Wu'an Sheli Pagoda

Wu'an Sheli Pagoda

Wu'an Sheli Pagoda is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Wu'an Sheli Pagoda

Wu'an Sheli Pagoda is located inside the East Gate of Wu'an City. The pagoda was one of the main structures of the former Miaojue Temple, which has been destroyed, leaving only the pagoda standing. Both the pagoda and the temple were built in the sixth year of the Yuanyou era of the Song Dynasty (1091), constructed from brick in a pavilion-style tower form, standing 38.7 meters tall, and are the tallest surviving Song Dynasty pagoda in southern Hebei Province. The pagoda has an octagonal floor plan and consists of thirteen stories, with the first and second stories being taller, and each successive level decreasing in height, giving it an elegant and graceful appearance. Each story features arched gateways on the east, south, west, and north sides. The second and third stories have balconies, and both the balconies and the eaves of each level are adorned with wooden-style bracket sets (dougong), including diagonal brackets, which are both ornate and distinctive. The inner structure of the pagoda follows a central pillar design, dividing the pagoda into inner and outer sections, with a passageway between them. An internal staircase winds around the central pillar, allowing visitors to ascend the pagoda. Beneath the base of the pagoda lies an underground palace, square in shape with a domed ceiling. The interior walls house ten stone Buddhist statues, along with an inscription reading “Reconstructed in the Sixth Year of Yuanyou, Ten Directions Buddha Record,” from which the pagoda’s construction date can be inferred.

On October 7, 2019, Wu'an Sheli Pagoda was included in the eighth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Hebei Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Eighth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units