重元寺一作重玄寺，为南梁古刹，始建于天监二年(503)，与寒山寺、保圣寺同属“南朝四百八十寺”之列。原建于苏州东中市北，唐代诗人韦应物曾登临寺阁远眺，有诗云：“始见吴郡大，十里郁苍苍。山川表明丽，湖海吞大荒……”此寺历千年沧桑，屡兴屡废，终于湮没。近年苏州工业园区在阳澄湖南岸恢复重建，新的重元寺，建筑面积二千三百多平方米，广场均用花岗石石板铺砌，大雄宝殿高三十八米，是国内寺庙中规模最大的单体建筑。古刹重光，不啻是佛教徒和旅游者的福音。

　　但韦应物的诗句可能有艺术夸张之处，在城内寺阁，他未必能见到“湖海吞大荒”的景象。倒是今天的重元寺就在阳澄湖畔，不必登阁也可望见一片浩淼烟波。如果踏上寺前湖上的“莲座”，进入高四十六米的观音阁，再登上高层，可一览阳澄三湖的全景。阁内观音像高三十三米，为国内最高室内观音立像。像体用八十吨青铜铸成，重量也为国内之最。除小部分彩绘外，通体贴金。菩萨手持的洒水杨枝只能用一株柳树代替，才合比例。

　　重建的重元寺，庄严宽敞，古今结合，整体建筑结构及布局均按传统寺庙规范建造，又配有电梯、电瓶游览车等设备，古色古香又别具现代气息。

　　如今，重元寺与苏州寒山寺、台湾佛光山寺等结为姐妹寺院，共同为弘扬佛法、研究佛学及继承和发扬佛教文化而努力。

　　[朱红撰文]

　　The Chongyuan Temple, otherwise called Chongxuan, was a temple of the Southern Liang Dynasty. It was built in AD 503, with the Hanshan Temple and the Baosheng Temple being its peers. It was located in the north of Dongzhongshi of Suzhou. Wei Yingwu, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, once mounted this temple and looked afar, “On the vast land of Wu are exuberant trees and plantations. Its hills and rivers are beautiful, and its lakes engulf the great bleakness”. But unfortunately, the temple collapsed and had been rebuilt a couple of times and eventually slipped into oblivion. Years ago, it was rebuilt on the south bank of the Yangcheng Lake. The new temple covers more than 2,300 square meters, and its yard is paved with granite plates. The 38-meter-high Hall of the Great Hero is the largest single building of the same kind in China. The reconstructed temple is a blessing for Buddhist followers and tourists.

　　Wei Yingwu’s poem is a mere exaggeration, for there is no such scene as “lakes engulf the great bleakness” within the city. But today’s Chongyuan Temple commands a view of the vast lake. When in the 46-meter-high Buddhist Goddess Pavilion on the “lotus seat” in front of the temple, you can have a panoramic view of the Yangcheng Lake. The statue of the Buddhist Goddess in the hall is 33 meters high, the highest erect Goddess statue indoor domestically. It is made of bronze, and weighs 80 tons, also unmatched domestically. The whole statue is covered with spread gold except a few parts of coloring. The Goddess’s willow branch has to be changed into a willow tree to achieve a graceful proportion.

　　The new temple integrates traditions and modern elements: its structure and layout are traditional and meanwhile it is equipped with elevators and battery-powered tour cars. It’s a harmonious match.

　　The temple and the Hanshan Temple of Suzhou, the Temple of Buddhist Rays in Taiwan are sister temples. It has been endeavoring to exalt Buddhism and promote Buddhist culture.

　　[Zhu Hong]