Hongjue Temple Pagoda at Niushou Mountain

Hongjue Temple Pagoda at Niushou Mountain

Hongjue Temple Pagoda at Niushou Mountain is a protected cultural heritage site of Jiangsu Province.

Nanjing’s Hongjue Temple Pagoda is the most magnificent surviving ancient brick-and-wood imitation pavilion-style pagoda in the city. From its heights, visitors can enjoy sweeping views of the southern suburbs.

The Hongjue Temple Pagoda is located on the southern slope of the eastern peak of Niushou Mountain. It was originally built in the ninth year of the Dali era during the Tang Dynasty (774 AD), legend says at the behest of Emperor Daizong of Tang, Li Yu, who "constructed it after dreaming of it." The original structure was later destroyed, and the current pagoda body was rebuilt in the early Ming Dynasty.

The Hongjue Temple Pagoda stands over 30 meters tall, with seven levels and eight sides. Each side features a niche and two small windows, along with carved wooden eaves, giving it an elegant form and classic style. In 1956, a gold-plated Buddhist stupa, a gold reclining Buddha, and a blue-and-white porcelain jar were discovered beneath the foundational stones at the base of the pagoda. Between the third and seventh levels, there are over 70 inscriptions, the earliest dating back to the fifth year of the Zhengtong era of the Ming Dynasty (1440 AD). Having survived wars and turmoil, the pagoda was renovated during the Ming Dynasty. Today, its main structure remains largely intact, though the lower portion has been buried underground for over ten meters, making it the oldest surviving brick pagoda in the Nanjing area.

On October 22, 2002, Hongjue Temple Pagoda at Niushou Mountain was designated as part of the fifth group of Protected Cultural Heritage Sites of Jiangsu Province.

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Protected Cultural Heritage Sites of Jiangsu Province