Songjiang Tang Dynasty Stone Pagoda

Songjiang Tang Dynasty Stone Pagoda

The Songjiang Tang Dynasty Stone Pagoda is a National AAA-level Tourist Attraction and a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.

The full name of the Songjiang Tang Dynasty Stone Pagoda is the "Pagoda of the Mahāpratyangira Dhāraṇī Sūtra," and it is the oldest existing building in Shanghai. It's located within Zhongshan Primary School in Songjiang District. This stone pagoda was built in 859 AD (the 13th year of the Tang Dynasty’s Dazhong era), made of limestone. Major renovations were carried out in 1962, and it currently consists of 21 tiers, standing 9.3 meters tall. The body of the pagoda has eight sides, engraved with the *Mahāpratyangira Dhāraṇī Sūtra* along with its preface and the inscription commemorating the pagoda’s construction. The remaining levels—including the pedestal, waist, canopy, and other parts—are exquisitely carved, featuring motifs such as ocean waves, sacred lotus flowers, swirling clouds, celestial guardians, heavenly kings, bodhisattvas, worshippers, coiled dragons, and crouching lions. The entire structure is tall and elegant, with delicate carvings, refined lines, and a richly rounded appearance. Both human and animal figures, as well as floral elements, have a robust and full-bodied feel, exemplifying the artistic style of the Tang Dynasty.

The 11th tier features a lion-head canopy, with each of the eight sides adorned with a lion head holding a tassel in its mouth. The 12th tier is a linked-bead design, composed of two hemispheres engraved with lotus flowers and ruyi (scepter) patterns. The 13th tier is a cloud-patterned pedestal in an upward-facing disc style, featuring carved swirling clouds. The 14th tier includes bas-reliefs of the Four Heavenly Kings, with a fierce-looking image of each king carved on the four sides—east, south, west, and north. The 15th tier has an octagonal eave waist, with upturned corners, each adorned with ruyi patterns. The 16th tier is a coiled dragon column. The 17th tier is a lotus-upturned pedestal, with petals carved in full bloom. The 18th tier is a base composed of stacked sections. The 19th tier is a “Buddha Worship Scene” relief, depicting 16 figures including Buddha, bodhisattvas, and worshippers. The 20th tier is an octagonal spire-shaped canopy divided into upper and lower layers, both with upturned corners. The 21st tier is a diamond-shaped flat canopy, plain and uncarved.

The 9th and 10th tiers form the main body of the pagoda, resembling a thick octagonal stone pillar. The lower section of the 9th tier has a diameter of 76 cm and a height of 46 cm, inscribed with the surnames of donors who contributed money and materials. The 10th tier, the upper section of the main body, has a diameter of 76 cm and a height of 177 cm. Starting from the southwest, the first side is inscribed with the preface to the Dhāraṇī Sūtra, with 10 lines per side. From the 6th line of the 2nd side onward is the... (translated by the Tang Dynasty monk Bukong from the Kingdom of Zhou?bin). The last six lines are the inscription commemorating the pagoda’s construction.

The 4th tier features crouching lion reliefs, with one lion on each of the eight sides of the waist. The lions stand on their front legs, chests thrust out, powerful and vigorous, though their faces are all damaged. The 5th tier is an upward-facing lotus base with vine scroll patterns; the upward-slanting surface is engraved with intertwined floral peonies, while the downward-slanting surface is carved with lotus petals. The 6th tier is a bodhisattva relief waist, with each of the eight sides engraved with ruyi-style patterns... (details regarding worshippers and other figures). The 7th tier is a corbelled course, without carvings. The 8th tier is a railing base, with a pillar standing at each corner, and stone railings between the pillars engraved with lattice patterns.

From bottom to top, upon a bluestone base and steps: The 1st tier is a sea wave base, engraved with rippling ocean waves, the lines fine and delicate. The 2nd tier is a circular coiled dragon waist, depicting dragons piercing through caves; due to severe weathering, some parts are missing and have not been restored. The 3rd tier is a lotus petal and cloud platform base, divided into upper and lower slanted surfaces and a central side section, featuring carved swirling clouds, sacred mountains, temple buildings, and single-layer lotus petals. The mountain temples are hidden among undulating peaks, with architectural door frames and Buddha niches carved into the small stone surface, extremely lifelike. These are inspired by northern cave temples like the Mogao Caves and Longmen Grottoes.

The overall carvings of the pagoda are not only distinct in layering but also mutually complementary. Viewed from below, the base stones are engraved with sea wave patterns, with delicate and soft lines. The front view shows gentle ripples, while the side view makes the waves appear as if they spill beyond the stone. Above the water-patterned base is the mountain-dragon waist, with eight sides carved with rocky caves and clouds, inside which a long coiling dragon winds through the rocks, appearing and disappearing intermittently, fully demonstrating the dragon’s majestic power. The sea wave patterns and dragons of the stone pagoda represent the underworld dragon palace; the mountain rocks and waist symbolize the human world above ground. Then, atop the rocky cliffs, appears the lotus petal and cloud platform base, with its outer sides carved with mountain cliff caves, temples, and Buddha statues, and the upper slanted surfaces engraved with ornamental lotuses, representing a heavenly paradise beyond the clouds. These three tiers of distinctly characterized physical motifs vividly compose a complete scene of the underground dragon palace, the earthly human realm, and the heavenly paradise above the clouds. It is evident that the pagoda holds great artistic value, with its style, craftsmanship, form, and layout comparable to the stone cave carvings of the Tang Dynasty. In 1988, the Songjiang Tang Dynasty Stone Pagoda was designated by the State Council as a “Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.”

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level