Gaoyou Pure Land Temple Pagoda

Gaoyou Pure Land Temple Pagoda

The Gaoyou Pure Land Temple Pagoda is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangsu Province.

The Pure Land Temple Pagoda is situated on the south side of Pipa Road in Gaoyou Town, Gaoyou City (eastern suburbs of the urban area). Originally named the Empty Pagoda of Pure Land Temple and commonly referred to as the East Pagoda, it was constructed in the 34th year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1606) under the direction of Zhong Shizhang, the magistrate of Gaoyou. The pagoda is built of brick in a pavilion-style imitation, featuring seven levels and an octagonal form, with a total height of 47.46 meters. The structure is noted for its majestic and elegant appearance. In 1963, Zhu Guangrong, a student from Gaoyou Middle School, along with others, climbed to the top of the pagoda and retrieved over forty volumes of Buddhist scriptures, including the Avatamsaka Sutra from the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, which are now preserved at the Nanjing Museum. In June 2005, a major restoration project was undertaken to restore the pagoda to its original historic appearance. During the renovation, three artillery shells left over from the war were removed from inside the pagoda, and a commemorative brick tablet from the time of the pagoda's construction was also discovered. In June 2006, the pagoda was designated as a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangsu Province.

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Jiangsu Province