boyutpedia Chapter 17 The Jiao God Temple is completed!
Chapter 17 The Jiao God Temple is completed!
Shixi Village.
Unprecedentedly busy.
Building the shrine to the Dragon God and sculpting a lifelike statue of the deity became the most sacred and urgent top priority for all the men, women, and children in the village.
Lin Shi took the lead without hesitation, coordinating with the villagers, and all tasks were carried out in an orderly and rapid manner.
The first step is site selection.
Lin Shi personally led Sun Ming and several village elders to carefully survey the area between the stone niche and the Bibo Pool. They finally selected a slightly elevated spot that was backed by a natural bluestone rock and faced the deep pool.
Sun Ming and the whole village were very satisfied, believing that with a strong backing, a bright hall in front, and a direct view of the sacred pool, it was the perfect place for the deity to reside.
Next comes the preparation of materials.
The men were divided into several teams.
One team went up the mountain to find the straightest and sturdiest pine and cypress wood to use as beams and pillars.
The wood must be thick and straight to show reverence for the gods.
A team searched far and wide for suitable bluestone strips and slabs to serve as the foundation and walls.
The stones are selected from those that have been smoothed by flowing water from pools or mountain streams, symbolizing "closeness to water" and "cleanliness".
Another team was responsible for clearing the site and digging the foundation.
The women were in charge of logistics, boiling water and cooking, while the children were mobilized to move small stones and clear weeds.
Based on his research findings and drawing on ancient architectural regulations, Lin Shi determined that the new ancestral hall should be situated facing south towards Bibo Pool, ensuring that the statue of the dragon god would face the deepest part of Bibo Pool. At the same time, the ancestral hall entrance should be able to receive the first rays of morning light, ensuring that the earth's energy could be gathered and that communication with the true body in the pool could be achieved.
It consists of a main hall and a side hall.
The main hall is spacious and houses statues of the dragon god and a stone toad. In front of it are an incense table and an offering altar.
The side hall was used for preparing sacrificial offerings and storing items.
A spacious square was left in front of the hall to accommodate the entire village's collective worship.
On the day the main beam was erected, Lin Shi specially arranged a small ceremony.
As everyone worked together to raise the pine beam to the roof position, a cool and moist breeze suddenly drifted from the direction of Bibo Pool, carrying a light mist, which just relieved the heat of the craftsmen.
The villagers were very excited, believing it to be an endorsement from the Dragon God, which fueled their enthusiasm and accelerated their progress.
The foundation was built with thick bluestone blocks, making it exceptionally solid. The walls were constructed with regular stones mixed with rammed clay. Although not as exquisite as bricks and tiles, they possessed a rustic and dignified sense of strength.
A ceremony is held when the main beam is erected.
Lin Shi tied a red cloth inscribed with "Blessed by the Dragon God" to the beam. The roof was covered with thick thatch and wooden tiles, with slightly upturned eaves. Although not ornate, it stood out solemnly in this mountain village.
The interior layout of the ancestral temple is simple.
Facing the main entrance is a raised stone platform used to enshrine the true form of the dragon god.
The stone platform is slightly off to one side, with a lower space reserved in front of it to house the original stone toad incarnation, creating a layout that is both distinct in its primary and secondary elements and yet harmoniously integrated.
The walls inside the shrine are left blank. After the statue of the deity is placed in the shrine, someone can be asked to paint some simple murals about the dragon god bringing rain and exorcising evil spirits.
While the ancestral hall was being built, the carving of the true image of the dragon god was also carried out simultaneously.
early morning.
The sun rises in the east.
The world was clear and bright.
Lin Shi pushed open the wooden door, walked into the thatched shed, and glanced at it. A huge stone was placed in the center, and a man around fifty years old was standing next to it.
The carving of the true form of the dragon god is of paramount importance in the construction of the new ancestral hall.
Lin Shi searched along Bibo Pool for three days and three nights, and found a strange, dark green boulder that had been washed down by a flash flood and was half-buried in the mud and sand in a shallow beach upstream. Its texture was fine and not like ordinary mountain rocks, and its color was deep and close to the pool water. Under the sunlight, it had faint, fine, scale-like natural patterns, and it was cool to the touch.
Without hesitation, Lin Shi made the decision, gathered the villagers, and with great effort, transported the hundreds of kilograms of boulder back to the village, placed it in the new ancestral hall square, and built a thatched shed for protection.
"Uncle Shi."
Lin Shi called out.
The important task of sculpting the statue fell to Shi Ping.
