Huishan Temple Pagoda

Huishan Temple Pagoda

The Huishan Temple Pagodas are designated as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Huishan Temple Pagodas are located on both sides of the ancient Huashan Gate inside Wuxi’s Huishan Temple. The southern one is the Tang Dynasty Dhāraṇī Pagoda, while the northern one is the Song Dynasty White Parasol Umbrella Mantra Pagoda. The two pagodas are 10 meters apart.

The Tang Dynasty Dhāraṇī Pagoda was built in the third year of the Qianfu era (876). It stands 6.26 meters tall with a base diameter of 1.48 meters. It consists of three parts: the base, the body, and the top. The base is made up of three sets of octagonal waisted pedestal layers, with a waisted Mount Meru at the bottom. The middle pedestal set is fully carved with wave patterns, and its octagonal waisted section features four lions in different poses, standing atop lotus petal bases. The upper set of the octagonal waisted section has eight niche doors, each housing a seated Buddha in the lotus position, above which are upward-facing lotus petals. On top of the lotus petals is an octagonal seat, each side of which is carved with railings and corner posts topped with lotus bud finials. The pagoda body stands on the railing stone base, shaped as an octagonal pillar, and is fully inscribed with the Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī Sūtra, written by Li Duanfu of Bailushan. The upper part of the pagoda body is adorned with an octagonal canopy decorated with lion heads at the corners, each holding a beaded tassel. Above the canopy is a flat round stone slab engraved with lotus patterns. It supports upward-facing lotus petals, beneath which eight square column holes have been found—likely the bases of former stone railings, now all missing. Above the lotus petals is a waisted column section, featuring eight niche doors with seated Buddhas in the lotus position, above which is an octagonal canopy with carved kinnara heads at the corners, each adorned with shallow carvings of cow, sheep, deer antlers, and fangs. The canopy holds a flat round stone slab engraved with auspicious floral designs. The pagoda top is an octagonal spire with upturned eaves. A flat round stone sits atop the eaves, undecorated, with a sacred jewel at the very top.

Huishan Subdistrict: Huishan Subdistrict administers 9 community committees and 1 residential committee: Mianhua Lane Community, Xinglongqiao Community, Wuli New Village Community, Sheng’an First Village Community, Sheng’an Second Village Community, Huichangli Community, Xinhuilu Community, Ronghu Community, Huiquan Mountain Community, and Huaying Residential Committee. … More details about Huishan Subdistrict ++

Further Reading:

· First and Second Batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units