Tianzhong Wanshou Pagoda

Tianzhong Wanshou Pagoda

Tianzhong Wanshou Pagoda is a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.

Tianzhong Wanshou Pagoda is located on Tadou Mountain in Fengting Town, Xianyou County. Commonly known as Tadou Pagoda, it is also called Qingluo Pagoda. After evaluation by relevant experts, it has been identified as belonging to the Ashoka Pagoda style and features an architectural style from the Five Dynasties period.

In 2001, Tianzhong Wanshou Pagoda, as an ancient building from the Song Dynasty, was approved by the State Council to be included in the fifth batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level.

Tianzhong Wanshou Pagoda was first built in the late Five Dynasties period. It faces south and is built against the mountain. The pagoda is made of solid stone, square-shaped with five levels, standing 7.4 meters tall and 5.1 meters wide on each side. It rises directly from the mountain base and soars into the sky.

The surface of the pagoda is almost entirely covered with relief carvings. Its unique shapes and exquisite artistry are truly remarkable. The first level is placed on a lotus-petal-shaped Sumeru pedestal, with a carved deity at each of the four corners, slightly crouching and using their heads to support the upper pagoda base. Each of the four sides of the pagoda body is carved with a scene of two dragons playing together, all in different forms. Notably, on the southern side, one relief depicts a male and female dragon hooking their tails together in a coiled shape, while both turn their heads back to gaze lovingly at each other with four eyes meeting.

The second level has another Sumeru pedestal and eight pedestal feet at its base. The four corners of the pagoda body only have round drum-shaped columns, while each side is carved with four relief images of floral branches.

The third level has three arched niche-like shallow recesses on each side, each housing a carved Buddha statue; the four corners feature three-dimensional relief figures wearing ancient warrior attire.

The most unique part is the fourth level. At the center of each side of the pagoda body is a relief of a female bodhisattva wearing an ancient Indian crown, adorned with tassels and earrings—her specific name is not yet clear. The four corners are each carved with a bird-beaked, winged Garuda figure as corner pillars. Garuda, transliterated from Sanskrit, refers to a golden-winged bird and, in Buddhism, is one of the Eight Legions of Devas and Asuras, known to feed on dragons. This indicates that the construction of this pagoda also carried the intention of using Buddhist power to suppress the sea dragons causing storms.

Transportation

Starting from Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian Province, or from Xiamen, take National Highway 324, also known as the Fuzhou-Xiamen Road, to Fengting Town, Xianyou County, Putian City. After getting off, look up to identify the direction of the pagoda, and you will see a road leading directly to it. The mountain is not far—about a 5-minute walk to the temple at the mountain foot. The mountain is not high either; climbing the stone steps for about 20 minutes will take you to the top to view the pagoda.

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level