Translation:History of Guan Yin Hall

by Zhao Mengfu

First eight characters of History of Guan Yin Hall, by Zhao Mengfu

觀音殿記

History of Guan Yin Hall

殿多歷年所，穿風漏雨，凜欲壓。過弗問南，更幾住持。山師祖暉坐丈席，銳以興起，自任謁諸檀信。裒金粟，拮据捋荼，靡憚勞勛，且捐衣鉢，資相其役。際州牧戎帥，咸樂善勸施。撤舊營新，棟隆宇壯，丹楹藻梲，驚耳奪目，恍如小白花，花巖現紫金。宮闕落成日，薌雲滃空。士女趍慶，合爪讚歎。得未曾有，於休哉。暉師請記於余，々告之曰，師知觀世音所以名乎？世閒音可聞，不可觀而觀之也。何居經云，觀其音聲，而得解脫。匪觀以音，觀以心尔。法界唯心，心心相照。當有自得於聲音之外者，是名福德藏，應作如是觀。師湖海尊宿，繇定慧明，教來主是山。闢垣展關，列樹嘉木，群像軒豁，百癈脩舉，兹事尤大，殊勝法書。余吳之鄙人，宋季筮仕于此，久皈敬。大士靈響混一，後十五載重來，又三十稔。若於普門有夙緣，雖不敏，記何敢辭。 延祐七年 (1320) 翰林學士知制誥兼脩國史 趙孟頫書

After a number of years of being ravaged by the wind and rain, the (Guan Yin) Hall had been on the verge of collapsing. Several abbots came and went, but none of them seemed to care. However, when Shanshi Zuhui took over as senior monk, things began to improve. He took it upon himself to personally call in favors from worshipers, collecting money and grain. He worked tirelessly, without complaint, even donating his own alms bowl and mantle in support of the project. As luck would have it, the provincial governor, as well as other local military generals, encouraged the local populace to contribute by doing good works. At last, the old building was torn down, and the new building was erected. The new hall was truly majestic, with its huge vermillion pillars and intricately painted crossbeams. It was truly dazzling. It reminds one of a small white flower, which adorns a vermillion-colored cliff. On the day that construction was completed, fragrant clouds rose high into the sky. Men and women came to celebrate, offer blessings, and marvel at the workmanship. There simply had never been anything like it. When the esteemed abbot asked me to write this inscription, I asked him whether he recalled the origin of the name Guan Yin. It is because Guan Yin can hear the sounds ("yin") of the world; Guan Yin can observe ("guan") these things without physically observing them. That is why it says in the sutras that Guan Yin can observe the sounds of the world, but can achieve detachment from earthly bonds. It has nothing to do with physically observing the sounds; rather, it is observing via the mind. The essence of Buddha-hood is "mind-only," in other words, the ability to link minds together. To perceive the sounds of the world in a non-physical way is the essence of Buddha. We should all observe the world in this way. The new abbot is known throughout the land as a respected monk, whose wisdom has been long-established. He was invited to take over at this mountain monastery. Land was cleared, and the mountain pass was widened. Rows of trees were planted, using only the highest quality woods. The statues within the hall are a sight to see. It is truly a restoration of its former glory, and a remarkable accomplishment, perhaps a greater accomplishment than the authoring of a sutra. I am originally from a small town in Wu. At the end of the Song Dynasty, I served here as a junior official. I have been a devotee of the Buddha since that time. Guan Yin has profoundly influenced my life. As a result, I returned 15 years later. That was 30 years ago. It is as though my fate was bound to Guan Yin's universal door in a previous life. Therefore, even though I am not an accomplished devotee of the Buddha, how could I refuse an opportunity to write this inscription? 7th year of Emperor Renzong's Yanyou era (1320) By Zhao Mengfu, Hanlin Academy scholar, official transcriber of imperial decrees, and editor of national histories