Venerable Sixth Patriarch Huineng’s Birthday T...

117.Venerable Sixth Patriarch Huineng’s Birthday Temple Fair

Nominating Unit: City of Yunfu

Xinxing County, City of Yunfu, is the place where the Venerable Sixth Patriarch, Zenist Huineng was born and passed away. Many stories and legends about him and his divine trace spread from mouth to mouth. Every lunar February 8th (Huineng’s birthday) and August 3rd (the day he passed away), a temple fair is held in Guo’en Temple of Longshan (where he passed away) and its neighboring areas, which is called Spring Rites and Autumn Rites.

It is estimated that the Temple Fair, with a history of more than 1,200 years, has been held since the Sixth Patriarch Huineng passed away. According to the Annals of Xinxing County written by Liu Fang in the Qing Dynasty, the Temple Fair held on August 3rd lunar calendar during the reigns of Emperor Qianlong was its first time of being written down in the historical records. It has been over 200 years since then.

The Temple Fair is usually held in the week when the Sixth Patriarch Huineng was born or when he passed away, which consists of cenobian activities and non-governmental activities. The cenobian activities are mainly held in Guo’en Temple in Longshan. Besides, activities in memory of the Sixth Patriarch Huineng are also held in such places as Chan Temple in Longtan, the former residence of the Sixth Patriarch in Xialu, Cangfokeng (the place where Huineng hid and passed away), Jintai Temple, and Sanbao Temple, which mainly include paying respect to the Buddha, worshipping the ancestors, releasing the living beings, transmitting the lamp, giving lectures about Buddhist doctrines, practicing abstinence from meat, tasting the litchis in the temple, and paying respects to the divine trace of Huineng.(https://www.daowen.com)

The non-governmental activities are mostly held in the neighboring areas of Guo’en Temple, the temples in the county as well as the villages in different towns. At the Festival Temple Fair, the villagers all over the county invite the statue of the Sixth Patriarch from the temple and carry it to go on a cruise through the neighboring villages to pray for favorable climate and a comfortable life. There are some folk artists who put on such performance as clay figure outside the Longshan Temple or on both sides of the path in the temple. The locals will also invite some troupes to entertain the God and people to show that they are happy together. Apart from this, there are such folk activities as hanging Buddha oil lamps, performing the dragon or lion dance, vying for fireworks and playing the eight tunes for celebration, which add a hint of glamour to the Temple Fair.

The Festival Temple Fair, with a large number of participants, is a non-governmental activity which aims at commemorating the Sixth Patriarch Huineng. It has a huge influence in the neighboring counties, cities, the Pearl River Delta, even in such neighboring countries as Japan and South Korea. With its development, it has absorbed the local customs, habits, folk beliefs, and way of life, which makes it unique and quite valuable to the study of the Zen Thought, the local history and customs.

Recently, the local cultural and administrative department for religious affairs has made great achievements in the excavation and rescue of some cultural relics at the Temple Fair. However, due to some historical reasons, part of the documentation has been lost and some historical sites have been destroyed. Therefore, many traditional folk activities are facing the danger of extinction unless measures are taken to protect them.