-hsien
World:China:Zhejiang Sheng
Lat 29.8750 Long 121.5419
http://www.fallingrain.com/world/CH/02/Ningbo.html
Input by: tmciolek, Jul 25, 2010
Final data (and their sources)
Lat/Long coordinates' accuracy:
The monastery in question is assumed to be situated actually no farther than 200 m from the point defined by the coordinates below.
General location of the Ayuwang monastery, CN.
Lat 29.8540 Long 121.7460
Mapping & images: Falling Rain Genomics (http://www.fallingrain.com), 2010.
Google Map link:
Final data - explanatory notes
1. Monastery's name
- Ayuwang monastery - Ciccione et al. (1998-2010: Ayuwang)
2. Monastery's modern country & province
- China:Zhejiang Sheng
3. Monastery's alternative/historical names
- Asoka Temple - Ciccione et al. (1998-2010: Ayuwang)
- Kuang-li Monastery on A-yue-wang Mountain - Kodera (1980:47)
4. Monastery's lat/long coordinates
- Approx., Lat 29.8540 Long 121.7460 - based on visual identification of the monastery in satellite imagery, maps.google.com - tmciolek, 27 Jul 2010.
5. Other known nearby Buddhist monasteries
- Tiantong monastery
6. Modern name of the known nearest city, town, or village
- Chiang-pei-an - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/CH/02/Ningbo.html
7. The settlement's alternative/historical names
- Yin-hsien - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/CH/02/Ningbo.html
- Ning-po-shih - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/CH/02/Ningbo.html
- Ning-po - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/CH/02/Ningbo.html
- Ning-hsien - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/CH/02/Ningbo.html
8. The settlement's coordinates
- Exactly, Lat 29.8750 Long 121.5419 - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/CH/02/Ningbo.html
9. Monastery's major Buddhist tradition
- Mahayana
10. Monastery's Buddhist sub-tradition
- Chan/Zen - Ciccione et al. (1998-2010: Ayuwang)
11. Date-early
- c. 282 AD - Ciccione et al. (1998-2010: Ayuwang)
12. Date-intermediate
- in use in 502 AD, rebuilt soon after - Ciccione et al. (1998-2010: Ayuwang)
13. Date-late
- Still in existence in 2002 - Ciccione et al. (1998-2010: Ayuwang)
14. Details of contacts with other monasteries
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15. Type of evidence regarding the monastery
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16. Additional notes
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17. Corrections & addenda to this page were kindly provided by
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