Mural Painting Tour - Pilu Temple

Pilu Temple is located in Shangjing Village in the northwest of Shijiazhuang. Although the temple is small, it is famous for preserving the murals of the Ming Dynasty. The mural painting covers an area of ​​more than 200 square meters. It is one of the most well-preserved Ming Dynasty murals in China. The paintings of Pilu Temple, Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, Fahai Temple in Beijing, and Yongle Palace murals in Shanxi are collectively known as the four major temple murals.

The temple is very close to the city, and it is Qingming Festival, and the traffic jam on the road is very serious. From a distance, I can see a red wall, next to the river bank; the Shijin Canal in spring shows a gray orchid color.

peculiar architectural pattern

The scale of the mountain gate is small, and the gate is half open, which made us think that it was not open.

Walking into the mountain gate, there is a lush garden, and the magnolia tree in front of the bell tower is blooming brilliantly.

The distribution of buildings in the courtyard is slightly scattered, and the regular and symmetrical layout of the general temples made us not understand the location of the central axis for a long time. After observing it, we found that there are two small ancient temples distributed one after the other on the left side. Yu, that is, the Sakyamuni Hall and the Pilu Hall. Obviously, the temple has undergone expansion, and the left side of the wall is adjacent to the Shijin Canal, so there is no room for expansion. Therefore, the bell tower and garden are shifted to the right, and the two temples that were originally located on the central axis are shifted to the left.

According to records, Pilu Temple was first built in the Tianbao period of the Tang Dynasty (742-756). It was repaired in various dynasties after the Song Dynasty, and there were two large-scale reconstructions. One is from the Yuan Dynasty to the second year of Zhengzheng, and the other is from the eighth year of Hongzhi (1495) to the fourteenth year of Jiajing (1535) in the Ming Dynasty. Jiajing fourteen years (1535)
The renovated Pilu Temple covers an area of ​​about 2 hectares, including Tianwang Hall, Sakyamuni Hall, Pilu Hall, Garan Hall, Patriarch Hall, Fa Hall, Bell Tower, Drum Tower, Jingye Hall, East Pavilion, West Kitchen, Julang, etc. The halls, Pilu Temple used to be a large-scale temple, but it was severely damaged in the early years of the Republic of China. In 1959, due to the widening of the Shijin Canal, the Temple of Heavenly Kings was also demolished. The mountain gate and the wall were all rebuilt by the cultural relics department to protect the existing temples. The Bell and Drum Tower was rebuilt in 1987, the bell was cast in the Kangxi period, and the exhibition hall at the back was built in 1987. One of the reasons is that the park has no expansion space, and the construction of Shijin Canal is also Change, the reason for deviating from the central axis; therefore, the complex pattern in front of you is formed.

Start our pilgrimage along the old central axis

1. Sakyamuni Hall - feel the traces of the years

When we visited, it was being visited by tourists, and the door of the Sakyamuni Hall was open.

The Sakyamuni Hall is the front hall of the Pilu Temple. The Sakyamuni Hall was rebuilt in the 12th year of Zhengde (1517). It is two rooms deep, 12.5 meters long, 9.5 meters high, and has a construction area of ​​136.2 square meters, which is close to a square. Single eaves hang from the top of the mountain, and there is no algae well on the roof of the hall. You can see the huge wooden beams and columns. You can see traces of painted paintings on the beams and columns, but they are already blurred.

broken mural

The murals of the hall were drawn in the Ming Dynasty, covering an area of ​​83 square meters. The murals are distributed on the southeast wall, east wall, northeast wall, northwest wall, west wall, and southwest wall of the hall. The murals on each wall in the hall are in the form of four-layer comic strips, covering the entire wall; It is a pity that a large area of ​​mottled has fallen off, and the loess is exposed; some parts are still clear, and intermittent fragments can be seen. The characters are portrayed in detail, similar to the style of Dunhuang murals.
According to the inscriptions, these murals were painted in the 12th year of Ming Zhengde (1517), exactly 500 years ago, and the time is basically the same as that of Fahai Temple in Beijing. It is said that the content of the murals includes the story of Buddha Jataka, the civet cat for the prince, etc. There are portraits of the Eight Immortals on the gable part, and the content is extensive, reflecting the localization and secularization of Buddhism. It's just that 500 years of vicissitudes have prevented us from fully appreciating their style.

According to reports, when the Shijin Canal was being built, the Sakyamuni Hall used to be the residence of migrant workers. In order to facilitate lighting and ventilation, two holes were opened on the west wall. Although they have been repaired and filled later, the outline of the huge crack is still clearly visible.

In order to protect the building and murals, the gate of Shakya Temple is only opened when there are tourists visiting, and it cannot be visited for a long time or repeatedly; we can only leave after a quick glance, and the administrator closes and locks it behind us.

Statue of the Three Great Masters of the Ming Dynasty

The Sakyamuni Hall was originally able to bypass the Buddhist niche and lead to the back door, but due to the addition of railings for protection, the hall cannot pass through. The guide led us to take a detour from the outside of the hall, and opened the back door of the hall, facing the three statues of Avalokitesvara, Manjusri, and Samantabhadra, with lowered eyebrows, and the background is the colorful Mount Sumeru, partially damaged and exposed Yellow mud. The so-called suspended sculpture is a three-dimensional suspended sculpture supported by walls and roofs. This group of hanging sculptures is obviously fixed on the wall behind the niche in the main hall.

According to the guide, the three Avalokitesvara statues on the back of the shrine in the front hall are original woodcarvings of the Ming Dynasty. The statue is dark brown, with a warm and natural color. It should be the color of the log, without painting, maybe the original painting has peeled off. The background part of Mount Sumeru is covered with thick dust, giving people a sense of desolation and dilapidation. I have always wondered why the dust was not removed to make the sculpture shine again? According to the guide, the dust itself is the protective layer of cultural relics. If it is cleaned off, the protective film will be lost, just like the patina of old furniture. However, the bright colors on Mount Sumeru are obviously not from the Ming Dynasty. Since the colors are no longer the original ones, the dust is certainly not 500 years old. I don’t understand why there is still value.

