The Imperial Capital as a Stage for Religious Spectacle

On the fifth day of the ninth lunar month in 537 AD, the Liang Dynasty capital Jiankang (modern Nanjing) witnessed an unprecedented Buddhist gathering. From the palace’s Grand Marshal Gate through the southern Xuanyang Gate to the Vermilion Bird Gate, the imperial boulevard—flanked by willows and pagoda trees—overflowed with crowds. This thoroughfare, reminiscent of Japan’s Heian-kyo’s Suzaku Avenue, had transformed from an administrative corridor into a promenade flanked by aristocratic mansions.

Beyond the Vermilion Bird Gate lay the Qinhuai River, the city’s lifeline, spanned by a floating bridge of boats called the Vermilion Bird Crossing. Here, merchants and pilgrims converged before proceeding to the sacred destination: the Changgan Temple on southern hills. This journey marked a transition from imperial grandeur to the vibrant commoner districts of Greater and Lesser Changgan.

The Sacred Treasures and Imperial Devotion

At the heart of the spectacle lay Changgan Temple’s relics—a tooth, hair, and ashes of the Buddha, purportedly gifted by India’s Emperor Ashoka. Emperor Wu of Liang, a fervent Buddhist patron, had ordered the temple’s renovation in August 537. On this day, these relics were ceremoniously transported to the palace for veneration. The temple also housed a golden statue believed to be commissioned by Ashoka for his daughter, before which devotees burned sandalwood incense amid celestial music.

The event was a wuzhe dahui (open assembly)—a egalitarian gathering where monks, nuns, lay devotees, and even the destitute received alms. Emperor Wu, the primary benefactor, donated gold, silver, and 10 million coins to the temple.

A Million-Person Procession

Led by Crown Prince Xiao Gang (future Emperor Jianwen), the procession stretched from Jiankang to Changgan Temple, featuring nobles, officials, and even elephants gifted by Vietnam’s Champa kingdom. Historical records note clear skies and an audience of “over a million”—a plausible figure given Jiankang’s 280,000 households (≈1.4 million people) and 100,000 clergy.

Architectural Splendor and Artistic Legacy

By 538 AD, the renovated pagoda was consecrated in another grand assembly. The relics were enshrined in gold and jade urns within a seven-treasure stupa, accompanied by donations from aristocrats. The temple complex expanded dramatically after Emperor Wu expropriated adjacent lands. Crown Prince Xiao Gang contributed 1 million coins, while laborers and monks toiled on construction.

The temple’s murals were painted by Zhang Sengyou, a master ranked alongside Gu Kaizhi and Wu Daozi. His works, described in Records of Famous Paintings Through the Ages, epitomized Liang’s Buddhist artistic renaissance.

Jiankang: Cradle of Southern Buddhism

This event symbolized the golden age of Southern Dynasties Buddhism, later immortalized by Tang poet Du Mu:

“Four hundred eighty temples of the Southern Dynasties,
Countless towers stand in the mist and rain.”

Under Emperor Wu, Jiankang’s temples burgeoned from 500 to 700, rivaling Japan’s Nara in spiritual grandeur.

### From Wu to Liang: A 300-Year Spiritual Journey

1. Seeds of the Faith (3rd Century)
During the Three Kingdoms, Wu’s capital Jianye (later Jiankang) became Buddhism’s southern gateway. Sogdian translator Zhi Qian, patronized by Emperor Sun Quan, produced 49 scriptures including the Lotus Sutra. In 247 AD, Kang Senghui from Vietnam founded Jianchu Temple—the Jiangnan region’s first monastery—near the Qinhuai River’s bustling docks.

2. Aristocratic Embrace (4th Century)
After the Jin Dynasty’s fall, northern nobles transplanted Buddhism southward. Kuchan prince Fotudeng (Buddhajīva) popularized esoteric rites among elites like Wang Dao. Monk Zhi Dun’s lectures on Prajnaparamita Sutra fused Buddhist philosophy with Daoist xuanxue debates, captivating literati.

3. The Dark Side of Patronage
By the late 4th century, court Buddhism grew corrupt. Nun Zhi Miaoyin manipulated Emperor Xiaowu and his brother Sima Daozi, even influencing political appointments. Her Jianjing Temple became a hub for bribery, foreshadowing the Eastern Jin’s collapse.

Legacy: When Religion Shaped a Civilization

The 537 AD assembly marked the zenith of state-supported Buddhism, showcasing:
– Urban Planning: Temple construction redefined Jiankang’s layout, blending sacred and secular spaces.
– Cultural Synthesis: Indian relics met Chinese artistry in Zhang Sengyou’s murals, while Sanskrit chants adapted to local music.
– Social Paradox: Egalitarian ideals coexisted with elite patronage, exposing tensions between spiritual purity and political power.

Though the Liang Dynasty fell in 557 AD, its Buddhist legacy endured through:
– Architectural innovations influencing Tang pagodas
– Doctrinal developments in Tiantai and Pure Land schools
– The model of state-religion relations later adopted by Sui and Tang rulers

Today, Nanjing’s reconstructed Changgan Temple and Qinhuai River district remain testaments to this golden age when faith moved millions—literally and spiritually—in the heart of medieval China.