佑(you)民(min)寺(si),佛(fo)教(jiao)禪宗“洪(hong)州(zhou)禪”的(de)發源地,坐落于江西省南(nan)(nan)(nan)昌市。寺(si)廟(miao)始建于南(nan)(nan)(nan)朝梁(liang)天監年間(jian)(502-519年),原為(wei)豫章王蔚綜之師葛(ge)鱘之私(si)宅,因(yin)“鎮蛟龍”捐獻為(wei)寺(si)。唐大歷年間(jian),禪宗高僧(seng)馬祖道一來寺(si)說法,信(xin)徒云集洪(hong)州(zhou),形(xing)成“洪(hong)州(zhou)禪”,佑(you)民(min)寺(si)(時稱“開元(yuan)寺(si)”)成為(wei)當時江南(nan)(nan)(nan)的(de)佛(fo)學中心。后(hou)亦不(bu)斷有新羅僧(seng)人慕名前來入(ru)寺(si)修行,佑(you)民(min)寺(si)的(de)宗風心法被傳播至朝鮮半島(dao)、日(ri)本(ben)等地。此后(hou)佑(you)民(min)寺(si)時毀時修,先后(hou)易稱過承天寺(si)、能仁寺(si)、永寧(ning)寺(si)等名。
佑民寺于1957年被列為全國重點文物保護單位。1986年9月以來,逐步重建,至1991年初,山門、天王殿、大雄寶殿、藥師殿、鐘樓相繼竣工,延僧開放,香火頗盛。南昌“三寶”(佑民寺銅佛、鐘鼓樓銅鐘、普賢寺鐵象)中僅存的銅鐘(南唐鑄,重10064斤)現置于鐘樓內,近代南昌民謠有云:“江西窮又窮,還有三萬六千銅”,即是指此。佑民寺歷代香火鼎盛,享(xiang)譽東亞(ya)、東南亞(ya)。從佑民寺發(fa)端的(de)“洪州禪”,是與石頭宗(zong)并(bing)(bing)列的(de)唐代禪宗(zong)兩大派(pai)系之一,并(bing)(bing)開啟了后世(shi)的(de)臨濟、溈仰、楊(yang)岐、黃龍等佛(fo)教宗(zong)派(pai)。
佑民(min)(min)寺規模約(yue)為八(ba)九千平(ping)方米,佑民(min)(min)寺內分為主殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)及側殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)兩大建(jian)筑群。主殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)內的建(jian)筑包(bao)含了山門、天王殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、銅(tong)佛殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、大雄寶殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、法堂等(deng),而側殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)內的建(jian)筑有尊客寮、客堂、大寮、庫(ku)房、觀音(yin)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、祖師殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、伽藍殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、地藏(zang)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)等(deng)。
佑(you)民(min)寺始建于南朝(chao)(chao)梁天監年間,興盛于唐朝(chao)(chao),至今已(yi)有1400多年的(de)歷(li)史。輝(hui)煌時(shi)(shi)期(qi)的(de)佑(you)民(min)寺,經歷(li)了唐朝(chao)(chao)、宋朝(chao)(chao)、元朝(chao)(chao)、明朝(chao)(chao)、清朝(chao)(chao)等(deng)朝(chao)(chao)代的(de)更替,受戰(zhan)火的(de)波及,佑(you)民(min)寺時(shi)(shi)毀時(shi)(shi)修。由于各種原(yuan)因(yin),佑(you)民(min)寺規模已(yi)不到唐朝(chao)(chao)輝(hui)煌時(shi)(shi)期(qi)的(de)百分(fen)之(zhi)一。原(yuan)本佑(you)民(min)寺有主殿(dian)、左側殿(dian)、右側殿(dian),后來右側殿(dian)已(yi)不復存在。
阿(a)彌陀佛(fo)(又稱“接引佛(fo)”)像(xiang),鑄于嘉(jia)慶年間末。在眾(zhong)信(xin)士的幫助(zhu)下,在后(hou)殿鑄銅(tong)接引佛(fo)一尊,高(gao)1.6丈,重3萬6千(qian)斤。民(min)國年間,南(nan)昌民(min)諺“江西窮是(shi)窮,還有三萬六千(qian)銅(tong)”即指此。
佑民寺(si)銅(tong)鐘(zhong)(zhong)(鐘(zhong)(zhong)樓(lou)(lou))位于南(nan)昌市環湖路37號(江(jiang)西省廣播電視廳宿舍(she))院(yuan)內小(xiao)花園東南(nan)角(jiao)。鐘(zhong)(zhong)樓(lou)(lou)座(zuo)西朝東,4米(mi)(mi)見方(fang),通(tong)(tong)高12.5米(mi)(mi),半球形房頂,房頂一側置一避雷針(zhen)。鐘(zhong)(zhong)樓(lou)(lou)的下面三層(ceng)空置,僅設樓(lou)(lou)梯(ti)上(shang)可四(si)(si)樓(lou)(lou),第四(si)(si)層(ceng)為八方(fang)形,對角(jiao)四(si)(si)面無墻,便于采光和(he)通(tong)(tong)風,其內吊置銅(tong)鐘(zhong)(zhong)。
佑民寺(si)銅鐘(zhong)系南唐大將林仁肇(南唐南部留守(shou)、南昌(chang)尹,后被后主(zhu)毒死)于乾德(de)五年(nian)(公(gong)元967年(nian))鑄,重10.064斤,高七尺(chi)(chi),圍(wei)長一丈四(si)尺(chi)(chi)八寸,鑄有(you)“南唐乾德(de)五年(nian)太(tai)歲丁(ding)卯(mao)重鑄”字樣,是南昌(chang)三寶(bao)(普賢寺(si)鐵像(xiang)、佑民寺(si)銅佛、宋代銅鐘(zhong))中(zhong)僅存的(de)一寶(bao)。銅鐘(zhong)上鑄雙吊耳,肩部三道凸(tu)弦紋(wen),中(zhong)部以大塊方格與豎(shu)條紋(wen)間隔裝飾,中(zhong)下部對稱分置(zhi)四(si)個乳丁(ding)紐,再往下是大塊長方格與豎(shu)條紋(wen)間隔和兩道凸(tu)弦紋(wen),下沿部鑄成波浪形。
南(nan)昌(chang)市內公(gong)交(jiao)車(che)27、30、230路可直達。