Inadvertently, when I looked up, I found that the roof has obvious divisions. The roof inside the main hall gate has been dilapidated, while the roof of the Baosha part is brand new gray tiles, and the red paint on the rafters seems to have just been painted. After asking the administrator, I found out that there was no building on the north side of the Sakyamuni Hall, which was built in modern times to protect the statues. No wonder the obvious difference in style can be seen from the roof. If you don’t consider the Baosha part, from the back of the altar to the back door, the depth is very shallow. No wonder the three great masters all have lowered eyebrows. The original design perspective is inside the back door. The worshiper stands in front of the statue and can feel it. The Bodhisattva is looking at himself with kind eyes. Today's perspective is completely different from when the statue was created. We specially stood in front of the guardrail inside the gate to experience the Bodhisattva image from the perspective of prostration a hundred years ago.

The layout of the back part of the hall is reminiscent of the Guanyin in the Mani Hall of Longxing Temple in Zhengding. size. Although the Avalokitesvara in the Mani Temple has been painted with bright colors, it still has the demeanor of a beautiful woman in the world, and it embodies the humanistic spirit. The statues here are more calm and solemn, and the image is more standardized and sacred. It can be seen from the From the Song Dynasty to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, there were obvious changes in the concept of art. However, it is not easy for the wooden sculptures of the Ming Dynasty to be preserved so well, and it is also very precious.

Pilu Hall--Deduce the legend of murals

Tang-style buildings still exist

Pilu Hall is built on a raised platform, guarded in front of the platform by two arborvitae trees of the Tang Dynasty. Although it is not as tall and majestic as imagined, it is vigorous and tall, with luxuriant branches and leaves, and it still stands proudly after thousands of years. It is said that the branches on the top of the two ancient cypresses point to the west, implying yearning for the paradise of the western heaven. But when we first arrived in a strange place, our sense of direction was indeed a bit confused, and we couldn't tell the direction of the branches. It seemed that we still lacked the root of wisdom. From the photo afterwards, it can be seen that the tops of the main branches are indeed pointing to the west, and the west side is in the direction of the Shijin Canal. Is it related to the water-loving characteristics of the trees?

On the left and right sides of the main hall are inscriptions on the maintenance of Pilu Temple in the Ming Dynasty. It is said that on the platform in front of the hall there are two monuments rebuilt in the 12th year of Hongzhi (1499) and 18th year of Hongzhi (1505) in the Ming Dynasty; During the reign of Qianlong, the four monuments were rebuilt. In the 14th year of Jiajing reign of Ming Dynasty (1535), the rear of the hall was rebuilt. When it was rebuilt in the Hongzhi era, there was an inscription on the utensil account, called "Tian Chan Ji", which was similar in form to the utensil account in Famen Temple. This is a relatively rare inscription in the Shijiazhuang area, and it is located in the southeast of the main hall platform. Unfortunately, the handwriting on these inscriptions has become blurred and difficult to recognize.

The main hall of Pilu Hall is three rooms wide and two rooms in the entrance. It is 8.35 meters high and has a construction area of ​​208.4 square meters. Although the building is not large in size, it gives people a deep and heavy feeling. From the appearance, it is very close to the Mani Hall of Longxing Temple in Zhengding. Regarding the two existing main halls of Pilu Temple, all the introductions only mentioned that the last large-scale repair was in the Ming Dynasty, but they never mentioned the date of construction. According to records, Pilu Temple was first built in the Tang Dynasty, probably experts cannot judge The scale and scope of the two overhauls in the Yuan Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty, but from the overall appearance of the building, it has a clear style of Tang and Song Dynasties. Even though the overhaul has been close to reconstruction, the overall architectural pattern has not changed.

The murals of the Pilu Hall are being repaired. In order to facilitate the access of maintenance personnel, the gate has been kept open, and temporary scaffolding has been built in the hall, so you can come in and out at will for the time being. We are very lucky, and we can see it more calmly than usual.

mystical buddha statue
Walking into the gate, there is a statue of Pilu Buddha facing you. According to the guide, it is a wooden statue of the Ming Dynasty. Pilu means light, and it is the main statue enshrined in Tantric temples.

According to reports, Pilu Temple is a temple of the Linji Sect. The birthplace of Linji Sect is the Linji Temple in Zhengding. Up to now, the incense is still very prosperous, and it has spread across the ocean and spread to Japan. It's just a pity that there is no temple in Linji Temple, only the tower of Linji Temple remains, and the current main hall has been rebuilt by later generations. In Pilu Temple, we had the honor to see the temples of the Linji Sect that have been preserved to this day.
The Bodhisattva standing on both sides is the work of a modern artist. Its shape and color are quite in the style of Dunhuang Tang Dynasty painted sculptures. The lines are plump and soft, but the colors are too bright and lack the sense of warmth and age.

What is more peculiar is that there are two sitting stone Bodhisattva statues on the left and right next to the Buddha statue. The guide introduced that they are stone statues of Bodhisattvas from the Ming Dynasty. It is not in line with the elegant style of the Ming Dynasty, and is completely different from the style of the main wooden Buddha statue. It is hard to imagine that it is a contemporary work.

There are reports on the Internet that these two statues were originally Song Dynasty stone sculptures wrapped in clay sculptures of the Fragrant Flower Bodhisattva of the Ming Dynasty. They were discovered during maintenance.

The stone base of the Buddha statue is also said to be the original of the Ming Dynasty, and it is carved with figures such as warriors. During the maintenance in 1979, it was under the seat of Pilu Buddha Xumi that afterimages of the Tang Dynasty were found. Based on this, experts concluded that the Pilu Hall already existed in the Tang Dynasty.

