Brahman Pagoda

Brahman Pagoda

The Brahman Pagoda is a cultural relic protection unit of Fujian Province.

One of the Brahman Pagodas is located on the north side of the bell tower within the Brahma Temple on Dalun Mountain in Datong Town, Tong’an District, Xiamen City, while another is at Meishan Temple. The photo shows the Brahman Pagoda at Meishan Temple. Originally situated at the head of Xi’an Bridge in Tong’an District, it served as an ancillary structure to the bridge and is therefore also known as the Xi’an Bridge Pagoda. According to the *Tong’an County Annals*, during the Yuanyou era of the Northern Song Dynasty (1086–1094), Xu Yi and Monk Zongding from Tong’an County built Xi’an Bridge and placed four stone pagodas to guard it—two at each end of the bridge.

In 1957, upon the recommendation of Zheng Zhenduo, the pagodas were relocated to their current site for preservation. Three pagodas remain today (one is damaged). The pagodas are solid stone structures, each standing 4.68 meters tall with three square tiers. The carvings on the bases and bodies depict Buddhist stories with vivid and lifelike imagery, serving as valuable physical artifacts for the study of Brahmanism during the Song Dynasty and of stone carving architectural art. In 1961, they were listed among the first batch of provincial-level cultural relic protection units.

By car: Take the Shenhai Expressway to the Tong’an Interchange, then drive to Tong’an District. Continue along North Ring Road to reach the Brahma Temple.