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Li Jin Xin
Present Famen Scenic Park in Shaanxi ,Xian China
Pilgrimage from India brought the Buddha ‘s Relic to China
Historical records relates that finger bones of the Buddha had been sent from India to China by the great emperor Ashoka. He encouraged the new faith throughout his lands as well as the wide distribution of Buddha's relics. Relics, [sarira] in the form of bones were usually enshrined beneath a stupa carried by monks from India to China through thousand miles
Records state that here, during the reign of Emperors of the Eastern Han [r.149 - 189 CE] , that a stupa with a crypt was built to shelter the relics of Lord Buddha. The temple of Famen was one of only four in all China which were supposed to contain actual relics of the historical Buddha and it is the only one where the actual structure and the relics have survived to the present day. However, it was during the Tang dynasty (618 - 907 CE) that Famen Si reached its height of importance. Because of its relics and because of its proximity to the royal capital at Chang-an [Xian]). In 625 it was formally renamed Famen Si
After a massive rainstorm, the temple’s ancient True Relic Pagoda, which had been rebuilt in 1579, cracked down the middle and half of it came sliding down in a mass of bricks.
It happened during the night in 1987 , the pagoda was battered but refused to fall . It is as if a Divine Power is ask it to Hold On ,so that the World will pay attention to it again . The Major Government decide to re-built Famensi again
Renovations were started in 1987 and, quite by chance, a three-chambered underground palace was discovered directly beneath the pagoda. Acheological investigation confirmed a Tang construction with its treasures and relics, all of which had been undisturbed and forgotten for 1,113 years
The descending steps were scattered with Tang dynasty coins along the long sloping underground approach corridor at the bottom of which is placed an tablet covering a door . Then follows a level corridor and series of doors leading to three chambers.
Access after removing the boulder blocking to the front door , the first door was locked with a rusted old Tang dynasty old lock
The structure of the underground palace reflected the form of Tang royal tombs. The corridor and chambers cut through the foundations of the co-existing original Tang square wooden pagoda. When the Ming constructed their octagonal pagoda they cut into the Tang foundations but did not disturb the underlying older structures as they were probably unaware of their presence
The second door access to a full room of tang artifacts .Picture shown below were taken at site during the excavation .Even under poor lightning , the Gold masterpeices artifacts stood out , and many various religious tomb guardianStood on guard at various corner of the room with religious buddhist relics and carvings fabrics and potterries laid in boxes
Significance of the treasures discovered in the underground palace with more then 2,499 artefacts including the utmost Buddhist Relic were found
Special Artefact Owned by Empress Wu was also found in the Underground palace as she possibly sponsored or donated most of the masterpieces to the temple
Fabrics were put in boxes but most has disintegrated over thousand years , with 1 set specially recovered Fabric possibly owned by the Empress Wu in almost good condition due to the material used and the knitting process with special packaging is in almost good condition
There are many other masterpieces , and here we show a distinct piece of artwork from Tang dynasty showing a Tortoise Tea Container
The re-discovered Tang chambers at Famen contained a wealth of previously unknown artefacts together with extensive documentary records. Most were contained in the farthest, northern chamber and most were probably placed there during the final closure in 874,
Four separate groups of sarira were found. Each was enclosed within a series of small nested caskets. Among the Four , There is only One Original Sarira .
Find out which is the original >…http://goo.gl/OY3n9a
The majority of artefacts discovered were offerings to the sarira. As these were imperial gifts they include the finest quality gold, silver, porcelain, glass, lacquer and stone wares, as well as textiles, jewellery and coins. A stone tablet in the ante-chamber detailed most items:' A list of Offerings, Gold and Silver Treasures and Costumes Accompanying the Genuine Sarira.‘The following will provide more information …..