It is said that the plaque of Pilu Hall has been around for thousands of years, and now it has been taken off, standing at the lower end of the northeast wall, the lead has faded, showing the vicissitudes of life.

Impression mural

The light in the hall is dim. When our eyes gradually adapted to the light in the hall, we found that the walls surrounding the hall are covered with murals. Although it has been somewhat mottled and faded, the large area of ​​bright red and green contrast still has a strong visual impact. The murals are kept intact as a whole, and it has been amazing for hundreds of years. What's more valuable is that we can still appreciate its charm under natural light.

1. Water and land murals - a gathering across time and space

Waterway paintings are decorative paintings hung during Buddhist or Taoist water and land religious activities. The "Water and Land Dharma Assembly" (also known as the Water and Land Dojo) is a Dharma assembly held to transcend the souls of the three realms of water, land and air. Buddha's disciple Ananda once dreamed of evil spirits begging for food, so the Water and Land Dharma Assembly was held. It is also said that it was the dream of Emperor Wu of Liang. Visiting the gods and people, suggesting to him to help the spirits, the Water and Land Dharma Association gradually rose and became a major religious activity of Chinese Buddhism.

Water and land paintings are generally based on the content of the "Heaven, Earth, Mingyang, Water and Land Rituals" of the Water and Land Dharma Association. The relatively fixed routine usually includes all the gods and stories of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. The structure symbolizes heaven and earth and hell. The upper and middle levels are immortals, heavenly kings and guardian gods, and the lower level is the undead. The composition of the so-called "five sages united with dragons, thousands of officials lined up with geese" is arranged in an orderly manner with appropriate density and echoes each other.

It is said that 49 years ago, Pilu Temple held a large-scale water and land ceremony (Ulan Basin meeting) on ​​July 15 every year, which is why there are water and land murals on the walls.
The pattern of the murals in Pilu Temple basically maintains the pattern of the above-mentioned water and land paintings, but the distribution of characters is not strictly divided according to the division of heaven, earth and hell, which feels a bit mixed. The reason for the unconventional layout of the characters on the screen may be related to the existence of overpainting in the murals.

No matter what the reasons or design considerations are, the murals of Pilu Temple present a colorful style, and the contents of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism are mixed in one hall; Martyrs, covering heaven, earth, and hell, are gathered together from different ages and regions; they constitute the unique and distinctive features of the murals of Pilu Temple.

2. Distribution of murals

The murals of the Pilu Hall are distributed on the four walls in the southeast, north, and west, with an area of ​​102 square meters; 508 figures are painted, which is said to be more than that of the Yongle Palace.
The front and rear doors of the hall divide the north and south walls into two parts. Therefore, there are six murals with different themes in the east, west, southeast, northeast, southwest, and northwest. There are 6 parts, the east and west walls are 2.8 meters high and 7.6 meters wide, and they are mainly Taoist figures; the north and south walls are 2.8 meters high and 3.95 meters wide, symmetrically distributed. There is a tall portrait of Bodhisattva next to the door on both sides, which is already blurred and difficult to distinguish.

According to reports, the east and west walls are dominated by Taoism. There are 125 figures on the east wall, painted with Taoist gods, the Four Seas Dragon King, the Immortal and Ghost King, etc. The southern section is the best preserved part of the mural. The big crack, and not only here; 30 groups on the west wall, 133 people including gods, ghosts, stars and other figures.

The south wall and the gate are divided into east and west walls, with 73 figures on the east side and 53 figures on the west side. Confucian characters on the south wall are mainly depicted, and there are mostly loyal ministers, good generals, filial sons, martyrs, etc., who are lost characters who have been saved, and they are led to heaven by the guiding king Bodhisattva.

The content of the North Wall is mainly Buddhist, but there are also Taoist figures mixed in. There are 70 figures on the east side of the North Wall, such as Bodhisattvas, Heavenly Kings, Jade Emperors, etc.;

The characters in the murals are arranged in three layers, the upper, middle and lower layers, covering the entire wall except for the brick part close to the ground. The characters on the three layers are separated by auspicious clouds or other decorative backgrounds, which naturally connect with each other. To 1 meter 2, gradually shrink upward, generally between 50-80 cm. I don't know if it's an illusion of space, but it doesn't feel as big as it was introduced on the scene; what's very interesting is that almost every character has a rectangular inscription with their identity.

3. Vivid artistic image

The frescoes of Pilu Temple are typical Chinese traditional fine brushwork and heavy-color figure paintings. The picture is grand, with hundreds of different figures, and the composition is dense, balanced and harmonious; the picture uses a lot of red and green colors, forming a sharp contrast, but it looks very It is calm and steady, without the feeling of blunt jumping, and is natural and harmonious; the characters are vivid, the shapes are vivid, and they are full of strong artistic appeal.

In terms of style, compared with the murals of Yongle Palace, the murals of Pilu Temple have more complex decorations, brighter colors, and more gorgeous in style; The murals of the temple are more concise and simple.

As far as the composition is concerned, I have only seen the murals of Yongle Palace in books so far, but I was lucky enough to see the murals of Fahai Temple. There are relatively few figures on the Buddha paintings on the two walls and the three figures on the back of the altar, and the composition of the murals on the east and west walls is exactly the same; the six murals on the four walls of the Pilu Temple murals are all large-scale figure paintings, each of which is full of figures. The picture is more complicated, and the composition is more difficult. There are more than 500 characters with different faces and expressions, with distinctive personalities. The vividness of the image is amazing.

--Magic support sky

On the lower floor on the west side of the north wall, next to the Guangmu Heavenly King is the Bodhisattva of Malizhitian, with his hands raised up, as if a big flower basket is on his head. After checking the information, he found out that the left hand is holding a worry-free tree, a rope and a bowstring; holding a vajra, needles, arrows and a vajra axe. If you observe carefully, your left hand seems to be holding a thread, and the object held by your right hand looks like an axe. Moreover, he has eight arms, each presenting a different posture, which is natural, without the slightest bluntness. The flower-basket-like part on the head is a flower-like auspicious cloud and flying silk threads.

