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Dajue Monastery 大覺寺, first established during the Southern Song xianheng 咸淳 reign period (1265-1274), is located in Jiangsu Province 江蘇, Yixing Municipality 宜興. The monastery was severely damaged during the Taiping Revolution, rebuilt early in the Republican era, and destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. Currently (2009) a new monastery with the same name and is being constructed by Foguangshan 佛光山, a Taiwanese Buddhist organization led by the Venerable Xingyun 星雲 (1927-), who received tonsure at the original Dajue Monastery at age 12.
Foguangshan now effectively runs those buildings that have been completed, although officially the abbot is a PRC citizen, namely the Venerable Longxiang, who is also the abbot of Qixia Monastery of Nanjing. Features of the current Dajue complex instantiate the teachings of Ven. Xingyun. For instance, efforts are made to prepare tasty vegetarian food, and there is a tearoom as well; these are meant to counter ideas that Buddhism is only for poor, elderly people. Also, in the Guanyin Hall, relatively cheap materials such as plastic are used in decorations; this is to prevent anyone from developing improper, acquisitive mind states in relation to such items. Finally, the Guanyin Hall has no threshold, which symbolizes Foguangshan's wish that people have no barriers in their efforts to learn the Buddhas' Dharma. The complex also includes an art gallery which, in addition to displaying works of art, introduces Ven. Xingyun and Foguangshan.
Sources:
- Poster in the Dajue Monastery art gallery
- Tour by a resident nun (conducted on 23 July 2009)
-D. Gildow
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