1. Shanxi Feihong Tower: the crystallization of historical treasures and skills
On a hill in Hongdong County, Shanxi Province, stands a magnificent ancient tower - Feihong Tower. This pagoda is located in the Guangsheng Temple of Guangsheng Temple, its history can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty Zhengde ten years to Jiajing six years (1515 ~ 1527), is the crystallization of people's wisdom and art in that period.
Feihong Pagoda is a typical brick pavilion-style tower, with a unique structure of octagonal thirteen floors, with a height of 47 meters, from a distance, it is like a majestic giant, guarding this land. Its contour shrinks layer by layer from bottom to top, resembling a cone, giving people a sense of stability and solemnity.
The brickwork of the tower body is extremely exquisite, and the exterior is inlaid with various patterns of yellow, green and blue glazed firing, including houses, shrines, bucket arches, lotus petals, corner pillars, railings, flower covers and coiling dragons, figures, birds and beasts and various floral patterns, these glazed veneers not only make the tower body appear gorgeous and colorful, but also show the superb glazed firing skills of Shanxi folk.
There is a cloister on the ground floor of the tower, a two-story house protrudes from the south entrance of the cloister, and there is a very ornate glazed caisson in the heart of the tower on the ground floor, which adds more artistic charm to the tower. It is worth mentioning that the contour line of the Feihong Pagoda is not a soft parabola that has been common since the Wei, Jin, Sui and Tang dynasties, but a straight line, which makes it unique among many ancient towers.
What's even more amazing is that the interior of the Feihong Pagoda is hollow, and there is a treadway that flips, so that visitors can climb up and enjoy a broader scenery. This design not only reflects the ingenuity of ancient craftsmen, but also makes Feihong Pagoda a representative work in the mainland glazed tower.
Despite hundreds of years of wind and rain, the Rainbow Pagoda still stands. In the 34th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1695), the eight-magnitude earthquake in the Linfen Basin, it was safe and sound, and became a witness of history and a cultural inheritance.
2. Dengfeng Songyue Temple Tower: an ancient and mysterious polygonal dense eaves brick tower
Songyue Temple Tower is located about 6 kilometers northwest of Dengfeng County, Henan Province, China, in Songyue Temple at the southern foot of Taimur Mountain. This tower was built in the first year of Emperor Zhengguang of Xiaoming Emperor of the Northern Wei Dynasty (520 years), which has a history of 1470 years and is the earliest existing brick tower in China.
Songyue Temple Pagoda is famous for its unique architectural style and exquisite craftsmanship. It adopts an all-brick structure, stacked with dense eaves, painted with white ash on the outside, pavilion-style on the inside, and dense eaves on the outside, a design that makes it unique among the hundreds of existing brick towers in China. The total height is about 41 meters, the circumference is 33.72 meters, and the tower body is a plane equilateral dodecagonal shape, and the plane type of this dodecagonal shape is also unique among the existing brick towers in China.
Songyue Temple Pagoda is not only famous for its unique flat shape, but also for its beautiful body shape. The whole tower room runs through the top and bottom, is cylindrical, and the Buddha statue of the Buddha platform is placed in the tower room originally, for the monks and pilgrims to do the Buddha around the tower. The whole tower is strong and majestic, light and beautiful, and the construction technology is extremely exquisite. Although it has been eroded by wind, frost, rain and dew for more than 1,000 years, it is still strong and indestructible, fully demonstrating the subtlety of the ancient construction technology of the mainland.
The tower of Songyue Temple is not only a treasure of ancient Chinese architecture, but also a treasure in the history of ancient architecture in the world. Its existence not only provides us with valuable materials for the study of ancient architecture and culture today, but also makes us deeply admire the wisdom and talents of the ancient people.
3. Dali Qianxun Tower: The guardian of the shore of Erhai Lake
On the shore of Erhai Lake in the western suburbs of Dali City, there are three majestic and magnificent ancient towers - the three towers of Dali. These three pagodas were originally part of the Chongsheng Temple, and although the temple no longer exists, the three pagodas still stand as they were, becoming important landmarks and cultural heritage in the Dali area.
