A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Starting from the Village Chief

Chapter 780 The Wind Blows
Leaving the east gate of Luoyang city.

After riding a horse for more than ten miles, you will reach the White Horse Temple.

In front of the red temple gate stand two striking stone horses, exquisitely carved.

The gate tower of Baima Temple is tall and magnificent.

"This temple gate was newly built three years ago; the original temple gate was destroyed in the chaos of the Sui Dynasty."

Once the fighting stopped, Baima Temple was completely renewed.

"This White Horse Temple is huge; the monks have to ride horses to close the mountain gate!"

Li Yi thought of Wuji Temple, where houses collapsed and a rainstorm caused a cliff to collapse, killing the old Taoist priest Li.

The wind is blowing softly.

Snowflakes are falling.

In times of chaos, bodhisattvas do not concern themselves with affairs; Laozi carries his sword to save the world from turmoil. In times of prosperity, Buddhism flourishes; Taoists cultivate themselves in seclusion deep in the mountains.

In fact, Li Yi had also visited Baima Temple a few years ago.

At that time, Luoyang was still ruled by Wang Shichong, and the White Horse Temple had already been destroyed in the tug-of-war between Wang Shichong and Li Mi.
The Prince of Qin of the Tang Dynasty led his army to attack Luoyang.

Both the White Horse Temple and the Shaolin Temple sent warrior monks to serve and assist the Tang army.

The reason, however, is simple and unpretentious.

Because Wang Shichong was trapped in the Luoyang area for a long time and was short of food, he set his sights on the money and grain in the temples in Henan, and requisitioned and borrowed grain from them.

Therefore, the monks became dissatisfied.

When the Tang army attacked Luoyang, they immediately sent money and food to the Tang camp and also sent warrior monks to support them.

The story of the thirteen Shaolin monks saving the King of Qin is a mix of truth and fiction.

On the battlefield outside Luoyang, Li Shimin encountered danger several times, but he was saved by Yuchi Gong, Qiu Xinggong, Duan Zhixuan, Zhang Shigui, Qin Shubao and others.

The monks made the right bet.
Wang Shichong did not hold out until the end, and the Tang army captured Luoyang. After the battle, rewards were distributed according to merit, and the monks of Baima Temple, Shaolin Temple, and other temples also received considerable rewards.

Not only were all the lands seized from the temples by Wang Shichong and others returned, but a considerable amount of land was also bestowed upon them.

For example, the Shaolin Temple was granted forty hectares of land and a millstone in one go.

Baima Temple was also granted several thousand acres of farmland.

Thanks to this connection, Baima Temple regained its former prosperity in just a few years.

The mountain gate is even more magnificent.

Along the central axis, five grand halls stand tall.

The Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Great Buddha Hall, the Great Hero Hall, the Hall of Reception, and the Vairocana Hall are all magnificent, and they were all rebuilt in recent years.

On either side of the five main halls are bell and drum towers, gatehouses, and a scripture repository. The courtyard is filled with pine and cypress trees, which complement the red walls and green tiles of the main halls.
Smoke curled in the air.

Leaden clouds hung low in the sky, and snowflakes danced lightly in the wind.

Upon hitting the ground, it instantly melted away.

The temple bell rang.

The mountain gate was wide open.

The three senior monks of the temple led the monks to personally greet them.

Li Yi gazed into the distance.

More than ten monks in purple robes couldn't help but sigh, "This White Horse Temple truly lives up to its reputation as the ancestral temple of Buddhism. Those who are bestowed with purple robes are all eminent monks and virtuous masters, which shows its lofty status."

"This humble monk, Abbot Huiyin of Baima Temple, along with the monks of our temple, respectfully welcomes Minister Li."

I had long heard of Huiyin's great reputation; I heard he was very virtuous and had even lectured the emperor.

He is said to be over eighty years old, but he looks quite young, energetic, and has a beard like silver threads.

What's most special is his eyebrows.

It is white and long.

Huiyin had a kind and benevolent face.

With a smile on his face, Li Yi entered the mountain gate at his respectful invitation.

There are many monks in the temple, and Huiyin did not hide the fact that there are now more than two thousand monks in the temple. These two thousand monks have all come to join us in recent years. Many of them were originally monks from other temples, but came to join Baima Temple because their temples were destroyed in the war.

Some were not originally monks, but later became monks at the White Horse Temple.

