We all know that the stupas of ancient monasteries are mainly brick structures, and some of the brick stupas also include single brick structures, brick and wood mixed structures, and mixed brick and stone structures. The single brick structure and the mixture of brick and wood appeared relatively early. For a single brick stupa, it is flexible in construction, but the durability is not good. Another kind of brick and wood mixture, mainly brick as the main body, wood to make floor slabs stairs and other components, but we all know that wooden things are easy to be easily damaged outdoors for a long time. Later, the use of stone instead of wood for doors and windows, door openings, stairs and other structures, so that the pagoda increased durability, the foundation part of the tower built with stone is also better than the brick foundation of the compression resistance, which is why most of the towers built now are mainly stone.
The stone used can generally be divided into two types, one is stone block and stone carving. Single stone block stupas are mainly some tomb towers, prayer towers, or small stupas with single and two or three floors. The stone carved stupas are mainly some statue towers and prayer towers. Stone pagodas are very rich in carving content, in addition to some imitation wood structures, there are many carved patterns and reliefs, then such a stone pagoda its cost is generally relatively high. For stone carved stone pagodas also have a variety of shapes, through the design and processing of characteristic stone pagodas, then from the shape of the point of view, what are the differences?
If you are from the Internet or from the stone carving manufacturer, you will see a variety of shapes, and the stone towers built in different regions are also different. It can be divided according to different kinds. If you vary according to the number of floors: there are three-story towers, ordinary five-story towers, seven-story towers, thirteen-story towers, and the height can reach thirty-seven floors. The higher the stupa, of course, the more magnificent it looks.
From the shape points, there are square towers, round towers, hexagonal towers and octagonal towers, etc., and stone towers of different shapes show their own characteristics.
Structurally different, there are pavilion-style towers, eaves-type towers, pavilion-style towers, bowl-type towers, etc.
From different roles, the meaning of building different stone towers is also different. For example, the Sutra Pagoda, which is carved with scriptures from the body of the building, promotes a Buddhist spirit. The main purpose of the stupa is to bury the relics of the monks or some important ritual instruments and scriptures.
I have to say that as an important part of Buddhist architecture, the cultural charm that the temple pagoda can show is still relatively large, and it has become the main way for many believers to feel the Buddhist culture, and it also has a long history and culture, and the continuous development of society is also slowly changing, designing a more distinctive stone pagoda.