Several great monks have achieved incorruptible bodies after their passing on China’s Jiuhua Mountain. Master Daxing, born in the late Qing Dynasty, is one of them. He was known for his kindness and generosity, enduring hardship and rigorous practice.
Master Daxing, whose courtesy name was Liaowei, was originally named Zhu Maohe. He was born in 1894 in Zhujia Village, Zhuzhen Township, Taihu County, Anhui Province, and had a difficult childhood. In 1918, he followed his grandfather Zhu Hanchen to study Buddhism in Lianhuatang in Tunxi, Anhui. Later, due to the chaotic wars between the northern and southern warlords, he was forced to serve as a soldier for six years.
During his military service, he remained devoted to Buddhism. In 1925, he escaped from the army and went to Baishou Palace in Jiuhua Mountain to become a monk. After ordination, he dedicated himself to hard labor, such as carrying water and grain. Jiuhua Mountain is one of China’s four central Buddhist mountains in Chizhou, Anhui Province.
In 1931, he went to Gulin Wanshou Temple in Nanjing and became a disciple of Master Guohui. Subsequently, he traveled to the three major mountains of Wutai, Emei, and Putuo. In 1936, he returned to Baishou Palace in Jiuhua Mountain and served as the “water head” for five years, leading people to fetch water for the monks every day.
Master Daxing accused of rape
In the foothills of Jiuhua Mountain, a wealthy family had a daughter who was betrothed to a suitable young man. Three years before the official wedding, the daughter gave birth to a child at her parents’ home. Under intense questioning, she claimed: “Master Daxing raped me during a visit to the temple on Jiuhua Mountain, which resulted in this pregnancy.” Enraged, her father stormed into the temple with thugs, publicly humiliating and beating Master Daxing, and left the child with him. Master Daxing, remaining calm, accepted the child and said: “Amitabha!”
From then on, Master Daxing, who was once highly respected, became the subject of ridicule and was scorned as a “lecherous monk.” However, he did not mind and went down the mountain daily to beg for milk for the child. Under his meticulous care, the child grew up healthy and intelligent, and three years passed quickly.
The young lady got married officially. Her husband inquired about the child on the wedding night, and she tearfully recounted the entire story. The next day, the couple confessed to their parents that the child was their own and that they had falsely accused Master Daxing. On the third day, taking advantage of the bride’s return to her parents’ home, they told her parents the truth. The parents were stunned and deeply regretful.
Both families and the couple went to the temple to apologize to Master Daxing, kneeling and begging for forgiveness. They requested that the child be taken back. Master Daxing happily handed over the child, saying cheerfully: “Take him back! Amitabha!” He then returned to his meditation room, his demeanor unchanged. From then on, the monks and locals admired and respected Master Daxing even more.
In 1958, he went to Shuangxi Temple in the back of Jiuhua Mountain to herd cattle. At Shuangxi Temple, he lived a simple life, was not picky about food, grew some grains and vegetables, and often ate irregularly. Despite this, he was diligent in his Buddhist practices, combining labor and meditation.
He practiced daily, often climbing the steep Nine Sons Rock behind the temple to meditate on the Pantuo Stone, where Jin Qiaojue (the founder of Jiuhua Mountain) had practiced for 15 years. Regardless of the weather, he never missed a day. His practice made him light-footed and agile, with an extraordinary presence. Despite his slender and bony frame, he was full of vitality.
Master Daxing became a ‘crazy monk’
During the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), Jiuhua Mountain, like many other places, suffered greatly. Monks and nuns were forced to return to secular life. During this time, locals often saw a wandering “crazy monk” wearing straw sandals and tattered clothes, muttering “empty, empty, empty” as he roamed around, resembling the legendary Ji Gong. This “crazy monk” was Master Daxing.
Many locals knew he was pretending to be mad to avoid worldly troubles and continue his peaceful Buddhist life. The kind-hearted locals let him live freely as a “crazy monk.” He continued to live at Shuangxi Temple, herding cattle, growing vegetables, chanting scriptures, and practicing.
In February 1985, he accidentally fell in the temple, making walking or standing difficult. He spent his days lying or sitting, continuously chanting “Amitabha.” Three days before his death, at the age of 91, he stopped eating entirely. On February 17, he loudly chanted “Amitabha” several times. Hearing this, the monks in the temple gathered in his meditation room and chanted “Amitabha” with him.
He left a final message: “I am a saint of a hundred years; do not cremate me.” With that, he passed away with a smile. Seven days later, the temple preserved his body in a jar, covered it with straw, and built a shelter around it. In 1986, villagers voluntarily exhumed the site and raised funds to build a circular brick tower with an inscription to commemorate him.
In the winter of 1989, the tower was dismantled after three years and six months, and the jar was opened. This revealed that Master Daxing’s face was serene, as if he were merely sleeping, looking just as he did in life. It is said that such a state can only be achieved through profound and exceptional Buddhist practice. With the approval of the Buddhist Association, his body was gilded and enshrined on Jiuhua Mountain.
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