Yueqing East Pagoda

Yueqing East Pagoda

Yueqing East Pagoda is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Era: Song Dynasty

Address: Yueqing County, Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province

During the Xining era (1068–1077) of the Northern Song Dynasty, an ancient pagoda on Jiuniu Mountain was destroyed by lightning. The county magistrate Ge Feng relocated it here with the belief that “when the Green Dragon roars, the town prospers.” “At that time, a monk known as Master Meita built a nine-story pagoda and also constructed a temple courtyard, installing bells and drums.”

During the Chunxi era (1174–1189) of the Southern Song Dynasty, County Magistrates Zhao Yanhui and Yuan Cai continued the construction. The pagoda is approximately 18 meters tall, consisting of a hexagonal, seven-story brick structure in the pavilion style. It has a Sumeru pedestal. Each story’s terrace is formed by stacking flat bricks. The octagonal corner pillars and square column shafts feature central ? doors on the main bays, with Buddha statues carved in the secondary bays. The eaves are built with overlapping diagonal brickwork resembling water chestnut teeth, and bracket sets are used under the eaves. The ? decoration is prominent. The ? rings are distinct. …

The original temple complex was constructed from the second to the fifth year of the Chunxi era (1175–1178) under County Magistrates Zhao Yanhui and Yuan Cai, but was demolished in the 1950s. The pagoda is about 18 meters tall, built of brick, with a six-sided, seven-level hollow pavilion-style structure. The eaves are created by overlapping diagonal brickwork resembling water chestnut teeth, featuring a slight rise and gently upturned wing corners. The area below the eaves uses four-tiered flat bracket sets. The terrace is made of stacked flat bricks, extending only slightly and without bracket sets. The octagonal corner pillars and square columns have central ? doors on the main bays and Buddha statues carved in the secondary bays. There are numerous inscriptions on the pagoda bricks recording monetary offerings. The design is majestic and beautiful, making it one of the “Eight Scenic Spots of Xiaotai.” The East Pagoda towers over the sea and sky, often wreathed in drifting clouds, and can be seen from dozens of miles away. The Yuan Dynasty poet Li Xiaoguang wrote in his poem “East Pagoda Clouds and Mist”: “The sea moon departs past four when tower fades, / The winds of heaven part the pines for miles and strays. / When smoke clears and sun rises, none draws near, / I alone watch clouds rise up from the hill here.” Many scholars and visitors have toured and ascended the pagoda. Today, inscriptions such as “Wang Meixi’s Reading Spot” can still be found by the roadside at the pagoda’s base.

The pagoda is solemn and graceful, with exquisite carvings, and holds significant historical, scientific, and artistic value.

It was listed as a Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit in the third batch in 1989.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units