The strange phenona of Mang Mountain are clearly visible around Luoyang.
Ten li away from the Dragon Gate Inn is the famous Dragon Gate Grottoes.
This stone cave was carved before Emperor Xiao Wen of Wei moved the capital to Luoyang, experiencing continuous construction through the Eastern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Qi, Sui, Tang, and Five Dynasties, especially with great support during Wu Zetian's period.
For example, the most famous Vairocana Buddha was sculpted in the image of Wu Zetian.
There is a story behind this.
One morning, while Wu Zetian was dressing up, Gaozong praised beside her, "Zitong's features are dignified and noble, with the deanor of a Bodhisattva." Hearing this, Wu Zetian imdiately wiped her tears and said, "No matter how beautiful one is now, a hundred years later, it will all be a pile of bones. Who will know my appearance?"
Gaozong said, "What's difficult about that? I'll command a painter to create a fine portrait of Zitong."
Wu Zetian said, "Although a portrait is good, it's rely a thin piece of paper and cannot be passed down for a thousand years."
"Your Majesty says I have the appearance of a Bodhisattva, why not carve an image on Dragon Gate Mountain?"
Thus, Gaozong ordered an open-air Buddha niche the size of nine rooms to be carved on the cliff of the West Mountain at Dragon Gate, nad the Great Vairocana Niche.
Wu Zetian nad herself "Zhao" to signify illuminating the universe.
And the translation of Vairocana ans "Light Universal," complenting each other well. Even the appearance of the Buddha statue was carved following Wu Zetian's likeness.
To ensure this image would be renowned for generations, Tang Gaozong hired the best craftsn, and Wu Zetian donated twenty thousand strings of coin as makeup expenses, taking three years and nine months to complete. Even today, locals near Dragon Gate still call it the Wu Zetian Statue.
When it was completed, it was dazzling and beca a grand sight of the Great Tang.
Unfortunately, no matter how glorious, it could not withstand the erosion of ti.
Today, the surface of the statue has already faded and beco mottled due to years of weathering, coupled with several wars, it's further damaged in many places, appearing dilapidated.
In front of the statue, two elderly monks stood watching.
These two were the Abbot and the head of the monastery of Xiangshan Temple.
The Buddhist sect around Luoyang is relatively powerful.
Besides Baima Temple, there are the Ten Temples of Dragon Gate.
These ten temples have a long history, with Xiangshan Temple being the foremost.
Back then, Bai Juyi even donated six or seven hundred thousand strings of coin to renovate Xiangshan Temple and wrote "The Record of Renovating Xiangshan Temple," praising: Among the Ten Temples of Dragon Gate, Xiangshan is the best.
Like Shangqing Palace, Xiangshan Temple also harbors great ambitions.
But their goal is not to please the Emperor but to continue building the Dragon Gate Grottoes, creating more Buddha statues, so that this Buddhist Sacred Land can pass down for millennia, with their nas engraved in history.
Even relying on their rits to attain Western Paradise.
Such a grand project obviously requires imnse funds.
For this reason, Xiangshan Temple tried every ans to raise money, often ridiculed by the local Confucians in Luoyang.
But in the face of these obsessions, what's a little bit of infamy?
At this mont, the two were fully focused on looking at the Buddha statue above.
Restoring the Dragon Gate Grottoes, the priority is the Great Vairocana Buddha.
Having endured the ravages of ti and war, this world-renowned Buddha statue has suffered multiple damages, and restoration work has been ongoing for several years, but due to intermittent funding, the project has also been prolonged.
The wooden scaffolding has long been covered with dust.
All other workers have left, but an elderly man sits cross-legged beside the hand of the statue.
He is tall, with tattered clothes, long white hair cascading down, and a vigorous face, appearing unruly, but his eyes are serene like a lake. He held a stone hamr and chisel, carefully tapping on the Buddha's hand.
With the crisp sound of tinkling, listone powder scattered.
The Buddha's hand gradually revealed palm lines.
A closer look showed the palm lines were actually composed of the Sanskrit "Diamond Sutra."
With a blow from the elder, the text was fully revealed.
"Marvelous."
The Abbot of Xiangshan Temple, Master Kuzu, sighed, "Master Lu's detailed carving is unmatched in Luoyang. A touch lighter won't work, a touch heavier neither; the force control rests in minute detail."
"The lines of the Buddha are all carved from Buddhist scriptures. Once completed, we'll invite the Mystic Sect Craftsn to consecrate and enlighten. When the common people worship, they can hear the Buddha's voice in their hearts, and the entire Buddhist community will be shaken."
"Entrust it to him, and this monuntal task will surely be accomplished!"
"The Abbot is right."
The smiling face of the elderly abbot beside him also lit up, "The key is Master Lu's obsession with his craft, indifferent to money, which allows us to breathe easier."
Upon hearing this, the smile on the face of the Abbot of Xiangshan Temple, Master Kuzu, couldn't be restrained. He nodded and said, "This is causality; if not for Master Lu's noble character, he wouldn't have honed his skills to such a degree."
"Rember, once it's done, offer a Longevity Lamp to the master in the Great Hall."
"The Abbot is right."
As the two spoke, their expressions suddenly stiffened.
A sudden strong wind whipped up around them, moisture condensed on Vairocana Buddha and flowed down through its eyes as if tears were shed, and the original faded paint on the statue and around the niche began to peel off.
Rumble!
The surrounding ground trembled, with stones and soil falling from the top of the stone cave.
"No good, the Earth Vein is shaking!"
"What happened?"
The two elder monks, followers of the Mystic Sect, imdiately sensed the unusual ground energy.
Even Master Lu, who was sculpting above, stiffened all over, and his arm's force changed.
Clink! A crisp sound echoed.
A crack appeared at the wrist of the big Buddha, then with a rumble, it rolled down.
The two elder monks, seeing this, turned red in the face.
This big Buddha has stood for years; even if restored, it cannot be perfect like new. They didn't know how much manpower and resources it would take.
How could it be so fragile under slight praise?
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