Among them, the big tower is also known as the Qianxun Tower, which is 69.13 meters high, and is a square brick tower with dense eaves. It has a total of 16 floors, similar in shape to the Xi'an Little Wild Goose Pagoda, and is one of the typical tower styles of the Tang Dynasty. The center of the tower is hollow, and in ancient times there was a tic-tac-toe staircase for people to climb to the top of the tower. At each of the four corners of the top of the tower, there is a bronze Jinpeng bird, which is said to be used to suppress the water monsters in the Erhai Lake. Looking east from the top of the tower, the beautiful scenery of Erhai Lake is in full view, which is refreshing.
The two small towers on the north and south sides of the large tower are a pair of octagonal brick towers. The three towers are integrated, majestic, and have a simple national style. They contrast with Erhai Lake and form a unique landscape in Dali area.
There are various theories about the age of the construction of the three towers. However, it is generally recognized that Qianxun Pagoda was built during the Southern Zhao Kingdom of the Tang Dynasty. In recent years, during the construction of the tower, it was found that the age of the tower may have been earlier by carbonized radiometric dating of the wood in the tower. However, in any case, these three towers are important carriers of the history and culture of the Dali area, and have high historical, scientific and artistic value.
In 1975, in order to protect and restore these precious cultural heritages, the relevant departments repaired the Chihiro Tower. In the process of maintenance, the bricks on the surface of the tower were removed, and steel hoops were added to the hidden parts of the tower body, and cement slurry was poured into the cracks, so that the ancient tower was reinforced. At the same time, the Tasha was restored to its original appearance before the Ming Dynasty. Today, the three towers of Dali have become one of the important tourist attractions in Dali area, attracting many tourists to visit and appreciate.
Fourth, the Shakya Pagoda of Yingxian County
Yingxian Shakya Pagoda, standing in the northwest corner of Yingxian City, Shanxi Province, is an outstanding representative of the high-rise wooden structure pagoda of the Liao Dynasty in China. The word "Shakya" in the name of the tower originates from the Buddha Shakya enshrined in the tower, symbolizing the solemnity and sacredness of Buddhism. The reason why this tower is commonly known as Yingxian Wooden Tower is because its tower body is completely made of wooden components stacked on top of each other, demonstrating the exquisite and ingenious craftsmanship of ancient Chinese architectural craftsmanship.
The history of the Buddha Palace Temple is long, built in the Liao Dynasty, after the wind, frost, rain and snow, rebuilt in successive dynasties. However, among the many historical changes, only the Shakya Pagoda stands tall and stands alone. The tower was built in the second year of the Liao Qing Dynasty (1056) and was reinforced between the second and sixth years of the Later Jin Ming Dynasty (1191-1195), but its original appearance remained unchanged. Today, Shakya Pagoda is not only the treasure of the Buddha Palace Temple, but also the world's oldest and tallest all-wood high-rise tower building, and its architectural art and historical value are immeasurable.
Since 1933, the China Construction Institute has conducted in-depth investigation and research on this wooden tower, and in 1935, it carried out field surveying and mapping. In 1962, the Cultural Relics Publishing House conducted a supplementary inspection again, making the secret of this thousand-year-old pagoda gradually known to the world. Chen Mingda, an expert in ancient architecture research, compiled the book "Yingxian Wooden Tower", which recorded the architectural characteristics and historical changes of the wooden tower in detail. In 1961, the State Council of the People's Republic of China announced the Yingxian Shakya Pagoda as a national key cultural relics protection unit in recognition of its important position in the history of ancient Chinese architecture.
5. Xi'an Big Wild Goose Pagoda
In the southern suburbs of Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province, in the Temple of Mercy and Grace, there stands a majestic ancient pagoda - the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Built in the Tang Dynasty, this tower is not only a famous ancient building in the country, but also a symbol of the ancient capital of Xi'an. Since its completion, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda has attracted countless literati and tourists with its unique architectural style and profound historical heritage.
