Stone Pagodas and Sutra Pillars of Lingyin Temple

Stone Pagodas and Sutra Pillars of Lingyin Temple

The stone pagodas and sutra pillars of Lingyin Temple are Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level.

Era: Five Dynasties, Northern Song Dynasty

Address: Located within Lingyin Temple in Xihu District, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province.

The two stone pagodas were originally built during the Five Dynasties or early Northern Song Dynasty when Qian Hongchu rebuilt Lingyin Temple. At that time, four pagodas were erected, but today only the pair in front of the Great Buddha's Hall on the east and west sides remains. The two stone pagodas are 42 meters apart, both octagonal nine-story structures modeled after wooden pavilion-style towers.

The two sutra pillars are located on the east and west sides of the Heavenly King Hall. According to the “Pillar Construction Record” and supplementary inscriptions engraved on the pillars: the stone pillars were built by the King of the Wuyue Kingdom in the second year of the Kaibao era of the Northern Song Dynasty (969 AD), originally standing in the Fengxian Temple at the Qian family’s ancestral temple. Later, when the Wuyue Kingdom submitted its territory to the Song Dynasty, Fengxian Temple was destroyed. In the second year of the Jingyou era (1035 AD), they were relocated to their current site by Yan Shan, the abbot of Lingyin Temple. Originally twelve stories high, they are now damaged and consist of multiple tiers in an octagonal shape, with the lower three tiers forming a Sumeru pedestal. The body of the pillars is inscribed with the “Siddhi Mantra of Immediate Attainment of Great Freedom” and the “Mahāvairocana Dhāraṇī.”

The two stone pagodas and two sutra pillars of Lingyin Temple have been listed as Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level.

Lingyin Community: Lingyin Community is situated in the scenic tourist destination—the Lingyin Scenic Area—surrounded by mountains on three sides and the West Lake to the east. The area is also a Buddhist cultural site with a long history, home to the world-famous Lingyin Temple and many other temples.

Lingyin Community was established in January 2006 following the transition from a village committee to an urban community, formerly known as Lingyin Village. The community covers an area of approximately 4.5 square kilometers, bordered by the west wall of the 117th Hospital to the east, Yueguifeng to the south, Longmen Mountain to the west, and Ruiyun Mountain to the north. Currently, the community has 617 households and a population of 1,218.

… Lingyin Community detailed information++

Further reading:

· Seventh Batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level