Longyan Wenming Pagoda

Longyan Wenming Pagoda

Longyan Wenming Pagoda is a cultural relic protection unit of Fujian Province.

Wenming Pagoda, also known as Chang Pagoda, is located at Fangtangping on the summit of the mountain at the junction of Longyan, Yongding, and Nanjing counties, 1.8 kilometers west of Anshan Natural Village, Renhe Village, Shizhong Town, Xinluo District, Longyan City, Fujian Province. It was built during the Shaoxing era of the Southern Song Dynasty (1131–1162). The structure faces east and is an octagonal, hollow, pavilion-style building made of rammed earth, with nine stories. The arched doorways on alternate floors are aligned vertically, and the pagoda stands 23.26 meters tall with a footprint of 49.99 square meters. The inner diameter of the ground floor is 4.91 meters, the base wall is 1.64 meters thick, and the perimeter is 25.73 meters. The east-facing rammed earth gate features a lintel inscribed with the characters “Wenming Pagoda” (Civilization Pagoda), handwritten by Zhu Xi. It is a rare large-scale single-unit earthen pagoda still in existence in China and also an important Taiwan-related cultural relic in our district. In January 2009, it was included in the “New Discoveries of the Third National Cultural Relics Survey” by the National Cultural Heritage Administration, and in November of the same year, it was designated as a seventh-batch provincial-level cultural relic protection unit by the provincial government. Wenming Pagoda is a rare large-scale single-unit earthen pagoda still existing in China, making its rescue and preservation highly significant. Additionally, the pagoda serves as an emotional bond between Taiwanese compatriots and overseas Chinese from Shizhong and their hometown. Each time they return to Shizhong, they pay homage here.

Renhe Village: Renhe Village is located at the junction of Xinluo District, Yongding County, and Nanjing County (district/city). To the east it connects with Bancun Village, to the west it neighbors Fushi and Longtan of Yongding County, to the south it borders Changta of Nanjing County, and to the north it adjoins Baofeng. The village administers six natural villages: Anbin, Beishan, Baotai, Wangqian, Shangnandun, and Xiannandun, making it the second-largest village in Shizhong Town. It has 31 villager groups, covering a total area of 47 square kilometers. This includes 4,538 mu of arable land and 22,853 mu of mountainous land. Surrounded by mountains on all sides, Renhe Village sits at an elevation of 637 meters, with a small basin at its center. The Shizhong Stream and Changta Stream flow through the area… More details about Renhe Village++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Fujian Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units