Rui Long Induction Pagoda

Rui Long Induction Pagoda

The Rui Long Induction Pagoda is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Era: Five Dynasties

Address: Jiufeng Park at the foot of Jiufeng Mountain, Chengguan Town, Huangyan District, Taizhou City, Zhejiang Province.

This pagoda was constructed in the fourth year of the Jianlong era (963 AD) during the Wuyue period of the Five Dynasties. It is a seven-story, octagonal, pavilion-style brick pagoda, 35.2 meters in height. The stone Sumeru pedestal has carved Buddha statues and auspicious beasts on its molded waist. Each successive level slightly tapers inward, while the eaves and balconies are constructed using interlocking "diamond-tooth" brick courses. Below the eaves, the bracket sets transition elegantly into cloud motifs. Over ten Buddha images are embedded into the bricks of each doorway. The top level features carvings depicting Buddhist stories. The pagoda is crowned with a gourd-shaped inverted alms bowl. Inside, it houses iron boxes and palm-leaf scriptures. Towering pine and cypress trees surround the site, preserving the ancient scenic charm of the "Flat Woods Pagoda Shadow." The Rui Long Induction Pagoda underwent renovation in 1998 and is now listed as a Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Rui Long Induction Pagoda is the earliest pagoda in Huangyan. It was originally built in the fourth year of the Jianlong era of the Northern Song Dynasty, which corresponds to 963 AD (the first year of Qiande). Constructed under the guidance of the high monk and national preceptor Deshao of the Fayan School, it was later restored during the Qing Dynasty. This is an octagonal, seven-tiered, pavilion-style brick pagoda. Its corner pillars are hexagonal, the base level is built with a Sumeru pedestal, and each gateway is inlaid with “Thousand Buddha Bricks” featuring ten Buddha images. The top level depicts Buddhist stories in carvings, while the spire is crowned with a gourd-shaped inverted alms bowl. The interior houses iron boxes and palm-leaf scriptures. Towering pines and cypresses surround the pagoda, preserving the landscape feature known as the “Flat Woods Pagoda Shadow,” one of the ancient twelve scenic spots. The Rui Long Induction Pagoda was renovated in 1998 and is included in the list of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units.

The Rui Long Induction Pagoda is a brick pagoda. Although brick is well-suited for constructing towers, traditional Chinese brick pagodas mostly imitate wooden structures in their design — including elements such as bracket sets, beams, columns, rafters, and purlins — all of which are fully replicated. While this results in aesthetically pleasing architecture, it does not fully capitalize on the inherent strengths of brick material and has in fact become a technical constraint in pagoda construction. Internally, brick pagodas often employ a random-laid masonry method, meaning bricks are stacked tightly within the structure in no fixed pattern. This approach accommodates the varying diameter of the pagoda’s body as it rises in height, ensuring smooth transitions in curvature. However, for aesthetic purposes, the outer surface of the pagoda must be built with regularly laid bricks, typically using either the long-face bond or the long-face header bond technique.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units