Dayuan Temple Pagoda in Yiwu

Dayuan Temple Pagoda in Yiwu

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

Dayuan Temple Pagoda is located within Xiuhu Park in Xiuhu Community, Choucheng Subdistrict, Yiwu. It takes its name from Dayuan Temple and was built in the fourth year of Daguan during the Northern Song Dynasty (1110), funded by Wu Gui (1068–1121). According to historical remains and records, the pagoda’s eaves, balcony railings, and finial had been destroyed by the Republican era, leaving only the five-story main body, with a current remaining height of 23.45 meters.

Dayuan Temple Pagoda is a hexagonal, five-tiered, sparsely eaved, brick-and-timber structure in the pavilion style, consisting of a base, pedestal, main body, and finial, with the finial being a dome added during the 1997 restoration. The pedestal has a diameter of 6.82 meters and a height of 0.55 meters, built from stacked stone slabs forming a stepped design. The inner diameter of the first story of the main body is 2.96 meters, with an external width of 3.21 meters and wall thickness of 1.34 meters. Corner pillars are present, with their tops slightly tapered. Between these pillars are additional columns dividing each face into three bays. The central bay on the ground floor features doorways or windows, while the other sides have windows as well. From the second to fifth floors, windows are arranged at varying heights. Each level has eaves and balconies, with wall arches featuring double bows. The interior has a staircase, with north and south passages connected to corridors on each floor. The building materials used include "crimson sandstone," "blue bricks," and "gray tiles" of varying colors and textures.

According to historical texts such as the Jiaqing-era “Yiwu County Annals” and the “Yiwu Yanling Wu Clan Genealogy,” Dayuan Temple Pagoda underwent two restorations during the Southern Song and Ming dynasties. In 1997, the Yiwu municipal government carried out preservation work on the pagoda, which is now in good condition.

It was designated as a Yiwu County (City)-level Cultural Heritage Protection Unit in May 1981. In October 2019, it was recognized as part of the eighth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units by the State Council.

According to Yiwu historical records, there is a beautiful legend about Dayuan Temple Pagoda: Long ago, there was a large lake in Yiwu city, but for some reason, it frequently flooded, submerging vast areas of fertile farmland and often leading to crop failures nine years out of ten.

One day, a white-haired Taoist priest arrived by the lake and concluded that the flooding was caused by a water buffalo demon lurking at the bottom of the lake. This demon was the youngest son of the Bull Demon King, who had been unruly and troublemaking since childhood, and was thus banished by his father to make his home here. The local people united, gathering all available waterwheels to drain the lake day and night for 81 days until only the lakebed remained. The priest urged everyone: the demon would take a nap at noon, so they had to drain the water before it woke up and then burn it to death at the bottom of the lake. People came from all directions and quickly drained the lake, revealing a terrifying-looking water buffalo demon curled up and fast asleep.

The crowd covered the demon with dry firewood, poured oil over it, and set it ablaze. After burning for three days and nights, the demon was reduced to ashes. Fearing the spirit might not be gone and could cause more trouble, the people covered the site with soil and stones and built a pagoda to suppress the demon. To honor the priest’s deeds, the villagers also built a temple next to the pagoda, naming it Dayuan Temple, and called the pagoda Dayuan Temple Pagoda. Since then, the area has enjoyed favorable weather and picturesque scenery reminiscent of embroidery, hence the name Xiuhu (Embroidered Lake).

Xiuhu Community: Xiuhu Community…… More details about Xiuhu Community++

Further reading:

· Sixth Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Eighth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units