Stone Pagoda at the Head of the Dingbu Bridge

Stone Pagoda at the Head of the Dingbu Bridge

The Stone Pagoda at the Head of the Dingbu Bridge is a cultural relic protection unit of Taishun County.

The Stone Pagoda at the Head of the Dingbu Bridge is located at the head of the Dingbu Bridge in Dongxi Township, Taishun County. It stands about 5 meters tall, has three stories and six sides, and is built from bluestone. The base is constructed from neatly arranged stone blocks. The first level features an arched niche inscribed horizontally with the four characters “Xi Mo Ru Jin” (Cherish Ink as if It Were Gold). The second level’s niche is inscribed with “Wen Guang Si She” (Literary Light Shines in All Directions), and originally housed a statue of the Kuixing deity kicking a dou (a traditional symbol of academic success). The third level’s niche is inscribed with “Shi Zhi Wen Zi” (The Beginning of Writing). Each level has imitation wooden bracketed eaves, with upturned corners and ornamental beast heads at the tips. Stone pillars are installed around each level, with couplets carved on their surfaces. The finial of the pagoda is shaped like a gourd. During the Xianfeng and Tongzhi eras of the Qing Dynasty, the village of Dongxi enjoyed a succession of academic successes and a flourishing literary culture, with 12 scholars achieving the status of xiucai (a degree in the imperial examination system) in a single period. The clan raised funds to construct the pagoda in the 12th year of the Guangxu reign (1886), naming it the Wenzhang Ge (Pavilion of Literature) in hopes of ensuring “a prosperous literary fortune and a continuous line of scholarly achievements.”

Source: Wenzhou Museum