Of the more than two thousand monks, apart from the martial monks who practiced martial arts and protected the temple every day, the rest of the monks only chanted scriptures and worshipped Buddha; they did not undertake any labor.

The temple has a large number of lay Buddhists.
From the management of the temple's assets to daily chores, everything was handled by these lay servants.

These laypeople included those employed by the temple and lay Buddhists who came to serve the temple free of charge.

Baima Temple has stricter requirements in this regard.

Monks do not directly handle matters related to secular affairs or money; these are handled by lay attendants, such as purchasing goods for the temple, lending money from the kitchen, and pawning goods from the longevity treasury.

There was also the acceptance of offerings of sesame oil, the collection of rent from temple fields, and the operation of workshops and industries such as mills, oil presses, and cart shops.

All of this was handled by the eunuchs.

Even the miscellaneous tasks such as sweeping and cooking in the temple were handled by dedicated servants.

Li Yi was greatly surprised upon hearing this.
So what are the more than two thousand monks in this temple doing?

All they do all day is chant sutras and recite Buddhist scriptures, and do nothing else?

No wonder so many monks come to Baima Temple; with such good conditions, who wouldn't want to come?

Accompanied by the Three Masters and a group of monks in charge, Li Yi toured the area.
Bow to the Buddha whenever you encounter him.

Burn incense when you see a Buddha.

The entire White Horse Temple covers a vast area and was almost entirely rebuilt after the war. Countless devout men and women donated funds to its reconstruction, including gifts from two emperors.
Even the Governor's Office of Luozhou donated money and silk to help.

Luoyang city is still somewhat dilapidated, but the White Horse Temple has been rebuilt in a magnificent and splendid manner.

The more than two thousand monks all wore clean and tidy robes without a single patch.

They've all been raised to be plump and healthy.

This truly is a paradise on earth.

"Are there more than two thousand monks in the temple?" Li Yi asked. "Yes, during the Sui Dynasty's chaos, many Buddhist temples in the surrounding area were destroyed in the war, and many monks were displaced and eventually came to my White Horse Temple..."

Vina Huishi quickly replied.

Li Yi sat down and asked, "Do they have ordination certificates?"

One sentence left Hui Shi stunned.

Li Yi continued, “The Buddha’s teachings prioritize purity and tranquility, urging people to distance themselves from worldly defilements and eliminate greed. This is why he widely proclaimed his virtuous deeds, cultivated good roots, enlightened the ignorant, and served as a guide for all beings.”

However, after the chaos of the Sui Dynasty,

There are despicable companions who consider themselves superior, lazy people who shirk their duties and arbitrarily shave their heads, claiming to be monks, and who are insatiable in their desires and ceaseless in their pursuits.

They went in and out of the villages, drove livestock, collected goods, made a living by farming and weaving, and established a business of trading. Their work was the same as that of registered households, and their actions were the same as those of ordinary people.

Furthermore, they personally carried out plundering, broke into spies, fabricated falsehoods, and colluded with powerful and cunning individuals.

Li Yi's words caused the monks to look grave.

Li Yi continued, "The land of the monastery is originally called the Pure Abode, a place to dwell in the mind, and it should be secluded and quiet."

The White Horse Temple had over two thousand monks, a truly astonishing number.
Those who diligently practice and uphold the precepts should be granted ordination certificates, registered in the monastic register, and each monk should be granted twenty mu of land.

Those who are unable to diligently practice the precepts and whose conduct is lacking are unfit to be supported and should be dismissed and allowed to return to their hometowns.

Li Yi proposed to put the two thousand monks of Baima Temple to an examination, just like the previous examination of the three-tiered monks in Chang'an and the examination of the three thousand six hundred monks selected by the Water and Land Assembly.

The ten Buddhist scriptures are selected by the monks, who choose three for an examination, which consists of pasting the scriptures, writing their interpretations, and an interview.

Those who pass the test are considered truly devout practitioners, and the imperial court grants them ordination certificates, along with twenty mu of land allocated to each monk.

If it doesn't pass, one must be exiled and forced to return to secular life.

Those who cannot keep the precepts and whose conduct is corrupt are directly forced to return to secular life.

Huida remained silent and did not respond.

Knowing that Li Yi's visit was ill-intentioned, they didn't expect that his cheerful words would leave no room for negotiation.

Hui Shi arranged a very lavish vegetarian feast.