The Big Wild Goose Pagoda is the place where Master Xuanzang specialized in translating and collecting scriptures after returning from India to learn scriptures. Its name derives from the way it was built in the style of the Indian wild goose pagoda. Later, a smaller wild goose pagoda was built in Chang'an Jianfu Temple, in order to distinguish the two, people called the tower of Ci'en Temple called the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, and the tower of the Recommended Temple was called the Little Wild Goose Pagoda. This title has been passed down to this day.
The Big Wild Goose Pagoda is square in plan and built on a pedestal about 45 meters square and 5 meters high. The tower has seven floors, with a ground floor 25 meters long and a height of 64 meters from the ground to the top. The whole tower is made of bricks, and the grinding bricks are unusually strong and jointed. There is a staircase inside the tower, and visitors can hover up and admire the exquisite murals and stone carvings inside the tower floor by floor. There is an arch ticket door opening on each side of each floor, and visitors can overlook it by the railing, and have a full view of the style of Chang'an.
The bottom floor of the tower has stone doors on all sides, and the lintel is carved with exquisite line carved Buddha statues, which is said to be the handwriting of Yan Liben, a great painter in the Tang Dynasty. In the brick niches on both sides of the south gate of the tower, there are two stone tablets of Chu Suiliang, one of the four great calligraphers of the early Tang Dynasty, "The Order of the Three Tibetan Sacred Religions of the Tang Dynasty" and "The Preface of the Three Tibetan Sacred Religions". These precious cultural heritages not only make the Big Wild Goose Pagoda more dazzling, but also provide valuable materials for future generations to study the history and culture of the Tang Dynasty.
During the Tang Dynasty, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda was a famous tourist attraction. Many literati and scholars left a large number of inscriptions and poems here. There are more than 200 inscriptions in the Ming and Qing dynasties alone. Today, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda is still one of the landmark buildings of the ancient city of Xi'an, and it is also a famous scenic spot at home and abroad. Whenever night falls, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda looks more solemn and majestic under the light.
6. Hangzhou Leifeng Tower
Leifeng Tower, this ancient and mysterious building, was originally built on Leifeng, in front of Jingci Temple under Rihui Peak in Nanping Mountain on the south bank of West Lake in Hangzhou. The name of Leifeng Pagoda comes from its geographical location - above Leifeng. However, in folklore, this tower has an indissoluble bond with King Wuyue and Concubine Huang.
According to legend, the Leifeng Pagoda was built by King Wuyue to celebrate the birth of the Yellow Concubine, so it was originally named "the Yellow Concubine Pagoda". However, because the tower body is located on the top of Leifeng, the folk will call it Leifeng Tower. This tower originally had seven floors, with heavy eaves and flying buildings, windows and holes, and magnificent. Whenever the sun sets, the shadow of the tower is reflected on the surface of the lake to form the beautiful scenery of "Leifeng sunset", which is intoxicating.
However, the years are ruthless, and Leifeng Pagoda has also experienced the baptism of wind and rain in the historical changes. During the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, the outer corridor of the tower was burned down by the Japanese invaders, and during the Qing Dynasty, the base bricks of the tower were stolen by superstitious people, and finally collapsed due to disrepair on September 25, 1924. The collapse of Leifeng Pagoda not only made the beautiful scenery of "Leifeng Sunset" an empty name, but also made the "scenery of Nanshan completely empty" and even the name of the mountain was replaced by Xizhao Mountain.
Although Leifeng Pagoda no longer exists, its position in the hearts of Hangzhou people can never be replaced. Nowadays, a modern sightseeing tower has been rebuilt on the original site of Leifeng Pagoda for tourists to visit. The new tower adopts modern building materials and technical means, showing the historical culture and modern style of Leifeng Tower. Standing on top of the new tower and overlooking the beautiful scenery of the West Lake, it seems that you can travel through time and space to feel the glory and magnificence of the ancient Leifeng Pagoda.
