浙江鄞縣阿育王山，為四明名山；距寧波城東四十四里。山中有寺，曰阿育王寺；寺中有一舍利塔，藏置舍利子，乃釋迦如來真舍利，自印度流傳至中華，時放光明。相傳西晋太康中，有幷州劉薩訶者，於會稽得見寶塔湧自鄮峰，此寶塔光明騰耀，色青如石，中懸寶磬，周以天王及諸佛菩薩。義熙元年（四〇五），敕鄮山造塔亭、禪室，度僧住持守護。南朝宋文帝元嘉中（四二四～四五三），得迦葉佛爪髮，乃詔造木浮圖三級以藏之。梁武帝普通三年（五二二）敕建殿堂，賜額「阿育王寺」。明萬曆年間，泰和郭子章撰「明州阿育王山志」，因「普陀山志」例，條以義類，立以十門，門說四偈，門門各為一卷。其十門為：地輿融結、舍利緣起、塔廟規製、王臣崇事、神明效靈、瑞應難思、福田常住、高僧傳法、提倡宗乘、玉几社詠。「地輿融結」者，通論地輿與別論鄮山，記地理也。「舍利緣起」者，記釋迦如來真身舍利寶塔之緣起也。「塔廟規製」者，記阿育王塔之建造也。「王臣崇事」者，錄帝王名臣有關本寺之文字也。「神明效靈」者，記神靈顯異也。「瑞應難思」者，記軼聞顯異諸事也。「福田常住」者，錄檀越佈施造塔建田碑記也。「高僧傳法」者，記高僧傳法行誼也。「提倡宗乘」者，記歷代住持禪師也，有文獻者記之，無文獻者存其目。「玉几社詠」者，錄有關藝文。體例特殊，全屬釋氏文獻。至清乾隆年間，住山釋畹荃復輯其藝文，纂「續志」，釐為六卷，未分門類，所錄藝文，略按時代先後為序，末卷錄有「先覺考」，所以補郭志之遺也。乾隆二十二年以正續合刻，都十六卷。兹據中央圖書館藏清乾隆二十二年（一七五七）正續合刊本景印。
Mount Ayuwang in Yin County, Zhejiang, is a famous peak of the Siming mountain range, located about forty-four li east of Ningbo city. Within the mountain stands Ayuwang Temple, which houses a stupa containing the true relics of Shakyamuni Buddha, brought from India to China. These relics are said to emit light from time to time.
According to tradition, during the Taikang era of the Western Jin dynasty, a man named Liu Sahe from Bingzhou saw a jeweled stupa emerge from Mount Mao in Kuaiji. This stupa radiated brilliant light, was bluish like stone, and inside hung a precious chime, surrounded by heavenly kings, buddhas, and bodhisattvas. In the first year of the Yixi era (405 CE), an imperial decree ordered the construction of a stupa pavilion and meditation quarters on Mount Mao, with monks appointed to reside and guard the site.
During the Yuanjia era of Emperor Wen of the Liu Song dynasty (424–453 CE), a nail and hair of Kasyapa Buddha were obtained, leading to an imperial order to build a three-story wooden pagoda to enshrine them. In the third year of the Putong era of Emperor Wu of the Liang dynasty (522 CE), halls were commissioned by decree, and the temple was granted the name "Ayuwang Temple."
During the Wanli era of the Ming dynasty, Guo Zizhang of Taihe compiled the *Gazetteer of Mount Ayuwang in Mingzhou*, following the model of the *Gazetteer of Mount Putuo*. It organizes content by thematic categories into ten sections, each explained with four verses and forming a separate volume. The ten sections are:
1. **Formation of the Land**: A general discussion of geography and a specific account of Mount Mao, recording its physical features. 2. **Origins of the Relics**: Records the origins of the jeweled stupa containing the true bodily relics of Shakyamuni Buddha. 3. **Layout of the Stupa and Temple**: Documents the construction of the Ayuwang Stupa. 4. **Veneration by Rulers and Officials**: Compiles texts related to the temple by emperors and famous ministers. 5. **Divine Manifestations**: Records miraculous events and spiritual responses. 6. **Marvelous and Inconceivable Auspicious Signs**: Chronicles extraordinary tales and wondrous occurrences. 7. **Fields of Merit and the Permanent Endowment**: Includes stele inscriptions recording donations, stupa construction, and land endowments by patrons. 8. **Eminent Monks and the Transmission of the Dharma**: Records the deeds and Dharma transmission of eminent monks. 9. **Promotion of the Chan School**: Documents the successive abbots of the temple; includes details where written records exist, or merely lists names where they do not. 10. **Literary Works of the Yuji Society**: Compiles relevant literary and artistic writings.
The gazetteer has a unique format, consisting entirely of Buddhist historical materials. By the Qianlong era of the Qing dynasty, the monastic resident Wan Quan compiled a *Supplementary Gazetteer*, gathering additional literary works and organizing them into six volumes without dividing them into sections. The included texts are roughly arranged in chronological order. The final volume contains a "Record of Earlier Awakened Ones," intended to supplement omissions in Guo's original work. In the 22nd year of the Qianlong reign (1757), the original and supplementary gazetteers were combined and published together, totaling sixteen volumes. This reproduction is based on the combined Qianlong 22nd year edition held by the Central Library.