<p>Chinese archaeologists have found a famous temple that remained hidden for nearly a millennium in China's southwestern Sichuan province.<br /><br />The Fugan Temple, located in downtown Chengdu, was a famous temple that lasted from the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317- 420) to the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279).<br /><br />Daoxuan, a famous Tang Dynasty (618-907) monk, once wrote that an official rite to pray for rain to end a persistent drought was held in front of the temple, and it rained as if the prayers had been heard in heaven.<br /><br />The story was the record of how the temple got its name, Fugan, which means "perceive the blessing."<br /><br />The popular Tang Dynasty poet Liu Yuxi left a poem to commemorate the temple's renovation, describing its heavenly appearance.<br /><br />The poem further noted the temple's important role at that time, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.<br /><br />However, the building was worn down during the later period of the Tang and Song dynasties, with all traces of the temple disappearing during wars.<br /><br />Archaeologists unearthed more than 1,000 tablets inscribed with Buddhist scriptures and over 500 pieces of stone sculpture as well as glazed tiles with inscriptions.</p>.<p><br />"We have only excavated a part of the temple's area, but already have a glimpse of its past glory," said Yi Li, who led the excavation project.<br /><br />He said they have found the temple's foundation, ruins of surrounding buildings, wells, roads and ditches.<br /><br />During the excavation, archaeologists found some 80 ancient tombs scattered near the temple, dating back to Shang and Zhou dynasties (1600-256 BC). In the temple's surroundings, they have unearthed large amounts of household tools and utensils and building materials dating back to various periods from the Song to Ming dynasties.<br /><br />Chengdu became an economic and cultural centre in western China during the Sui and Tang dynasties.<br />The temple's discovery could greatly contribute to the study of the spread of Buddhism in China during that time, said Wang Yi, director of the Chengdu Cultural Relic Research Institute.</p>
<p>Chinese archaeologists have found a famous temple that remained hidden for nearly a millennium in China's southwestern Sichuan province.<br /><br />The Fugan Temple, located in downtown Chengdu, was a famous temple that lasted from the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317- 420) to the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279).<br /><br />Daoxuan, a famous Tang Dynasty (618-907) monk, once wrote that an official rite to pray for rain to end a persistent drought was held in front of the temple, and it rained as if the prayers had been heard in heaven.<br /><br />The story was the record of how the temple got its name, Fugan, which means "perceive the blessing."<br /><br />The popular Tang Dynasty poet Liu Yuxi left a poem to commemorate the temple's renovation, describing its heavenly appearance.<br /><br />The poem further noted the temple's important role at that time, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.<br /><br />However, the building was worn down during the later period of the Tang and Song dynasties, with all traces of the temple disappearing during wars.<br /><br />Archaeologists unearthed more than 1,000 tablets inscribed with Buddhist scriptures and over 500 pieces of stone sculpture as well as glazed tiles with inscriptions.</p>.<p><br />"We have only excavated a part of the temple's area, but already have a glimpse of its past glory," said Yi Li, who led the excavation project.<br /><br />He said they have found the temple's foundation, ruins of surrounding buildings, wells, roads and ditches.<br /><br />During the excavation, archaeologists found some 80 ancient tombs scattered near the temple, dating back to Shang and Zhou dynasties (1600-256 BC). In the temple's surroundings, they have unearthed large amounts of household tools and utensils and building materials dating back to various periods from the Song to Ming dynasties.<br /><br />Chengdu became an economic and cultural centre in western China during the Sui and Tang dynasties.<br />The temple's discovery could greatly contribute to the study of the spread of Buddhism in China during that time, said Wang Yi, director of the Chengdu Cultural Relic Research Institute.</p>