7. Suzhou Tiger Hill Tower: The legend and charm of the thousand-year-old tower
Suzhou, a city with a rich history and unique charm, is not only famous for its gardens, canals and ancient streets, but also for its many ancient towers. Among them, the most well-known is the world-famous Tiger Hill Tower. Standing on the top of Tiger Hill seven kilometers northwest of Suzhou, it towers into the sky and has become a landmark of Suzhou.
Tiger Hill Tower, also known as Yunyan Temple Tower, was built in the sixth year of Zhou Xiande of the Fifth Dynasty (959) and was built in the second year of Jianlong of the Northern Song Dynasty (961). This ancient tower is similar in style to the Leifeng Pagoda in Hangzhou built in the same period, so it is known as the "Second Ancient Tower in the South of the Yangtze River" and has the reputation of "Chinese Pizza Tower". Tiger Hill Pagoda not only has a long history, but also attracts countless tourists for its unique architectural style and profound cultural heritage.
The tower is seven stories high, the plane is octagonal, it is a brick body and wooden eaves imitate the pavilion-shaped pagoda. However, from the Song Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty, the Tiger Hill Pagoda was hit by many fires, and the top and wooden eaves were destroyed. Despite this, this thousand-year-old pagoda still stands, witnessing the historical changes of Suzhou. According to the investigation of experts, when the seventh floor of the Tiger Hill Tower was rebuilt in the eleventh year of Ming Chongzhen (1638), it was found that it was obviously tilted. At that time, a series of measures were taken to renovate it, but the tilt of the tower has continued to develop for more than 300 years. Today, the leaning tower has become a unique sight in Suzhou, attracting countless tourists to stop and watch.
Tiger Hill Tower is not only a landmark building in Suzhou, but also a symbol of Suzhou's history and culture. It has witnessed the prosperity and vicissitudes of Suzhou, and carries the memories and emotions of countless people. Today, this thousand-year-old pagoda towering on the top of Tiger Hill has become one of the symbols of the ancient city of Suzhou, and is known as "the first scenic spot in Wuzhong". Tourists can not only enjoy the unique charm of Tiger Hill Tower, but also feel the profound historical and cultural heritage of Suzhou.
8. Hangzhou Liuhe Tower: A towering watchman on the riverside
On the bank of the Qiantang River in Hangzhou, there is a towering ancient tower - Liuhe Pagoda. It is located on the Yuelun Mountain, was built in the Northern Song Dynasty Kaibao three years (970 AD), after the vicissitudes of wind and rain, it is still standing. The name of the Liuhe Pagoda is derived from the Buddhist "Liuhe Jing", which means harmony and unity. This ancient pagoda is not only one of the landmark buildings of Hangzhou, but also an important part of Hangzhou's history and culture.
The Liuhe Pagoda is 59.89 meters high, and its architectural style is unique and elegant. The internal masonry structure of the tower is divided into seven floors, and the external wooden structure is 8 sides and 13 floors. Each layer is intricately carved with patterns and texts, showcasing the skill and wisdom of ancient craftsmen. The tower is octagonal in shape, and the eaves of each floor are hung with wind chimes, which make a pleasant sound when the breeze blows, as if telling an ancient story.
The Liuhe Pagoda was once an important building to suppress the tide of the Qiantang River. According to historical records, the purpose of building the Liuhe Pagoda at that time was to suppress the surging tide of the river. Today, although the river tide is no longer turbulent, the Liuhe Pagoda still stands on the bank of the Qiantang River and has become a unique scenery in Hangzhou. Tourists come here to enjoy the spectacular river views and the beauty of the ancient buildings.
In the vicinity of the Liuhe Tower, there is also a new "China Ancient Tower Expo Garden". Famous pagodas from all over China are carved in miniature, focusing on the achievements of ancient Chinese architectural culture. Tourists can appreciate the beauty of ancient pagodas in different regions and styles here, and feel the profoundness and unique charm of ancient Chinese architecture.
9. Suzhou Bao'en Temple Tower: a thousand-year-old watchman in the ancient temple
Suzhou Bao'en Temple Tower, also known as the North Temple Tower, is located in the Bao'en Temple in the north and west of Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province. This ancient pagoda is not only one of the landmarks of Bao'en Temple, the oldest Buddhist temple in Suzhou, but also an important part of Suzhou's history and culture. The pagoda of Bao'en Temple was built in the period of Wu Chiwu of the Three Kingdoms (238-251 AD), and has a history of more than 1,700 years.