Magic branch, Sanskrit means sky flame. According to legend, Moli Zhitian is the incarnation of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, the protector of invisibility and disaster relief. Generally, he has four faces, three eyes, eight arms, and a tower on top. He often appears in the image of a girl. In this picture, although The clothes are gorgeous, but the face and body shape have obvious masculine characteristics, and there are obvious mustaches around the lips, which are different from the feminine characteristics of Bodhisattvas in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

--Guide King Bodhisattva

The most prominent figure on the east side of the south wall is the guiding Bodhisattva at the left end of the picture, with his left hand holding a flag and his right hand holding a ruyi, standing on the auspicious clouds, looking back sideways, guiding the loyal ministers, good generals and good people who are lined up in the picture, to the pure land. . There is a backlight behind him, the banners and scarves are flying, and the clothes are fluttering, full of momentum. The red clothes, blue streamers, and yellow flags are rich in color but stable.

The Bodhisattva in the picture is reminiscent of the Dunhuang murals copied by Mr. Zhang Daqian, and is very similar to the portrait of the guiding Bodhisattva found in Dunhuang, except that the Bodhisattva in the portrait found in Dunhuang holds an incense burner in his right hand, a lotus flower in his left, and a banner hanging from behind.

Some of the dead behind him looked dignified, some were sad, some seemed to be talking, and some seemed to be whispering.

This precious mural has been hidden in the shadow of the corner for 500 years. The clothes of the characters are still bright red, but the color is not as bright as in the photos in the 1980s, and the lower part has a mottled feeling.

--Red Clothes Fierce Girl

On the west side of the south wall are the stories of secular characters in the world. In the center of the picture is a beautiful human woman in a red dress and a green skirt. Holding a sharp knife, she is always ready to give up her life to observe the festival. We haven't figured out the origin of her story, but she is the most touching image in the picture. The clothes of the characters in the picture are closer to the style of the Ming Dynasty. The principle that the clothes of the next generation cannot appear in the pictures of the previous generation. This group of murals should be works of the Ming Dynasty, vividly reflecting the social style of the creation era.

--Dragon King of the Four Seas

The Dragon King of the Four Seas on the southeast wall is the best-preserved part of the murals. The lines of the feet of the characters are still clear. This is probably the backlit corner and the part farthest from the Shijin Canal; Cracks are probably related to cracks on the surface of the wall, and there are more than one such cracks.
This group of characters is vivid and lifelike, and the drawing techniques are very exquisite. In the picture, the Dragon King’s eyes are wide open, full of spirit, and the gaze gives people a chilling feeling; the beard is densely covered, the hair on the temples is blown up, majestic and majestic, quite like a dragon; the beard and hair on the temples are clearly defined, and the depiction is delicate and subtle , steel-wire-like tough texture, highlighting the character's violent character. The characters echo each other, as if they are talking.

--Samurai of the Yuan Dynasty

Some figures on the west wall have obvious Mongolian and Yuan style attire, among which the most prominent warrior in the lower central part, with a round helmet with cherry blossoms, is reminiscent of a Mongolian general in military uniform. The creators use the technique of powder and gold to delicately and realistically depict the decorative patterns on the armor, so that the picture presents a three-dimensional relief effect and a gorgeous metallic luster; the patterns on the characters' clothes are also extremely complicated and gorgeous. This part of the picture is a masterpiece of the technique of gilding with powder in Pilu Temple. Every time a visitor visits, the guide will solemnly recommend it.

The samurai holds the knife in lunge, looks to the right, twists his right arm and draws the knife to the left, as if he is fighting vigorously, majestic and full of tension. In order to highlight the dynamics, the design of the characters is quite ingenious. The legs of the characters in the picture are lunging forward to the left, the left hand is holding a knife, the upper body is turned to the left sharply, the right arm is swung to the left, and the face is turned to the right. The whole body is in a twisting movement Among them, with the red scarf dancing on the shoulders, it is full of momentum and vivid.

--Chongning Protector True Monarch

The most prominent image on the lower level on the south side of the west wall is Chongning Protector of the Nation. This honorary title seems a little strange to people, but the image of the characters is familiar. After consulting the information, I found out that the so-called "Chongning Protector of the Country" is actually Guan Yu. This peculiar title of "True Protector of the Country" was conferred by Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty. Apparently, Master Guan was not able to protect the Northern Song Dynasty from the fate of perishing, so there is a bit of perverted irony. No wonder this title is rarely used in later generations. The image of Guan Sheng in the picture is the same as that in ordinary portraits. He is dressed in a green robe, has a dark red complexion, sword eyebrows and long eyes, majestic and serious, and the figure is vivid and lifelike. The image of Guan Ping next to him is also very eye-catching, with a white face and a slight beard, a scarlet robe and a red hat, and a dignified and steady temperament. Although he has a bit of a literati style, he is righteous. The strange thing is that Guan Ping's hat has a distinctly Yuan and Qing style.

Mural anecdotes and legends

The stories and anecdotes behind the murals of Pilu Temple add mystery to the murals and make people feel more deeply the vicissitudes of the murals.

1. The Dharma Eye with Wide Eyes and Heaven is Boundless

"Guangmu" means to be able to observe the world at any time with pure eyes and protect the people. It was called Guangmu Heavenly King in ancient times. In the center of the west side of the north wall of Pilu Temple, there is a portrait of King Guangmu; it is said that a senior administrator accidentally found that King Guangmu seems to be watching you no matter what angle you stand on. Design and superb memory.

During the visit, the guide specially took us to the murals on the northwest wall to let us experience this magical phenomenon. We also tried to observe it from different angles, and it felt like nothing, not very obvious. I always feel that it is impossible to achieve such an effect theoretically with two-dimensional painting. My friend in the same industry is very thoughtful. She suggested that we find a character in the same picture and try it out to see if it has the same effect. It’s just that we watched it for a long time. , It was found that the nearby characters were either sideways or too far away to change the angle, so it was difficult to find a contrast system.

