Yunyan Temple Pagoda

Yunyan Temple Pagoda

Yunyan Temple Pagoda is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Yunyan Temple Pagoda

Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit First and Second Batches, Adjusted and Announced in March 1982 Yunyan Temple Pagoda Built in the sixth year of Xiande during the Zhou Dynasty of the Five Dynasties (959) Suzhou City Announced as part of the First Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units in 1961

Suzhou Yunyan Temple Pagoda

An ancient Buddhist structure in China. Commonly known as the Tiger Hill Pagoda. Located on Tiger Hill outside Changmen in Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province. Originally built in the thirteenth year of Qian Hong□’s reign during the Wu-Yue period of the Five Dynasties (959) and completed in the second year of Jianlong during the Northern Song Dynasty (961). From the Jianyan era of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127–1130) to the tenth year of Xianfeng during the Qing Dynasty (1860), it was burned down seven times. The spire, the top of the pagoda body, and the eaves and railings of various levels were all destroyed. Repairs were carried out in the fourth year of Zhizheng during the Yuan Dynasty (1344), the first to seventeenth years of Yongle during the Ming Dynasty (1403–1419), the third year of Zhengtong (1436), and during the Chongzhen era (1628–1644). The current seventh level of the pagoda was rebuilt around the eleventh year of Chongzhen (1638). In 1961, it was announced by the State Council of the People’s Republic of China as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit. Yunyan Temple Pagoda is an octagonal, seven-story, wood-like structure built with brick in the pavilion style. The remaining height of the pagoda body is about 47.5 meters, consisting of three parts: the outer wall, the corridor, and the inner core. Each corner of the outer wall on every level is built with a round corner pillar, and each facade is divided into three sections by partition pillars. The central section is the pagoda door, while the left and right sections are brick straight-bar windows. Above the pillar capitals, horizontal beams support brackets that hold up the eaves, with a balcony and railings above them. There is a walkway from the outer wall pagoda door to the corridor. Inside the corridor is the inner core, which is octagonal and has doors on the four cardinal directions. Passing through the inner core door and the walkway leads to the inner core chamber. The eaves are built using a corbelled brick structure. The pagoda body gradually tapers upwards from the base, giving the outer contour a parabolic shape. The interior is painted with colored designs on a white lime base made of brick. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, protection and maintenance efforts were strengthened. During renovations in 1956, reinforced concrete ring beams and cross beams were used to reinforce the pagoda body. At the end of 1981, pile linking was used to reinforce the foundation, and steel tensioning components improved overall horizontal integrity. During the 1956 renovation, cultural relics from the Five Dynasties and early Song Dynasty were unearthed inside the pagoda, including stone and iron containers, scriptures, metal objects, jade artifacts, porcelain, gold ornaments, Buddha statues, and a gilded pagoda model. These are now housed in the Suzhou Museum.

Address: Canglang District, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province

Further Reading:

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

· First Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units