The pagoda stands tall to the east

Pagoda East Soaring

A uniquely exquisite pagoda soars high, its literary chariot-like form towering above the riverbank;

Fronting the distant hills of the Ju River, it commands the refreshing breeze from Ao Yang behind.

Precisely aligned with the stars in the southeast, it arrays brilliant celestial bodies in the eastern realm;

You must be a pillar holding up the sky, unyielding through wind and rain.

This poem praises the "Jianyuan Pagoda," one of the "Eight Scenic Spots of Ju Stream"—"Pagoda East Soaring." It is the only ancient pagoda in Qingyuan County, built in the first year of the Kangxi reign during the Qing Dynasty (1662). The ancestors constructed the pagoda to inspire future generations to practice virtue and diligence in study. Named "Jianyuan Pagoda" (literally "Pagoda of Recommending the Top Scholar") with the meaning that "since ancient times, great literary talent has produced top imperial examinees," it is also known as the "Civilization Pagoda." The pagoda is 18 meters tall, has six sides and seven stories, with an inner corridor that allows access to the upper levels, covering an area of 36 square meters. It is located on Meihua Ridge at the water’s end in the southern part of Yueshan Village, facing the Buyan Bridge from afar. Beside the bridge lies a winding, rugged stone path leading to the Jianyuan Pagoda. Along the path is a pavilion called "Deer Listening Pavilion" (now only ruins remain). Legend has it that in ancient times, an elderly villager raised a sika deer that lived in this pavilion and was unafraid of people. The old man would whistle to call the deer, which would come down the mountain knowing food was coming, hence the pavilion’s name. The pagoda has six sides, with a wooden pillar erected at each corner, embedded within the brick structure. Inside the pagoda is a large central column, and each floor has wooden beams running horizontally through the inner and outer walls, connecting to the central column, supporting the eaves on the outside and holding up the floor planks on the inside. The inner walls of the pagoda feature many poems and paintings, mostly Buddhist scriptures and literary allusions encouraging diligence in study. The pagoda is built with large bricks, with each tier’s arch corners extending outward. The base is constructed of block stones, and the ground floor has an arched door, 1.5 meters high and 0.55 meters wide. Every other floor has an arched window on each side. Wind chimes hang from the eaves, and plum and willow trees are planted around the pagoda, giving the architectural style a distinctly Tang Dynasty feel. In the fifth year of the Xianfeng reign of the Qing Dynasty (1855), the pagoda was struck by lightning, damaging the top two tiers, leaving only five tiers today.

Location

Yueshan Village, Qingyuan County (Ju Water Township), Lishui City