Yanqing Temple Pagoda, a thousand-year-old pagoda with a new look.
Yanqing Temple was built during the Liang Putong period (520-526), originally named Yunlong Temple, and was renamed Yanqing Temple during the Tang Dynasty. Today, the temple is destroyed and the pagoda remains. The pagoda is named after the temple and is called Yanqing Temple Pagoda. It is a hexagonal seven-story brick and wood mixed tower-style pagoda, which was built in the second year of Xianping (999) in the Northern Song Dynasty and was completed in the fifth year of Xianping (1002). It has been built for 1021 years.
The appearance of Yanqing Temple Pagoda continues the characteristics of the brick and wood eaves pagoda in the late Tang and Five Dynasties Wuyue period. It looks like a standard wooden pagoda from a distance, and it is found to be a brick body when you get close. In the territory once ruled by the Wuyue Kingdom, such pagodas are very common, such as the famous ones: Suzhou Ruiguang Pagoda, Suzhou Baoen Temple Pagoda, Suzhou Tiger Hill Yunyan Temple Pagoda, Hangzhou Liuhe Pagoda, Hangzhou Baochu Pagoda, Shanghai Songjiang Xingshengjiao Temple Pagoda, etc.
They were either built during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, or built during the Song Dynasty but inherited the style of the Wuyue period. These pagodas were extremely brilliant when they were first built, but year after year, this brilliance is extremely difficult to maintain. The wooden structure of the flying eaves and the dougong are difficult to resist the erosion of thousands of years of wind and rain, and it is even more difficult to escape from the fire.
As an important example of brick and wood eaves pagodas in Zhejiang, Yanqing Temple Pagoda has undergone maintenance from 1988 to 1991, and this pagoda is brand new.
JamesAnderson.28
The best-preserved Northern Song Dynasty ancient pagoda in Jiangnan - Yanqing Temple Pagoda.
The Yanqing Temple Pagoda is located 2 kilometers west of Songyang County, leaning on Shangfang Mountain in the northwest, Yunlong Mountain in the northeast, and facing the open countryside in the southeast.
Construction began in the second year of Xianping of the Song Dynasty (999) and was completed in the fifth year (1002). It is said that the pagoda contains relics. The pagoda is 38.32 meters high, with a pavilion-style brick and wood structure, six sides and seven levels, hollow, and can be climbed to the top of the pagoda; the eaves are double-rolled, the eaves are spread out flat, the iron pagoda is rolled with grass patterns, and the curves are smooth; the pagoda wall is painted with flying sky, which can be recognized vaguely. The plaque "Yanqing Temple Pagoda" was handwritten by Mr. Sha Menghai.
The Yanqing Temple Pagoda is the best-preserved Northern Song Dynasty original among the pagodas in Jiangnan and is a national key cultural protection unit.
Compared with the Hangzhou Liuhe Pagoda completed in 1165, the Yanqing Temple Pagoda was 163 years earlier.
The existing pagoda brick inscription also has the words "Chunhua Five Years (AD 994) June", which is enough to prove that this pagoda is a Northern Song Dynasty original, a Tang-style Song pagoda, and the Hangzhou Liuhe Pagoda is a Song-style Song pagoda.
From the construction of the pagoda to the wooden eaves, no traces of later repairs were found in the Yanqing Temple Pagoda, which is the best-preserved Northern Song Dynasty original among the pagodas in Jiangnan.
According to the "Songyang County Chronicles", in the fourth year of Taiping Xingguo (AD 979), the monk Xingda was ordered to go west, to Central India, and obtained 49 relics of the "Dajinglun" eight parts.
Monk Xingda spent ten cold and hot years, obtained eight parts of the Dajinglun and 49 relics, and was rewarded by the court. Therefore, he vowed to build a pagoda to contain the relics. After many fundraisings, construction began in the second year of Xianping (AD 999) and was completed in the fifth year of Xianping (AD 1002).
The Yanqing Temple Pagoda was originally named "Yunlong" because the pagoda was located in front of Yanqing Temple under Yunlong Mountain. It was renamed Yanqing Pagoda in the fourth year of Jianyan of the Song Dynasty (AD 1130).
JamesAnderson.28
Songyang Yanqing Temple Pagoda Guide, China's Leaning Tower of Pisa
For the protection of ancient buildings, closing doors to visitors seems to be the safest method. However, in my eyes, this is the most 'foolish' approach. The ancients said, 'Running water does not rot, nor does a door-hinge rust.' This applies to ancient buildings as well. I firmly believe that ancient buildings without the presence of people are soulless. The Yanqing Temple Pagoda in Songyang, Zhejiang, known as China's 'Leaning Tower of Pisa' and 'Zhejiang's Number One Pagoda,' is a genuine Northern Song Dynasty wooden structure. It not only allows you to look at it, but also allows you to climb up and have a look. Zhejiang's magnanimity is much stronger than some other places.
🏯 About Yanqing Temple Pagoda
Yanqing Temple was originally built during the Northern Song Dynasty. Today, only the pagoda remains, which is a hexagonal seven-story brick and wood mixed tower-style Buddhist pagoda. From a distance, it looks like a wooden pagoda, but it is actually made of brick.
🤔 Tower Climbing Experience
Visitors are allowed to climb the pagoda, but only up to the second floor. However, I think that's enough. After all, it's a leaning tower. Once inside, you will find many wooden structures from the Northern Song Dynasty. The color difference between the original Northern Song Dynasty dougong (bracket sets) and the newly replaced ones is quite apparent. There are also Song Dynasty rafters under the eaves; those that are not painted are original Northern Song Dynasty. The stairs are very narrow, seemingly allowing only seven or eight people at a time. When there are more people, the wooden structure will creak. After all, the top of the tower is more than a meter off-center.
The Dilemma of Visiting the Past
Not being allowed to climb feels regrettable.
After climbing, it feels heartbreaking.
After all, it's more than 1000 years old...