Ningbo Tianning Temple Pagoda

Ningbo Tianning Temple Pagoda

The Ningbo Tianning Temple Pagoda is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Tianning Temple Pagoda is located on Zhongshan West Road in Ningbo. It is the oldest existing pagoda in Ningbo and the only Tang Dynasty brick pagoda south of the Yangtze River. It is also the only known surviving example of a pair of twin pagodas positioned in front of a temple from the Tang Dynasty, making it highly significant for the study of religious culture and Buddhist architecture during the Tang era. The western pagoda has now been restored to its original appearance. Built in the fourth year of the Xiantong era of the Tang Dynasty (863 AD), it is also known as the Xiantong Pagoda. In June 2006, it was designated as part of the sixth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units by the State Council.

The Tianning Temple was originally established in the fifth year of the Taizhong era of the Tang Dynasty (851 AD) and was initially named Guoning Temple. In the second year of the Zongning era of the Song Dynasty (1106 AD), it was renamed Chongning Wanshou Temple, and in the first year of the Hehe era (1111 AD), it was changed again to Daning Wanshou Temple. It was destroyed by fire during the Jianyan years but was soon rebuilt. In the second year of the Zhi Da era of the Yuan Dynasty (1309 AD), it was ruined by Japanese pirates and was later reconstructed. In the fifteenth year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (1382 AD), it was renamed Tianning Chan Temple. In the early years of the Republic of China, it came to be called simply “Tianning Temple.”

Originally, there were two pagodas, one to the east and one to the west, in front of the temple. The eastern pagoda collapsed during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty. In 1995, during the renovation of Zhongshan Road, archaeological work was carried out at the site of the eastern pagoda’s foundation, where remnants of the base were discovered. The existing structure is the western pagoda of the Tianning Temple. Inscriptions on the pagoda bricks clearly state “Made in the fourth year of Xiantong (863 AD),” and during the 1995 restoration of the western pagoda, many bricks dating back to the Xiantong era were found. Hence, it is also referred to as the “Xiantong Pagoda.” Due to its relatively small size and turtle-like shape, it is commonly nicknamed the “Turtle Pagoda.”

The Tianning Temple Pagoda is constructed of brick, featuring a parabolic elevation profile and a square floor plan. Each side measures approximately 3.20 meters, and the pagoda has five stories that gradually taper upward. Each level features projecting eaves built using corbelled brickwork—noticeably more protruding than those typically seen in Tang Dynasty pagodas in the north. The interior of the pagoda is cylindrical in shape. The ground floor has arched doorways on all four sides, while the upper floors have niches along each wall. The pagoda stands about 12 meters tall, with walls approximately 0.76 meters thick, and covers a ground area of 10.42 square meters.

Scenic Spot Location

Zhongshan West Road, Haishu District, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province