Bao'en Temple Pagoda is a pavilion-style pagoda, which is said to have been built in the Wu period of the Three Kingdoms. There are 11-storey pagodas built in the Liang period of the Southern Dynasty, which were burned down by fire in the Northern Song Dynasty; rebuilt into 9 floors in the Yuanfeng period (1078~1085 years); rebuilt in the early Southern Song Dynasty in the Song-Jin War; Shaoxing 23 years in the Southern Song Dynasty (1153 AD) was rebuilt into an eight-sided nine-story pagoda. The brick structure of the existing North Temple Pagoda is the original structure built at that time. The wooden part of the tower body was rebuilt at the end of the Qing Dynasty, and it is not all the original appearance.
This ancient pagoda not only has a long history and beautiful architecture, but also contains a profound Buddhist cultural connotation. Buddhist relics such as Buddha statues and scriptures are enshrined in the pagoda, attracting many worshippers to come to worship and pray for blessings. At the same time, it is also one of the places where literati and artists like to gather, and they have left many popular poems and ink treasures here.
The pagoda of Bao'en Temple not only witnesses the prosperity and vicissitudes of Suzhou, but also carries the memories and emotions of countless people. Today, it has become a business card of Suzhou, attracting countless tourists to visit and visit. Here, visitors can feel the profound historical and cultural heritage and unique architectural style of Suzhou.
10. Kaifeng Iron Tower: The magnificence and legend of the thousand-year-old tower
In Kaifeng, a prosperous ancient city in Henan Province, in the northeast corner of the Iron Tower Park, stands a thousand-year-old tower - Iron Tower. It not only attracts the attention of countless visitors with its exquisite architectural art and majestic and beautiful posture, but also is known as "the first tower in the world" because of its profound historical heritage and unique cultural charm.
The tower was built in the first year of the Northern Song Dynasty (1049), and the history of this tower dates back to an earlier period. Originally, it was not made of iron-colored glazed bricks, but a magnificent wooden tower. This wooden pagoda was built by Yu Hao, a famous architect in the Northern Song Dynasty, to worship the relics of Buddha Shakyamuni. Yu Hao devoted eight years of painstaking efforts, from conception and design to the completion of construction, and finally presented this tower to the world in the second year of Duangong (989). However, due to the geographical location and climate, the newly built tower was tilted to the north. In the face of everyone's doubts, Yu Hao explained that Kaifeng is located in the plain, there is no mountain to block, and there are many northwest winds, plus there is a large river not far away, the tower is affected by the wind and the river flooding bank, it will not take a hundred years, the tower will naturally become straight. He also predicted that the tower would survive for 700 years.
However, the world is unpredictable. This wooden pagoda, which poured Yu Hao's efforts, was burned by a sudden thunder fire in the summer of the fourth year of Song Renzong's Qingli (1044), and only survived for more than 50 years. The catastrophe cast doubt on Yu Hao's prophecy, but history is always full of surprises and miracles.
In the first year of Emperor You, Song Renzong issued an edict on Yishan Mountain, which is not far from here, to imitate the style of the wooden tower and build the iron-colored glazed brick tower we see today. The new tower not only inherits the majesty and beauty of the wooden tower, but also innovates in building materials and craftsmanship. All of them are made of brown glazed bricks, which look similar to iron from a distance, hence the name "Iron Tower". This iron tower is not only durable, but also stands tall in the wind, rain, thunder and lightning, and has become a major attraction in Kaifeng City.
Today, when we stand under the tower and look up at this thousand-year-old tower, we can't help but be shocked by its magnificence and legend. It not only witnesses the prosperity and vicissitudes of Kaifeng, but also carries the beliefs and prayers of countless people. Every brick and every line of the tower seems to tell the story of the past, allowing us to feel its majestic posture while also appreciating the weight of history and the charm of culture.