Qianshan Taiping Pagoda

Qianshan Taiping Pagoda

The Qianshan Taiping Pagoda is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Era: Song Dynasty

Address: Qianshan County, Anqing City, Anhui Province

According to historical records: "The Taiping Pagoda was originally built during the Xianning period of the Jin Dynasty (326–334 AD). In front of the temple stood the Taiping Pagoda, in front of the pagoda was the Zhenwu Hall, and behind the hall were the Jade Emperor Pavilion and the Stone Ornamental Pillars."

The Taiping Pagoda is situated to the east within the grounds of the Qianshan County Museum. Its eastern, western, and southern sides are adjacent to the county’s bustling commercial district, while its northern side is flanked by various exhibition areas within the museum. According to the Qianshan County Annals, the pagoda was first constructed during the Xianning era of the Jin Dynasty (326–334 AD) as the spiritual site of Master Huiqin, a Buddhist monk of the Shuzhou Taiping Temple. It is a brick-and-timber structure built to enshrine Buddhist relics. The original surrounding structures, including the Zhenwu Hall, Jade Emperor Pavilion, the temple itself, and the Stone Ornamental Pillars, have all been lost over time. The surviving brick pagoda consists only of a base platform, main body, dense eaves, and a steeple, standing atop a brick foundation. The structure is octagonal in plan, with the bottom layer measuring approximately 38 meters per side, and the full height of the pagoda reaching about 35 meters to its tip. The entire brick pagoda imitates wooden architectural styles, featuring soaring eaves and wind bells that create the visual effect of “a thousand tips in motion.”

The Taiping Pagoda has withstood numerous challenges including warfare, earthquakes, and wind disasters. Although the pagoda leans slightly toward the southeast, its precise design, robust structure, and timely maintenance have allowed it to remain standing firmly to this day, reflecting the remarkable architectural achievements of ancient China.

The interior of the pagoda features a hollow-core structure, with staircases in each chamber allowing visitors to “ascend from the inside, spiral from the outside, and reach the summit.” Inside the chambers are nearly a thousand Buddha statues seated in meditation, representing rare masterpieces of China’s sculptural art. The top of the pagoda, known as the steeple, is composed from top to bottom of a precious jewel, a finial wheel, and a lotus-shaped inverted bowl adorned with ornaments, all adding a delicate beauty to the overall architectural style.

The exterior of the pagoda has seven tiers of closely spaced eaves, built from blue bricks. The bricks are interlocked with tenons and grooves, forming an extremely tight and sturdy structure. Starting from the second tier, the pagoda gradually tapers inward. Each level features projecting eaves built with layered brick corbelling, encircled by corridors, and punctuated by arched doorways on each façade—though some are blind doors or false entrances, with only certain openings offering distant views.

Protected Area: Beyond the base of the pagoda, extending 2 meters outward from the walls of the County Museum (formerly the County Cultural Relics Management Office) to the east, south, west, and north.

Construction Control Zone: A 500-meter buffer zone extending outward from the protected area to the east, south, west, and north.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units