Vegetarian dishes made primarily with mushrooms, abalone, fruits, vegetables, and bean products.

But it looks like a meat dish. The vegetarian meat made mainly of winter melon looks just like Dongpo pork. The vegetarian ribbonfish made mainly of yam is almost indistinguishable from the real thing.

There's also vegetarian chicken, vegetarian meatballs...

A large table of vegetarian dishes, but most of them looked like chicken, duck, fish, and meat.

“Please try our temple’s vegetarian dishes, Master Situ. These vegetarian chicken and vegetarian meat dishes not only look similar, but also taste very similar,” Venerable Hui Shi said with a smile.

Li Yi looked at the vegetarian dishes on the table, quite puzzled.
If we can't eat meat, why make vegetarian dishes look and taste like meat dishes?

Is this piety?

Is this self-deception or fooling Buddha?
Seemingly sensing Li Yi's dissatisfaction, Hui Shi quickly explained that the vegetarian meals in the temple were usually prepared for believers.

Li Yi understood instantly.
A vegetarian feast like this in front of him is something that ordinary believers would never be able to enjoy when they come to burn incense. It is probably only those who donate a lot or those who are powerful and wealthy families with high status who can enjoy it.

For the average pilgrim, being able to eat a bowl of auspicious eight-treasure rice is already considered quite good.

Li Yide admitted,

The vegetarian feast at Baima Temple is truly remarkable.

This level of quality is enough to crush many restaurants.

The radish dumplings were delicious, the osmanthus glutinous rice and yam cake was also good, and the vegetarian braised pork made with winter melon was a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate.

Li Yi felt that
If we poach the chef who makes vegetarian dishes at the White Horse Temple and open a vegetarian restaurant in Luoyang, his skills would definitely make the business thrive.

After dinner,

Hui Shi invited Li Yi to have tea.
Loose tea was specially prepared.

"Having heard that the Holy Emperor will lead his officials to Luoyang, Baima Temple is willing to offer forty hectares of land and four thousand shi of grain."

Li Yi held the teacup.

They were unmoved by the donations of land and grain proposed by Hui Shiti.

He said, “There are too many monks from outside the White Horse Temple. I think these monks should return to their original temples. As for those bald laymen who do not abide by the precepts, they should also be sent back to their hometowns.”

White Horse Temple
Leaving behind a thousand monks is already a bit too many.

Hui Shi gritted his teeth and said, "The White Horse Temple is located in the six counties of Huai and Meng on the north bank of the Yellow River, and there are also six hundred hectares of irrigated and dry lands bestowed by the previous dynasty. I am now willing to offer them all to the court."

Li Yi blew on the tea leaves.

"How much farmland does Baima Temple own now? I heard it's over two thousand hectares?"

Hui Shi quickly shook his head, "No, no, the temple only has a little over 1,600 hectares."

"Over 1,600 hectares, that's more than 160,000 mu! Nowadays, most households in Chang'an and the surrounding areas are only allocated 20 to 30 mu of land."

"Your temple has so much land; it could be distributed to seventy or eighty thousand households."

Hui Shi complained, “Actually, not all of the more than 1,600 hectares of land belong to us. More than 600 hectares of land are actually just nominally ours.”

"And those six hundred hectares of land in Huaimeng have always been military settlements and haven't been returned to our monastery yet."

"Our temple's actual temple lands amount to only three or four hundred hectares, all of which were given to landless refugees who had been displaced since the chaos of the Sui Dynasty to cultivate..."

Li Yi didn't come to listen to his complaints.

"I've heard that your White Horse Temple has already lent out tens of thousands of shi of grain, and still has tens of thousands of shi of grain in its granaries?"

“Master Situ, these are just rumors spread by outsiders. We only own three or four hundred hectares of actual temple land, and the annual rent is only a few thousand shi (a unit of dry measure)…”

Li Yi put down his teacup.
"Does Zen Master Huishi think I, Li Yi, am the kind of person who speaks carelessly?"

At this moment, the abbot Huida spoke up, "Minister Li, we are willing to donate all our stored grain, which is about 10,000 shi (a unit of dry measure), to the imperial court."

Li Yi shook his head.

"I think it's enough for Baima Temple to keep two hundred monks and three hundred novices. Three thousand shi of millet is enough for five hundred people a year."

If each of the five hundred monks is given twenty mu of monastic land, then a hundred qing of land will be sufficient!

(End of this chapter)