After repeated scrutiny, it seems to have some insights. Guangmu Tianwang is located in the center of the lower floor of the mural on the west side of the north wall. It is a full frontal image. After repeated observations, only the shape of Tianwang is a little strange. Chin, the distance between the two eyes is closer than normal, and there is a tendency to esotropia, which is roughly called cross-eye. Generally speaking, in a frontal portrait, if the eye distance is normal when viewed from the front, due to the angle of view from the side, you will feel that the distance between the two eyes is different, and the position of the far eyeball will obviously deviate, making people feel that the eyes are not looking at you. Therefore, However, the distance between the eyes of the face-on portrait is short, which may cause little change in the eye distance and appearance of the portrait of the side view, and the slight eye-to-eye feeling makes people feel that the eyeballs at the far end are not turned outward, and the facial features are symmetrical, so it feels as if the portrait is still facing itself. , I personally guess that this is why the observer feels that no matter how the angle is changed, the king of heaven is facing himself. From this point of view, the designer of the painting has spent a lot of thought. Of course, the success of the effect is mainly due to the design. The principle of vision has nothing to do with painting techniques.

Another reason is the location of the mural. The west side of the mural is the wall, and the east side is the Buddhist niche. With the protection of the guardrail, it is impossible for people to stand on the side near the wall. That is to say, no matter how you change the position , the observer's viewing angle is limited to within 100 degrees, even if standing against the west wall, there is an angle of about 30-40 degrees with the wall where the mural is located. The limitation of the viewing angle is also why the characters always give people a positive feeling. Of course, this may also be a factor for the success of the painter's design, or it may be a coincidence, because there is no guardrail in front of the protection. At that time, people could still stand close to the wall. I don't know what the sight of the king of heaven was in people's eyes at that time.

Afterwards, the author opened a picture of the Guangmu Heavenly King of Pilu Temple on the computer, and changed the position to observe the change of the direction of the King's eyes, but there was still a feeling of nothingness. In addition, I opened the picture of the Jade Emperor on the northeast wall in the computer as a comparison, and it seemed to have a similar feeling; it was just that the Guangmu Heavenly King gave people a more real feeling. From this, it can be seen that human psychological hints are of course the main reason, because the legendary Guangmu Uranus' eyes are always scanning the whole world, so people will have such associations. In any case, this anecdote adds to the fascination of the fresco.

2. The Jade Emperor in the corner

On the lower side of the northeast wall and the east wall is a portrait of the Jade Emperor. I don't know why the painter arranged this Taoist heaven and earth in a corner.

The image is completely different from the majestic and invisible Jade Emperor Land in the imagination. The lines are soft and smooth, and even the color is much cooler than the surrounding pictures; a pensive expression, even a little depressed, like a quiet woman. , elegant and slightly lost scholar.

It is said that this portrait of the Jade Emperor was painted by Tang Bohu, a great painter of the Ming Dynasty, when he passed by Pilu Temple when he went to Beijing to take the exam. The name of Shangjing Village is still preserved in the nearby village. Looking carefully at the maids around the emperor Zhou Bian, with slender shoulders and thin waists, sculpted eyebrows and fine eyes, they have the demeanor of ladies in Tang Bohu's works. Maybe this Jade Emperor is Tang Bohu's uninhibited self-portrait.

The style of the elegant and contemplative Jade Emperor is quite different from that of the mighty and dynamic Four Heavenly Kings, but the overall connection of the picture is natural. It is hard to say whether this part of the picture has been repainted. Maybe the legend is just a legend. You may have overlooked one point. There is also a portrait of the Jade Emperor on the southeast wall near the guiding Bodhisattva. The overall appearance and color of the image on the northeast wall are almost exactly the same, but the expression is deep but there is no obvious gloom, line style and color. It is basically the same as the characters on the northeast wall, but who is the author of this mural?

3. The scar on Erlang's head

On the bottom floor on the south side of the Dragon King of the Four Seas on the east wall is the portrait of "The True Monarch of Qingyuan Miaodao" - Erlang God, which corresponds to the Zhenjun Chongning Protector of the Country on the west wall. The Erlang God in the portrait is completely different from the Erlang Zhenjun in the white helmet and silver armor with sky eyes on his head in Journey to the West. The proportions of the characters are accurate, the lines are simple and smooth, and the postures are vivid. There is no trace of the eye of the sky on the forehead, and the image of Erlang God is also constantly evolving. However, beside Erlangshen, there is indeed a Xiaotian dog squatting, and the dog has a collar around its neck, which has the demeanor of a modern police dog. Although the animal images of Pilu Temple are not as brilliant as those of Fahai Temple, there are also figures of animals such as rabbits and snakes, but the pictures are relatively small and difficult to distinguish.

I don’t know why the clothes of many characters in the murals are yellow. If the Jade Emperor is the emperor of the heaven, it is not strange to wear yellow clothes, but Erlang’s yellow clothes are still a bit surprising. Such clothes will not be suspected of being cured. Woolen cloth? Perhaps this color is not bright yellow, or is the yellow agency system limited to the human world?
There is no majesty and solemnity of the gods at all, but the image of a young and middle-aged man in life, joyful, satisfied, relaxed and free. The characters in the picture reflect the painter's state of mind. We don't know what era the painter lived in and environment, but it is guessed that he was in a peaceful and happy state of mind at that time.

In the 1990s, some people tried to steal several figures from the murals of Pilu Temple and sell them. A hole was cut in the face of "Qingyuan Miaodao Zhenjun", but luckily they failed. We don’t know the reason for the miss and how the thief who missed the murals ended up. Maybe Erlang God’s heavenly eyes played a role, or maybe he was scared away by the roaring dog; Erlang God left permanent scars on his head.

