Longhua Twin Pagodas

Longhua Twin Pagodas

The Longhua Twin Pagodas are a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Era: Song and Qing Dynasties

Address: Xianyou County, Putian City, Fujian Province

Legend has it that during the Sui Dynasty, the wandering monk Ye Weisheng traveled far and wide. He came upon Baodong Mountain in the Longhua area, where misty fireworks and beautiful scenery captivated him. He built a thatched hut at the foot of the mountain to practice meditation and seek enlightenment. His noble virtue moved the Seven Buddhas to appear and listen to his teachings. To spread Buddhist teachings more widely, Ye Weisheng was ordered to lay the foundation and build a temple. After sixty years of construction, nine halls were completed: the Buddha Hall, Ordination Platform, Dharma Hall, Vajra Hall, Heavenly King Hall, Guardian Deity Shrine, Scripture Depository, Sangharama Hall, and Mountain Gate. Due to the miraculous phenomenon of “twin dragons offering flowers,” the temple was named Longhua Temple, from which the name Longhua derives.

During the Daguan era of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty (1107–1110), a local man named Guo Yong donated funds to build two stone pagodas in front of Longhua Temple to pray for his mother’s longevity — once on her 70th birthday and again on her 80th. The project was completed in the third year of the Jianyan era of Emperor Gaozong of the Southern Song Dynasty (1129). These twin pagodas are known as the Longhua Twin Pagodas. Majestic and spectacular in presence, their ingenious construction is considered a marvel in the history of ancient architecture.

Both the East Pagoda and the West Pagoda are built in the style of wooden multi-story pavilions. Measurements show that each side of the base level of the West Pagoda is 3.7 meters wide, with the external diameter from east to west being 8.8 meters, and the same from north to south, yielding a floor area of 64.5 square meters. The underground foundation extends at least three times the size of the base. The Longhua Twin Pagodas benefit from a flat, solid site with uniform geology, featuring deep, hard, broad, and stable foundations. Their construction is meticulous, with tightly bonded stonework, slanted stone joints, and strong vertical connectivity throughout the structure. The upper sections are lighter than the lower, giving them a low center of gravity. The narrow corridors (0.7–0.8 meters) and short eaves (1.25 meters) result in minimal overhang, contributing to the overall stability of the pagodas. Despite their relatively small body size (64.5 square meters) and significant height of 44.8 meters, the pagodas sit on a foundation area of about 190 square meters, enabling them to withstand countless disasters without collapse.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units