This is the most skilled old stonemason in the village. He is taciturn and doesn't say a word for half a day, so he is nicknamed "Old Stone Slowpoke".
"This stone perfectly embodies the spirit of the dragon god, and has been imbued with the essence of heaven and earth, making it a divinely bestowed material for carving a true likeness. There is only one of its kind."
"The statue is the embodiment of the true form of the dragon god. It will be worshipped by all people in the future, and it is a connection with the divine will. This is no ordinary thing. When carving it, one must have the utmost reverence in one's heart. Under the chisel, one is not only carving stone, but also sculpting a human form for the god."
Lin Shi looked solemn.
"I'm clumsy and clumsy, I'm afraid I won't carve it well and offend the gods."
Old Man Shi, filled with awe and reverence for the gods, nervously rubbed his hands together repeatedly.
"Your craftsmanship is unmatched in the village, and what's even more precious is your sincerity. Don't worry about whether your appearance is exactly like a real dragon."
"The head and horns should appear majestic, the body should have the strength to hold its ground, and the scales and armor should convey a sense of solemnity and majesty."
"The most important thing is Shen Yun."
"You can come here every morning to sit quietly, observe the depth of the pool, contemplate the majesty of the deity, and wait until your mind is calm before you begin to carve."
"I will assist you by providing you with descriptions of the dragon's form from ancient texts."
"As long as you are sincere."
"Success is certain."
"The Flood Dragon God will tell you what to do!"
Lin Shi comforted Shi Laonian.
Shi Ping gradually calmed down and nodded emphatically.
Lin Shi washed his hands, burned incense, picked up the willow branch he had prepared, dipped it in the clear water infused with the "toad pearl," and sprinkled it on the dark green boulder.
"Awaken the Spirit!"
"Use surgery!"
Lin Shi looked solemn, put down the willow branch in his hand, dipped his middle finger in water, pressed it with his thumb, and gently flicked it out of the air, letting out a soft shout.
Shi Laonian picked up the carving knife and steadily made the first cut, causing stone powder to fall like dust.
Shi Laonian abandoned all his chores and would come to the boulder before dawn every day. He would sit and meditate for a long time before carefully beginning to carve. He was focused on every chisel stroke, not carving stone, but engaging in a sacred dialogue.
Lin Shi often came to look at the statue, and occasionally he would offer some minor suggestions for adjustment, based on "records in ancient books" or "dreams", to make the statue's form more majestic and dynamic.
Ever since Shi Laonian carved the statue, several strange things have happened in the village:
First, someone vaguely heard a low, strange sound coming from inside the thatched hut, similar to the friction of stones, but saw nothing unusual.
Then several children confidently claimed that they saw a faint, dark green glow flowing near the unfinished statue at night.
The most amazing thing is that one morning, Shi Laonian discovered that the stone chips on the dragon's eye area, which had just been carved into its initial shape, were faintly damp, as if the stone statue was "weeping" or "sweating".
Lin Shi smiled. These were all his little tricks, secretly played by the dragon's supernatural powers as it gradually recovered by absorbing more and more spiritual energy from the bottom of the pool.
Lin Shi told the villagers that this was because "the sacred stone has a spirit, and the response is about to be fulfilled," which further inspired the villagers' awe and anticipation.
It was late at night.
Lin Shi stood in front of the ancestral hall, gazing at the dragon god statue covered in red cloth, its majestic outline faintly visible, his heart filled with anticipation.
Throughout the construction process, he acted as the chief consultant and supervisor, ensuring that every step conformed to the sacred standards he set. The dragon's avatar at the bottom of the pool would often subtly stir the water's spiritual energy in the still of the night, making the air near the temple under construction exceptionally fresh, occasionally shrouded in a thin mist, creating an atmosphere of a divine abode, further strengthening the villagers' faith.
After nearly a month of tireless efforts from the entire village, a simple yet solemn "Jiaoshen Shrine" was completed. The lifelike statue of the Jiaoshen, meticulously carved by Shi Laonian, was polished and is now ready for the "consecration" ceremony before it can be placed in the shrine and seated on the altar.
Lin Shi had a vague feeling that the moment the statue was enshrined in the shrine and formally received incense offerings would be a crucial moment in verifying his concept of the transmission of faith. This was not merely a building or a statue, but a key link in his planned, more efficient belief system.
At the bottom of the pool, the dragon sensed the increasingly concentrated field on the shore, closely connected to its own image. The temple and the statue seemed to be a forming, more powerful node for receiving and converging information, and a hint of unprecedented expectation was faintly emerging in its cold, vertical pupils.