Archaeologists have spent months excavating¹ a lost temple that disappeared for nearly a millennium² in downtown Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province.

 

考古学家在四川成都耗费数月时间挖掘出一座消失的庙宇，这座庙宇在成都市区消失了将近一千年。
 

 

The Fugan Temple was a famous temple that lasted from the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420) to the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279).

 

Daoxuan, a famous Tang Dynasty (618-907) monk³, once wrote that an official rite⁴ to pray for rain to end a persistent⁵ drought was held in front of the temple, and it rained as if the prayers had been heard in heaven.

 

The story was the record of how the temple got its name, Fugan, which means "perceive the blessing⁶."

 

Famous Tang Dynasty poet Liu Yuxi left a poem to commemorate⁷ the temple's renovation⁸, describing its heavenly appearance. The poem further noted⁹ the temple's important role at that time.

 

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.

 

Archaeologists unearthed¹⁰ more than 1,000 tablets inscribed¹¹ with Buddhist¹² scriptures¹³ and over 500 pieces of stone sculpture as well as glazed¹⁴ tiles with inscriptions¹⁵.

 

"We have only excavated¹⁶ a part of the temple's area, but already have a glimpse of its past glory," said Yi Li, who led the excavation¹⁷ project.

点击收听单词发音