Compared with the "archaeologists" who stole murals in Dunhuang and Xinjiang in the last century, their methods are obviously not clever, and in an environment where the protection of cultural relics is becoming more and more important, they also lack the opportunity to calm down. The east wall is a relatively well-preserved part of the murals of Pilu Temple, which is probably why the thieves chose to start here.

The photos in this article were re-taken from the album I purchased. From the photos, we can see that there are cracks on the edge of the face contour, and there is a small hole near the ear. Actually at the scene, the light is relatively dark, the color of the picture does not feel so bright, and the area of ​​the scar seems to be larger than in the photo. Judging from the bright colors of the remake, it is possible that the album was made based on the early photos, and it is also possible that slight cracks existed at that time, and the pirates chose to uncover the paintings from the cracked parts.

Since it is not allowed to take pictures of the murals, and I have not collected other pictures of this part, maybe no one is willing to show the damaged pictures, so everyone should have the opportunity to experience it for themselves.

4. Two layers of murals

According to the guide, the experts analyzed the lower layer of some murals, which concealed an earlier layer of murals; we visitors with naked eyes, looked at it for a long time, but did not see the doorway; I don’t know how the expert’s eyes discovered it. , it may be analyzed from the background color of the peeled part of the lower layer, or it may be other modern scientific testing equipment, we don't know.

This situation does exist in the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, the most famous of which is the mural of Hu Xuanwu in the early Tang Dynasty. When the researchers were repairing the murals of the Song Dynasty, they accidentally discovered the precious murals of the Tang Dynasty hidden underneath, so that they could be seen again, and it also gave us the opportunity to see the style of Hu Xuanwu of the Tang Dynasty. It's a pity that the picture is blurred and damaged. It is said that when repainting the murals, in order to keep the wall firm, the murals of the previous life will be roughened to facilitate the reprocessing of the wall. This practice has damaged the ancient murals at the bottom; Whether the murals on the bottom floor of Lu Temple also suffered such a fate, but today, the murals of the Ming Dynasty are precious enough, and it is guessed that the upper murals will not be allowed to be stripped. Even if the lower murals are preserved intact, we should have no chance to see them.

The Mystery of the Age of the Murals

According to the existing inscriptions, the murals of the Sakyamuni Temple were painted during the Zhengde period of the Ming Dynasty. It has been 500 years since then, which is basically the same as the murals of Fahai Temple in Beijing. The author of the painting, this painting, should be considered a repaint or repaint. The murals of the Sakyamuni Hall are generally believed to be painted in the Ming Dynasty, and there is not much controversy. However, the murals of the Pilu Temple have no clear records because of the initial painting time.

The mainstream view is that the murals of the Pilu Hall were repainted during the repair of the Pilu Temple in the Ming Dynasty, but some scholars believe that the murals of the Pilu Hall already existed when the Pilu Temple was rebuilt in the second year of Yuan Zhizheng according to the records of the inscriptions. up. Although the inscriptions recorded that the wall was broken before the restoration in the Ming Dynasty, it may not have completely collapsed. It is possible that some murals before the Ming Dynasty have been preserved. There are differences between these murals in terms of style and painting level. Parts were painted at different times in history. The quality of murals painted in the Ming Dynasty in the front hall is much lower than that in the main hall. Some scholars even believe that the murals in the hall were painted at least four times, all of which were supplements in different periods, which means that some murals may be preserved before the restoration in the Ming Dynasty, may be from the Yuan Dynasty, and may even have remnants from earlier periods. .

Some scholars claim that the murals of the Yuan Dynasty are mainly based on the fact that the hats and clothing of some figures in the murals have obvious Mongolian and Yuan styles. However, it is not surprising that there are Yuan Dynasty clothing in the paintings of Ming people. Based on this, it is judged that the murals were painted in the Yuan Dynasty. The basis is obviously not sufficient. In fact, the costumes of the characters in the Pilu Hall can clearly see the differences of different ages. Not only the Yuan Dynasty style, but also a large number of Tang Dynasty costumes in the east and west murals of the Pilu Hall are used in heaven and hell. The style of Dunhuang murals. The attire of the loyal ministers and martyrs on the southeast wall clearly reflects the social style of the Ming Dynasty; theoretically, any murals painted by later generations may have the clothing and accessories of the previous generation, especially the painting of water and land murals is based on powder copies. The discovery of Haisi mural painting books proves this point, and these powder books may have been handed down in different ages, so it can only show that the powder books on which these mural paintings are based are from different ages. Although these powder books no longer exist today, they still existed when they were painted; it can be inferred that these murals should have been painted with reference to the past powder books of different ages during maintenance in the Ming Dynasty; and the guide also introduced us in this way.

The powder copies of different ages may be the original murals before the temple was rebuilt, or they may be folk copies. The figures are drawn irregularly in a series of murals, which seems to be difficult to understand logically. There are only two explanations that can be explained. One is that these murals were painted in different ages. According to the popular pink books of different ages, there are repaintings and reservations during maintenance. But how to make the parts of different ages naturally connect is Question; another explanation seems to be more reasonable. These powder copies are not collected randomly, but there are powder copies, or part of the powder copies left when the original murals were painted in different periods, so they can be drawn again based on these powder books. It is also possible that there are some copies of the original murals in the main hall. In order to maintain the original appearance, they were redrawn according to the copies during restoration. But if there is no pink version or temporary version to base on, it can only be drawn based on the popular pink version of the drawing era.

Let's not care about whether the murals were drawn in different years, but it allows us to appreciate the artistic style and social style of painting in different eras. Although the level of copying may be different from the original painting, the basic style and composition can be passed down. Many of the pink copies of the murals are based on the creation and reproduction of everyone. This is why the works of a large number of folk gardeners can be called fine works. Showing the majestic style of the Tang Dynasty.

