Peach Blossom Palace Sutra Pillar

Peach Blossom Palace Sutra Pillar

The Peach Blossom Palace Sutra Pillar is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Nanan Peach Blossom Palace Sutra Pillar is located in the courtyard of Peach Blossom Palace in Fengzhou Town, Nanan City. Built in the third year of the Tian Sheng era of the Northern Song Dynasty (1025 AD), it was commissioned by Lady Chen Ershierlang of the Ge family from Fengzhou in memory of her deceased husband. The pillar is constructed from granite, standing 7 meters tall with eight sides and seven tiers, divided into three parts: the base, the body, and the top. The base is built with an octagonal ripple-patterned flat seat, topped with an inverted basin. The first tier of the pillar body is carved with a design of two dragons playing with a pearl, the second and third tiers feature Buddha statues, and the fourth tier is inscribed with the "Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī Sūtra." The upper part is horizontally engraved with the text “Dedicated to His Majesty the Emperor for the construction of this Buddhist pillar.” The sixth tier has upturned eaves with lotus petal motifs. Each side of the pillar body is carved with Buddha statues, all with distinct expressions. The seventh tier features square-shaped body and eaves, with flying apsaras carved on the projecting eaves and a gourd-shaped top. Except for the base, which is made of multiple granite blocks, the rest of the pillar is carved from single stones. The carvings include the Dhāraṇī sutra, Buddha statues, and patterns. With its beautiful design and exquisite craftsmanship, it is one of the most classic stone sutra pillars from the Song Dynasty in Fujian. It serves as a valuable cultural relic for studying the architecture, carving, religion, calligraphy, and human culture of the Southern Fujian region during the Song Dynasty, and is among the first batch of Key Cultural Relics Protection Units in Fujian Province.

On October 7, 2019, the Peach Blossom Palace Sutra Pillar was included in the eighth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Fengzhou Town: Located in the eastern part of Nanan City, Fengzhou Town borders Quanzhou urban area. It covers an area of 56 square kilometers, including 11,500 mu of arable land and 44,700 mu of forest, with a forest coverage rate of 53.2%. The town is rich in water resources. Its main mineral resource is granite, particularly “Longshi,” known for its fine texture and whiteness, and referred to as “Quanzhou White.” Since the third year of the Yong’an era of the Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period (260 AD), when it served as the seat of the first-established Dong’an County in Southern Fujian, Fengzhou has a history of over 1,700 years. Over the dynasties, it has been a hub of culture and talent, producing many notable figures. For example, during the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the Indian eminent monk Gunabhadra once... Detailed information about Fengzhou Town++

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units