A timely donation of Buddha statues to Sri Lankan Missions abroad by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, in 2011 resulted in making Sri Lanka known among the people living in Tiantai, a remote yet famous town in Zhejiang Province.
After a detailed search, considering the significance of Guoqing Temple in Tiantai, the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Shanghai placed the revered statue in Samadhi posture, made of dolomite powder with height and width of 4 ½ feet and a depth of 3 ½ feet weighing 1000 kgs at this Temple. The statue was first installed in December 2012 at a simple ceremony and during Vesak of 2013 a formal ceremony was organized to unveil the statue by the Guoqing Temple together with the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Shanghai and the Tiantai Foreign Affairs Office.
Guoqing Temple, originally built in 598 A.D. in the Sui Dynasty (581-618 is one of the oldest monastery’s in China. It is the birth place of Chinese Buddhism (Mahayana Buddhist School), founded by Ven. Zhiyi (538-597 A.D.) as well as the birthplace of the Southern Sect of Taoism. It was from here that indigenous Chinese Buddhism branched away from Buddhist teachings and doctrine commonly found in India. From there, the Tiantai sect of Buddhism spread to both Korea and Japan during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD).
The Temple has been restored many times and the most recent general renovation being taken place during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It is a grand and unique architectural complex covering an area of approx. 23,000 sqm consisting of 600 rooms and 14 halls and is one of the best preserved large temples in China. The tall brick Guoqing Pagoda built at the temple in the year 597 is still standing，making it the second oldest surviving brick pagodas in China.
According to Temple’ sources, Temple relations with Sri Lanka can be traced back to 200 years , and it is the third Buddha statue of Sri Lankan origin to be donated. The Chief incumbent Rev. Shi Yunguan expressed his gratitude for the special donation of the large statue and stated that it turns a whole new chapter in Guoqing Temple’s friendly relations with Sri Lanka.
The statue is housed on the Hall of 500 “Arhats” which include the statue of the famous Ven. Xuang Zang who visited India to study Buddhism and has also recorded about Buddhism in Sri Lanka through the monks whom he met in India. The revered Buddha Statue is placed right in the middle of the Hall on a carved marble base with a lotus design.
The garden in front of the hall was decorated with Sri Lankan style Vesak décor including hundreds of oil lamps and Buddhist flags.
The event was attended by the Vice Mayor Madam Ye Lingjun, senior officials of the Tiantai Foreign Affairs Office, Ms. Hasanthi Dissanayake, Consul General for Sri Lanka in Shanghai, staff of the Consulate General, Sri Lankans of all four faiths from Shanghai, and over 150 devotees from Tiantai and surrounding areas. Both Theravada and Mahayana Buddhist prayers were recited.
At the dinner hosted by the Tiantai Vice Mayor for the Sri Lankan delegation, much satisfaction and appreciation of the donation was expressed. Further, the interest of Tiantai to link with a Sri Lankan city connected to Buddhism too was articulated.
Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Shanghai
May 2013
