Leifeng Pagoda Ruins

Leifeng Pagoda Ruins

The Leifeng Pagoda Ruins are a Provincial-Level Cultural Relics Protection Unit of Zhejiang Province.

Leifeng Pagoda Ruins (Provincial-Level Cultural Relics Protection Unit)

Era: Five Dynasties

Listed: August 29, 1997

Located on Xizhao Mountain at the foot of Nanping Hill in the West Lake District. Leifeng Pagoda was originally built in 957 AD, reportedly commissioned by Qian Hongchu, King of the Wuyue Kingdom, for his consort Lady Huang, hence it was also known as Lady Huang’s Pagoda. The original structure was an octagonal, seven-story, brick-and-wood pavilion-style tower. It was damaged during wartime in the Xuanhe period of the Northern Song Dynasty (1119–1125). In the Southern Song Dynasty, it was rebuilt as an octagonal, five-story pagoda. In the 34th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1555), when Japanese pirates attacked Hangzhou, the pagoda’s eaves were burned, leaving only the brick core. On September 25, 1924, the pagoda collapsed, and within the brick cavities, a scripture scroll was discovered — the "Dharani Sutra of the Secret Vital Body Relics of All Tathagatas," printed in 975 AD by Qian Hongchu, King of the Wuyue Kingdom. The scroll, finely printed on Sichuan cotton paper or bamboo paper, is a precious artifact for studying early woodblock printing. From 2000 to 2001, in conjunction with the reconstruction project of Leifeng Pagoda, the collapsed ruins were cleared and the underground palace was excavated, yielding a number of important relics including an iron reliquary casket (containing a gold-plated miniature pagoda), a gilt bronze statue of Sakyamuni, bronze mirrors, copper coins, jade figurines, and jade coins.

Source: Zhejiang Cultural Relics Website

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Zhejiang Provincial-Level Cultural Relics Protection Units