Stone Sumeru Pedestal Carvings at Fuxing Hall

Stone Sumeru Pedestal Carvings at Fuxing Hall

The stone Sumeru pedestal carvings at Fuxing Hall are a Fu’an Municipal Cultural Heritage Protection Unit.

The stone Sumeru pedestal carvings at Fuxing Hall are located in Xiaoyang Village, Xiaoyang Town, Fu’an City. Dating back to the sixth year of the Jingtai era of the Ming Dynasty (1456), they fall under the category of stone carvings.

They are situated beside No. 41 Fengchao Road, northwest of the village. Originally built in the sixth year of the Jingtai era of the Ming Dynasty (1456), the structure faces south with a slight westward orientation at 20 degrees. The Fuxing Hall itself covers an area of 95.36 square meters. The stone Sumeru pedestal is 10.37 meters in total length, 1.45 meters in overall height, and 0.97 meters in depth, covering a ground area of 10.1 square meters. Carved from bluestone, the pedestal is located along the northern wall inside the hall and serves as a Buddhist statue platform. It features three receding tiers: the upper tier consists of 13 individual stone carvings forming a single arched opening, the middle tier is made up of 12 rectangular stone pieces that form the upper and lower lintels of the arch, beneath which lie the undulating patterns and plinths of the Sumeru pedestal base. The lowest tier is paved with stone slabs. In the open space in front of the hall stand two stone steles: one from the Jingtai Year of Yihai, the Donor Stele of Fuxing Hall, which records the names of donors, standing 1.26 meters tall and 0.45 meters wide; the other is a fragmented stele inscribed with “Fuxing Hall □□□,” with illegible text, measuring 0.52 meters in width and 0.62 meters in height. This Sumeru pedestal is one of the few relatively well-preserved examples in our city and is extremely valuable. It holds significant importance for the study of the development of religious culture and religious architecture in the region. In 2004, it was designated by the Fu’an Bureau of Culture and Sports as one of the first batch of cultural heritage sites in Fu’an.

On February 20, 2013, the Fu’an Municipal People’s Government announced it as a municipal-level cultural heritage protection unit in the fifth batch.

Protective boundary: A 5-meter extension outward from the surrounding walls of the building.

Xiaoyang Village: Xiaoyang Village has a total population of 3,544, comprising 15 villager groups. It administers natural villages including Xiaoyang, Dongshan (western half), and Lidi. Major streets include Fengqian Street, Guanqian Street, Chaoyang Street, Liwan Road, Zhangtanban, and Xincuoxia. The village currently has 0.11 million mu of arable land, 2.28 million mu of orchards, and 1.63 million mu of forested land. Key local specialties include tea, grapes, ginger, honey peaches, sweet potato starch, and red wine. In 2011, the total village economic income was 34.23 million yuan, with an average per capita income of 7,650 yuan for farmers. Xiaoyang Village, historically known as Zhangtanban, was the hometown of patriotic poets of the Southern Song Dynasty and one of the “Three Worthies of Fu’an”... More details about Xiaoyang Village++

Further reading:

· Fifth Batch of Municipal-Level Cultural Heritage Protection Units in Fu’an City