Hanshou Wan Shou Pagoda

Hanshou Wan Shou Pagoda

The Hanshou Wan Shou Pagoda is a cultural relic protection unit of Anhui Province.

The Wan Shou Pagoda is located in Gaizhuang Administrative Village, Liyang Town, Hanshou County, 5 kilometers from the county seat. It is also known as Nianxu Pagoda.

This pagoda is not recorded in the "Zhili Hezhou Annals" or the "Liyang Chronicles." Legend has it that it was either built by Sun Quan during the Three Kingdoms period to celebrate his mother’s birthday or constructed during the Song Dynasty. However, the Provincial Historical and Cultural Research Institute has investigated and believes that it is more likely to date back to the Three Kingdoms period, making it quite valuable.

The pagoda is built with a brick-and-wood structure, standing 28 meters tall with seven levels. Its exterior is a regular hexagon, built on a stone foundation. Each level features projecting eaves made of brick and wood, with niches and arched gates built between each side. The niches contain brick-carved Buddha statues sitting cross-legged on lotus thrones—varying in number from 16, 15, to 9, totaling nearly 200 statues. The first level inside the pagoda is square-shaped, with a base width and wall height of 2 meters each. The four corners feature lotus pillars, and the upper part tapers inward into a dome-like roof. The pagoda entrance faces southeast and is located on the southern wall of the first level. A one-person-wide brick staircase diagonally crosses the outer eave of the second level, then wraps around one-sixth of the outer eave, where another staircase leads to the third level's outer eave. In this manner, one can ascend all the way up. Currently, some bricks have been removed from the first level, and the outer eaves of each level have been damaged. The fifth level and above are incomplete due to long-term weather erosion. Additionally, a large cavity was created by Japanese artillery fire, making it impossible for people to climb to the top today.

Liyang Town: Liyang Town, historically known as Yafu City, was established over 2,000 years ago by Fan Zeng, the Marquis of Liyang. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, it served as a station of the ancient Yangzhou commandery. It is now the political, economic, and cultural center of Hanshou County, and is recognized as a “Star Township” and “Top Ten Strong Township” of Chaohu City, as well as an “Advanced National Spiritual Civilization Township.” The town covers a total area of 164 square kilometers, governs 17 villages and 8 communities, and has a population of 133,000, including approximately 100,000 urban residents.

Liyang Town enjoys a geographically advantageous location, being close to Nanjing to the north and facing Ma'anshan across the river. Provincial highways such as the Chaoning Road and Chuwu Road run through the town. Take… More detailed information about Liyang Town++