General Zhu Qinglan bronze statue

By Zhu Baoqi, FJNET, May 11, 2006

Shaanxi, China -- On May 5, 2006, Famen Monastery held General Zhu Qinglan Museum Opening Ceremony & Bronze Statue Unveiling Ceremony.

Zhu Qinglan was born in 1874, Shaoxing, Zhejiang. After 1925, he quit from the political arena, devoting his passion into the society charity and salvation. In 1930, his heart was filled with compassion when his eyes contacted with the scene of desolation and decay of Famen Monastery.

Therefore, Zhu Qinglan appealed all the people could contribute funds generously for the restoring of Famen Monastery and people returned a positive response. In 1938, the rebuilding project was set up.

Facing numerous treasures in Famen Monastery, the policy which Zhu Qinglan adopted is "Seal where the treasures are". Because he considered if the treasures were allowed to move from here and there, being lost or being stolen was inevitable.

Thanks for the great support from enthusiastic common people, Zhu Qinglan led workers restored the desolate Famen Monastery Stupa. And for the intention of protecting treasure, he didn¡¯t publicize the discovery of the Tang Dynasty Underground Palace and left it remained undisturbed for decades.

And the treasures which were hiding in this very Tang Dynasty Underground Palace stunned the whole world: the Tang Dynasty Underground Palace, four Buddha Finger Bone Relics and thousands of treasures which offering to Buddha in Tang Dynasty.

In addition, Zhu Qinglan restored the Bronze Buddha Hall, Bell Hall and Drum Hall, and the Great Hero's Jeweled Hall. He invited Ven. Liangqing to administrate Famen Monastery getting through the war turmoil till the liberation of the whole country.

Zhu Qinglan, he is a pioneer in the protection of the cultural relics. Wherever he go, the Buddhist construction there were protected and restored.

In Zhu Qinglan's mind, the trace of fortune and fame can not be found. He is a broad-minded kind man who spent all his time and energy to love people and help them. He developed incurable disease by hard working for the survival and the livelihood of the refugee, for the promotion of education, for the protection of the cultural relics. He passed away in 1941, age 67.  [Translator: Wang Xinyu]