Western Tianmu Mountain Stupa Cluster

Western Tianmu Mountain Stupa Cluster

The Western Tianmu Mountain Stupa Cluster is a Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Western Tianmu Mountain Stupa Cluster (Provincial-level Cultural Relics Protection Unit)

Period: Yuan Dynasty – Republic of China

Announcement date: March 16, 2005

A large number of Buddhist monk stupas are preserved here. Among them, the Cangyun Stupa Cluster was built during the Yuan Dynasty, consisting of five stupas with simple and ancient designs; the stupa in its courtyard is relatively well-preserved, hexagonal in shape and made of stone, with the body composed of a base, the main stupa, and the top stone, while the stupa finial is divided into parts such as a precious bead, an upturned lotus, and a precious top. The Fayun Stupa, built during the Yuan Dynasty and later reconstructed, has a design similar to a Four-Gate Pagoda but is smaller in size. The Chongyun Stupa, also built in the Yuan Dynasty, has a circular body and a dome shape, resembling a burial mound. Among the Qing Dynasty stupas, the Huishi Stupa, built during the Kangxi era, features a regular structure, consisting of a platform base, Sumeru pedestal, inverted lotus, stupa body, eaves, and finial. It stands nearly three meters tall, making it the largest stupa in the cluster.

The earliest known stupa in the Western Tianmu Mountain Stupa Cluster was built during the Yuan Dynasty, but those from the Qing Dynasty are more numerous, generally smaller in size. Some stupas are inscribed with brief biographies of the monks. Most of the stupas are well-preserved.

Source: Zhejiang Cultural Relics Website

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units