Guoan Temple Pagoda

Guoan Temple Pagoda

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

Era: Song Dynasty

Address: Located in Huang’ao, Yaoxi Town, Longwan District, Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province.

Built between the fifth and eighth years of the Yuanyou era of the Northern Song Dynasty (1090–1093). The pagoda is a solid, pavilion-style stone structure with nine stories and a hexagonal floor plan, currently standing at approximately 17 meters in height.

Guoan Temple was built during the Qianfu era of the Tang Dynasty (874–879). Guoan Temple Pagoda was constructed between the fifth and eighth years of the Yuanyou era of the Northern Song Dynasty (1090–1093). It is a solid, hexagonal nine-story structure originally over 18 meters tall, built in the style of a wooden pavilion using bluestone. The base features exquisitely carved Sumeru pedestals. The first story has a surrounding corridor, and the body of the pagoda is covered with carvings of Buddha statues, totaling 1,026 in all. The eaves are gently sloped, with tile patterns and ridges carved along the rafter ends. Bracket sets are installed under the eaves, and the top is crowned with a finial.

For nearly a thousand years, the Thousand Buddha Pagoda of Guoan Temple has stood tall amidst green mountains and valleys, enduring the passage of time while carrying a profound cultural heritage.

It was listed as a Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit on December 12, 1989, and included in the seventh batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units in May 2013.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units