Kim Gyo-gak

Kim Gyo-gak

Kim Gyo-gak (A.D.696-794), price of ancient Silla country (current Korea) visited China in A.D. 719 when Buddhism attracted many followers from Japan and Korea in the Tang Dynasty He went through Yangtze River and was attracted by the vast basin winging streams, dense vegetation and towering Jiuhua peaks which maybe agreed with his philosophy of cultivation place"magnificence, comeliness, nourishment and tranquility". he built a simple temple in the present Huacheng Temple and cultivated himself for 75 years. He passed away at the age of 99, and his flesh body didn't rot. And he was regarded as incarnation of Ksitigarbha Buddhisattva by his followers who built a flesh body tower in Shenguang Ridge for worshiping him. Kim Gyo-gak adhered to the spirit of perseverance “I will not become a Buddhist until I deliver all living creatures from the hell and benevolent emotion “May all wishes come true”, these ideas are still of universal significance nowadays.

Dizang Pusa is called as Ksitigarbha in Sanskrit. The earth can take on everything, including magnificent mountains and precipitous ridges, which are compared to merits of Ksitigarbha that bear various sufferings of Beings. Zang inherits the earth and is of the earth’s merit. Ksitigarbha possesses all kinds of merits just like the earth and liberates all beings from tough austerities. Kim Gyo-gak, as the incarnation of Jiuhuashan Ksitigarbha Buddhisattva, was born in royal family of Silla, so the Chinese character King was added to respect him.

Flesh Palace

Kim Gyo-gak Built Huacheng Temple

Huacheng Temple(Today)