The Mystery of the Mural Author

It is said that the creators of the murals in Pilu Temple were painted by four painters from Luquan, and there are also legends that they were painted by Zhengding people, who are the same as the creators of the murals in Longxing Temple. According to the stele of "Reconstruction of Pilu Temple", the murals of Pilu Hall were painted by Wang Huai, Zhang Bao, He An, An Tai, etc. in the 14th year of Jiajing reign of Ming Dynasty, while the murals of Sakyamuni Hall and Tianwang Hall were painted by Gong Zhongyan. He and Liu Ziwen, the sculptors Gong Zhongyan and Gong Min, and the stonemason Cao Min's apprentice Xu Wenliang are all from Shaoying, Huolu County, Zhengding Prefecture. It can be seen that there were also murals in the Temple of Heavenly Kings back then, but it is a pity that the Hall of Heavenly Kings was demolished in 1959 when the Shijin Canal was widened, so we could not see its elegance. On the back wall of the Buddhist altar in the Mani Hall of Longxing Temple, there is a stone inscription inscribed on the 42nd year of Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty under the colorful hanging sculpture. It can be seen that the author of the murals is a painter from Zhengding, and has a certain relationship with the painters of Longxing Temple. This may be concentrated in Zhengding Temple, and there are large-scale royal temples, so it is an area where painters are concentrated. It is speculated that Luquan may also be It is a misrepresentation by Huolu. Although the inscription mentioned that the painter painted the murals of Pilu Hall during the Jiajing period, it did not specify the scale of the painting, whether it was partial repainting or large-scale repainting. They are identified as the authors of all surviving murals. At least the murals in the Sakyamuni Hall are recorded to have been drawn during the Zhengde period, and the author may have been someone else. The murals in the Pilu Hall were painted in mixed ages, and the author of the remaining murals before that cannot be determined. This is probably because although there are stele records, there are different legends about who was the creator. But no matter who the author is, these murals are exquisite. It is amazing that folk painters can produce such outstanding works.

Water and land murals are all drawn according to the powder version, and the original authors of the powder version are often masters of painting. Many famous painters participated in the painting of murals in history, such as Gu Kaizhi, Yan Liben, Wu Daozi, etc.; Most of the folk painters who paint murals and water and land paintings are devout religious believers. They are meticulous in technique and at the same time incorporate their own emotions towards the objects they depict. They refer to the traditional brushwork of Chinese figure painting with lines as the bones of predecessors such as Jia Kaizhi, Yan Liben, and Wu Daozi, bringing together the rich imagination of creators of all ages, inheriting and creating. It should be said that these exquisite murals are a collection of the wisdom of painters in the past dynasties. Different from the figure paintings of the Ming Dynasty, they are more simple, full of characters and full of momentum, and have the artistic style of the Tang Dynasty.

500 Years of Miracle

It is undoubtedly a surprising miracle that the murals of Pilu Temple can be preserved after more than 500 years. How many brilliant arts have disappeared with the years, leaving endless regrets. The fact that these murals can be completely preserved to this day makes people appreciate the wisdom of the creators of the design and the protection and true love for the murals of the people who have lived here for generations. To sum up, the main reasons for the complete preservation of the murals of Pilu Temple are as follows:

1. Light design

Of the more than 200 square meters of murals in Pilu Temple, more than 120 square meters are distributed in Pilu Hall, and it is the best preserved part. The four murals in the north and south are all distributed in the backlit parts on both sides of the gate, and the altar blocks the sunlight from the south gate, so that the north wall will not be exposed to sunlight. In addition, the entrance of the main hall is very deep, and there are only two small windows on the top of the south side. The murals on the east and west walls are also in the dark light, thus avoiding the fading caused by sunlight, so that the murals of Pilu Temple can be preserved to this day fortunately. .

2. Natural pigments

The natural mineral raw materials used in murals are stable in the natural environment, which is also the reason why murals do not change color. Whether it is Fahai Temple or Pilu Temple, although the picture has faded, there is no distortion, and this kind of distortion is very common in Dunhuang murals, especially in the murals of the Northern Dynasties, almost all of them have discoloration and distortion , the face and body contours of the characters are surrounded by a circle of black, and even the skin color of some tasks has become dark black, like a strange ultra-modern work. Expert analysis is because a large amount of white color is added to the skin of the characters, and the lead-containing white color will oxidize and turn black after years, turning the originally prominent and brightened part into a shadow part, giving people an inverted feeling. wrong feeling. This phenomenon is not seen in the murals of temples such as Pilu Temple. One possibility is that the composition of the pigments is different, and the other possibility is that the temple buildings and the environment of the grottoes are different. In terms of feeling, the first possibility is relatively large. It is rare to see blackened colors in murals, probably because the formula of the pigments has been improved.

3. Wall foundation treatment

Draw directly on the treated wall, that is, the so-called "floor mural"; it is made of gravel clay + flocculent hemp silk balls
Treat the wall, and then apply the glue layer to facilitate the reinforcement of the paint and prevent it from falling off. Among them, the function of plant fibers such as silk balls is similar to that of steel bars in concrete, and plays a reinforcing role.

But from the damaged wall of Pilu Temple, only loess can be seen, but no traces of hemp fibers, unlike the murals of Fahai Temple, where wool and plant fibers can be clearly seen from the damaged parts. It may also be treated locally.

4. Take good care of
The Pilu Temple was built with donations from Shangjing villagers and has always been under the jurisdiction of Shangjing Village. The villagers have a deep affection for the temple and are very proud of it. Repaired many times in history.

It is said that after the "Cultural Revolution" began, Pilu Temple was also regarded as the object of revolution by the Red Guards. In order to protect the murals of Pilu Temple, Shangjing Village used the Sakyamuni Hall and Pilu Hall as warehouses in the village, and marked " Warehouses are important places, and idlers are not allowed to enter", which saved the murals of Pilu Temple from being destroyed. We can still see these murals today, thanks to the villagers.

