Archaeology & History
Long-lost ancient temple discovered in China
By
T.K. RandallJune 5, 2017 ·
1 comment
The temple may have looked similar to those found in China today. Image Credit: CC BY 3.0 Haluk Comertel
Archaeologists have discovered the site of the Fugan Temple which was built around 1,000 years ago.
Unearthed in downtown Chengdu in China's southwestern Sichuan province, the temple had remained something of a mystery for the better part of a millennium.
Originally lasting from the time of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317- 420 AD) to the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279 AD), the temple was documented in several historical texts.
The writings of Daoxuan, a Tang Dynasty monk, described an official rite to pray for rain that had been held in front of the temple during a time of persistent drought.
His account indicated that the rite had worked and that the drought had been vanquished by cooling rains. The temple earned its name "Fugan" which means "perceive the blessing."
According to archaeologists working on the excavation, the area around the temple has so far yielded a significant number of finds including household utensils and building materials.
Around 80 tombs have also been discovered within the vicinity of the site.
Source:
The Shillong Times |
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