Twin Pagodas Site

Twin Pagodas Site

The Twin Pagodas Site is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Twin Pagodas Site is located on a gently east-west extending undulating ridge to the north of Group 3, Shuangta Village, Deshun Mongolian Ethnic Township, Taobei District, Baicheng City. It lies 4 km south of the Tao'er River and 6 km northwest of the township government. The road from Deshun Township to Shuangta Village runs along the western edge of the site. The ridge where the site is situated has a relatively gentle slope with slight undulations, standing about 5 to 6 meters higher than the surrounding land surface. To the south of the ridge, all the way to the banks of the Tao'er River, there used to be continuous marshland, which has now been transformed into rice paddies. According to surface surveys, artifacts are mainly scattered across the top and southern slope of the ridge, covering an area approximately 1,200 meters in length from east to west and 200 meters in width from north to south.

Structure

The Twin Pagodas of Taonan are located in Shuangta Village, Deshun Township, Taonan City, Jilin Province. Both pagodas are 12 meters high and stand 23.8 meters apart, constructed from brick. The body of each pagoda is conical, with a spire (commonly known as the “thirteen heavens”) at the top, a central niche, and a square base below. The base is surrounded by carved bricks featuring Sanskrit incantations, and around the base are thirteen brick reliefs of mythical beasts and flaming jewels. The bottom of the base consists of four tiers of steps.

Landscape

After examination, the Twin Pagodas are identified as Lamaist pagodas built in the early Qing Dynasty. The Twin Pagodas Site is situated on a gently east-west extending slow ridge to the east of Shuangta Village, Deshun Township, Taonan City. It lies 4 km south of the Tao'er River. The site spans an area 1,200 meters in length from east to west and 300 meters in width from north to south. Artifacts are distributed on the top and southern slope of the ridge, dating back to the Neolithic Age, the Bronze Age, and the

Liao Dynasty. It is one of the few surviving ancient structures on the Songliao Plain. Legend has it that in the old days, the Tao'er River frequently flooded, wreaking havoc on the lives of people on both banks, and the construction of the twin pagodas here was intended to ensure peace.

Protection

In 1981, the People’s Government of Jilin Province designated this site as a Provincial Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

In May 2013, it was approved and announced by the State Council as part of the seventh batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units