The Mystery of Accelerated Destruction

the culprit

According to the descriptions of people who were lucky enough to see the murals before the 1980s, the murals at that time were still very good; the photos taken in 1984 were still colorful, which was very different from what we see today; this means that the murals were destroyed in the past 30 years very serious. It has been intact for hundreds of years. What caused these precious murals to fade rapidly in recent decades?

1. Wet

The Pilu Temple is adjacent to the Shijin Canal, and the tide of the river will undoubtedly have an impact on the murals. The construction of the Shijin Canal undoubtedly brought great changes to the geographical environment of the Pilu Temple. The bottom tens of centimeters of the murals have already peeled off, and most of the feet of the lower figures have become somewhat blurred, which is said to be affected by the moisture from the Shijin Canal adjacent to the west. The murals are greatly affected by the environment, especially the climate. Every summer, it will be very humid and will fall off over time. "There is a lot of rain from the northwest, and the west wall is falling off a lot. Usually, it is the humidity, the dust in the environment, including the carbon dioxide exhaled by people, which will have a certain impact on the murals."

2. Air pollution

As an area where heavy industries are concentrated, Hebei has always been a hard-hit area of ​​air pollution, and the smog in winter is very serious. Although it is sunny this time in spring, you can still see a layer of gray and black fog near the ground, and the long-term smog The pollutants in the paint also have a corrosive effect on the murals.

3. Man-made destruction

When the Shijin Canal was built, it was used as a dormitory. It is self-evident that the damage to the murals was caused by chiseling the walls and opening windows. The theft in the 1990s also intensified the damage to the murals.

Conservation Dilemma

Another unavoidable problem is the protection of murals. From 1947 to 1979, Pilu Temple was guarded by loyal and reliable people from Shangjing Village. In July 1982, Pilu Temple was listed as a provincial key cultural relic protection unit. In 1979, Pilu Temple was put under the direct management of Shijiazhuang Cultural Protection Office, and the Pilu Temple Management Office was established in 1995.
From the current situation of Pilu Temple, it can be seen that the cultural relics management department has spent a lot of thought, and during our visit, there are staff members repairing the damaged murals, and a young man with glasses is putting a white mural The colloidal liquid is slowly injected into the mural, with an unusually focused expression. Although we are curious, we are not disturbed. The guide told us that these staff are from Dunhuang art researchers with high professional standards. This work requires special care , the staff require high operational stability, the hands cannot shake, and it takes a long time, which is a very energy-intensive and physical work. I remember that in Zhengding Longxing Temple, I also saw the staff of the Dunhuang Academy of Art repairing the murals on the side of the main hall. We admire their professionalism and efforts to protect cultural relics.

But there is a problem that is also worthy of our serious consideration, that is how to protect the art heritage to truly pass on. In the past, some netizens mentioned on the Internet that changes in the environment are factors that cannot be ignored in the destruction of Pilu Temple. In the past, Pilu Temple was surrounded by arid areas, and the appearance of Shijin Canal was undoubtedly the biggest influencing factor. It has been renovated and a large number of flowers and trees have been planted. During the visit, we did see blooming magnolias and lush trees all over the place. The trees themselves will also increase the humidity of the environment. Some netizens think that we should pay attention to this.

In addition, during our visit, apart from the Pilu Hall being under repair, the guides will open the halls that tourists visit, and lock the doors when the tourists leave. We are very lucky this time, and we can freely enter and exit during the maintenance period. Have time to watch the murals repeatedly and carefully. According to the lecturer, this is to maintain the air environment in the hall and prevent the outside humid air from entering. But we also have some doubts about this. Although closing the door can prevent moisture from entering, it also prevents moisture from escaping. Anyone who has lived in a bungalow knows that ventilation can prevent excessive humidity. All the doors are opened for ventilation, which can also disperse moisture and prevent moisture, especially in northern regions, where the outside air is often very dry. Temples are places for people to worship. Traditionally, the gates are generally opened, and the flow of air allows the exchange of indoor and outdoor air, and finally achieves a balance. If the doors and windows are closed tightly, it will cause moisture to accumulate instead. Of course, we are not experts, but we only speculate from the perspective of common sense, but many issues do need to be viewed dialectically.

A typical example is the Iron Lion in Cangzhou, which existed there for thousands of years and was basically kept intact, but foreign experts suggested that a shed should be built to prevent rain and rust. lead to more severe corrosion. This lesson has to be learned. The existence of a cultural relic for thousands of years must be related to its suitable environment. When it is uncertain whether the protection method will bring negative effects, it is advisable to be cautious and conservative.

Of course, we can understand the dedication of the managers to protect the murals and their efforts to protect the murals. How to better protect the murals also requires continuous exploration, research, and accumulation of experience.

Finally, in the exhibition hall of the museum, we were fortunate enough to see precious photos of the murals taken in the 1980s, which were mounted as scrolls. The colors in the photos are indeed very bright, but unfortunately there are only a few.

My old camera was completely unclear. Fortunately, a friend who was traveling with me provided a mobile phone to take pictures and sent it to me as soon as possible. I am very fortunate to have someone who has the same hobbies as me and can always walk with me. Her enthusiasm for cultural communication has moved me and inspired me to persist in completing travel notes, and I hope this enthusiasm can also spread.

According to media reports, there was a painter who insisted on copying the murals of Pilu Temple for 10 years. His sincerity was very touching. Since 2012, the staff from the Digital Center of the Dunhuang Academy has officially launched the digitization of murals in Pilu Temple, collecting all-round and high-precision information on murals. In the future, these replicated murals will be exhibited in the temple exhibition hall. I sincerely hope that these precious ancient mural art can be better passed on, so that future generations can also have the opportunity to see their elegance.

In order to protect the murals, photography is not allowed on site, and all mural photos are reproductions from my own album.

Pilu Temple is very close to Shijiazhuang City, and the road conditions are good, but there is no public transportation, so you need to take a taxi or drive there. If you take a taxi, it is best to let the vehicle wait, otherwise the return journey will be more difficult.