Suzhou Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple

Suzhou Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple

Suzhou Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Suzhou Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple gets its name from the Ten Thousand Buddhas Stone Pagoda within the temple. Originally called the Chan Master Pagoda, the Ten Thousand Buddhas Stone Pagoda is located in Xijing Village (also known as Xijing Cun), Zhijing Village, Zhenhu Town, High-Tech District, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province. It faces Taihu Lake and across the lake lies Guangfu Yaoshang Mountain. Due to frequent flooding in the Taihu area—and because pagodas symbolize the Buddha, who is regarded as an immensely powerful deity—the pagoda was first built during the Shaoxing era of the Southern Song Dynasty (1131–1162 AD) as a protective talisman for the region.

During the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty, the eminent monk Xin [?] renovated and refurbished the pagoda. Since its reconstruction, it has withstood 692 years of weathering. The pagoda is constructed from limestone blocks and features a single-story design. Its exterior is square while the interior is round, giving it a simple yet well-proportioned and sturdy appearance. It differs from the traditional multi-eaved Chinese pagodas and also from the Lamaist pagodas (bottle-shaped pagodas) introduced to China from India, which were popular during the Yuan Dynasty. This pagoda stands unique in style. Originally situated near the renowned Xiufeng Temple in the south of the Yangtze River, the pagoda faces south and stands 11.2 meters tall, consisting of three main parts: the base, the body, and the finial. The southern side of the pagoda features a door shaped like a flame, approximately 2.1 meters high and 0.72 meters wide. On the front lintel are inscribed the four large characters “Ancient Pagoda Rejuvenated,” while the words “Amitabha Buddha” are carved on both the eastern and western sides. A couplet is engraved on either side of the door: the upper line reads “Building this pagoda brings blessings to all sentient beings,” and the lower line reads “Cultivating bodhicitta leads to enlightenment together.”

The inner chamber of the pagoda resembles a circular well, wider at the top and narrower at the bottom. The base has a diameter of 2.14 meters, narrowing to 1.65 meters at the top. The wall is 3.75 meters high, with a 0.74-meter-high Sumeru pedestal at the bottom. At the center of the pedestal’s waist is an inscription reading “Record of Chengjue Monastery,” which provides clues for dating the pagoda. On the left is carved “Made by the Wu Brothers, Stone Masons of Wumen,” and on the right “Jointly sponsored by Monk Zhiyuan of the Monastery.” The upper part is adorned with “entwined grass and ruyi ornaments.” Around the pedestal are ten layers of Wukang stone blocks, covered in rows of small relief Buddha statues. Each Buddha statue is 4.5 cm tall and 3.5 cm wide—about the size of an egg—each with clearly defined clothing, facial features, and seated in lotus position on a pedestal. There are about 180 such small Buddha statues per row, across 60 rows, totaling 10,800 statues, hence the name “Ten Thousand Buddhas Pagoda.”

Directly facing the pagoda door is a Buddha statue approximately 30 cm tall and 20 cm wide. Though not counted among the ten thousand, it is regarded as the leader of the assembly. This statue represents Sakyamuni Buddha, signifying that the ten thousand Buddhas are seated in reverence, listening to the Buddha’s preaching. The pagoda finial is a stone-carved gourd-shaped vase topped with a precious jewel. Below it are inverted lotus petals, a spire, and four upward-curving niches. The niches are adorned with finely crafted carvings, and the spire is supported by intricately structured brackets. It is said that the calligrapher and scholar Mi Fu (or another notable figure of the time) was so impressed by these Buddha statues that he gladly inscribed the words “Ten Thousand Buddhas Pagoda.”

Transportation Guide

Address: Xijing Village, Zhenhu Town, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province

Getting there: Take bus 320 within Suzhou City and get off at the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple stop.