Shengjin Pagoda

Shengjin Pagoda

Shengjin Pagoda is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and a cultural heritage site protected at the Jiangxi Provincial level.

Shengjin Pagoda is located on the east side of Shengjin Pagoda Street in Xihu District, Nanchang City, originally just outside the Jinxian Gate of the ancient city. It was first built during the Tianyou era of the Tang Dynasty (904–907 AD). Legend has it that before the pagoda was constructed, a mysterious monk named Weiyi dug up an iron case from the ground. Inside were four loops of golden rope, three ancient swords (each inscribed with the characters “Dispel Wind,” “Quell Fire,” and “Subdue Flood Dragon”), as well as 300 sarira beads, which is why the pagoda got its name.

Shengjin Pagoda has gone through many vicissitudes and has been repeatedly built and destroyed. Historical records indicate that it has been reconstructed multiple times throughout history. The first reconstruction took place around the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty. During the battle between Chen Youliang and Zhu Yuanzhang in Nanchang, the pagoda was destroyed in the war. After the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, it was rebuilt in the first year of the Hongwu reign (1368 AD). The second reconstruction occurred in the 52nd year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1713 AD), because by 1709 the pagoda had deteriorated significantly, leaving “not a single tile or rafter remaining.” Under the supervision of Governor Dong Guoxiang, it was rebuilt, and the current structure dates from that time. Subsequent renovations were carried out in the 4th year of the Qianlong reign (1739 AD), the 20th year of the Qianlong reign (1755 AD), the 2nd year of the Daoguang reign (1822 AD), and the 7th year of the Tongzhi reign (1868 AD). In the 22nd year of the Guangxu reign (1886 AD), the pagoda was struck by lightning and caught fire, damaging some of its wooden structures. Later, during the upheavals of the 1960s, only the brick body and the gourd-shaped finial remained. In 1985, the National Cultural Relics Bureau, along with provincial and municipal governments, allocated funds to restore the pagoda. However, after maintenance in 1989, natural wear over more than ten years became quite severe. Since the wood had not been treated for anti-corrosion, wooden components rotted due to rain and humidity, some were hollowed out by insects and ants, the gilded copper finial corroded, the paint peeled and faded, and the bricks and stones eroded. In June 2000, with the attention of municipal leaders and support from all sectors of society, Shengjin Pagoda regained its vitality and can now rival Shanghai’s “City God Temple” and Nanjing’s “Confucius Temple.”

Shengjin Pagoda is a typical brick-and-wood structure pavilion-style pagoda in the Jiangnan region. It stands 50.86 meters tall, with a seven-story, eight-sided body (seven visible and eight hidden stories), featuring an inner square and outer octagonal form. Its red railings, green tiles, black eaves, and gilded gourd-shaped top give it a strong religious ambiance, with elegant flying eaves adorned with copper bells (recast using the techniques of ancient chime bells, producing seven distinct tones on the seven levels). The gourd-shaped copper top of Shengjin Pagoda shines brightly, complemented by its overall red railings, green tiles, and black walls in a simple and classic style. Each level of the pagoda features four real doorways and four false ones, arranged in staggered positions vertically and varying in design across levels. The first level has moon-door arches; the second and third have ruyi-door arches; the fourth to seventh have flame-door arches—this combination of three styles on one pagoda is quite rare. It is quaint and graceful, exemplifying the typical artistic style of Jiangnan architecture. Since its construction in the Tang Dynasty, Shengjin Pagoda has a history of over 1,100 years. It carries historical significance and is a testament to the wisdom of generations of laboring people.

The finial is 3 meters high and 1.75 meters in maximum diameter, with a camphor wood frame covered by 2–3 mm thick gilded copper sheets. When the finial was dismantled during maintenance in 1988, it was discovered to have been manufactured in the 6th year of the Tongzhi reign, while the pagoda’s reconstruction took place from July of the 7th year to winter of the 8th year of Tongzhi (see Liu Kun’s “Record of the Reconstruction of Shengjin Pagoda”). This indicates that careful consideration and design went into the finial even before construction began. The proportions and lines of the finial are harmonious and smooth. Among the many folk pagodas in the Jiangnan region, such a design is also quite rare. The pagoda sits on a Sumeru pedestal foundation (only 60 cm deep), which has not shown significant subsidence or tilting over nearly 300 years, unlike modern foundation treatments. A spiral staircase inside the pagoda leads directly to the top, offering views of lakes and mountains stretching for miles, and “peering down upon thousands of homes in the city” (from a poem by Wang Zhi of the Ming Dynasty). It is the only remaining high-rise ancient building in the city. With its “flying eaves and hanging copper bells,” and verses like “the shadows of twin trees return as dusk falls on the plain, the sound of a hundred bells pierces the cold of the great river” (from a poem by Wu Guolun of the Ming Dynasty about Shengjin Pagoda), the bells produce pleasant tones as the wind blows, with each of the seven levels tuned to a different pitch, creating a delightful sound.

The underground chamber is a structure beneath the base of the pagoda. During the 1988 maintenance work, a batch of precious cultural relics were discovered in the chamber and the finial (now displayed at the Thousand Buddha Temple of Shengjin Pagoda). A local folk rhyme says, “When the gourd is cut and the copper is stripped, the pagoda falls and Nanchang declines,” showing that it is regarded as a feng shui treasure pagoda by the people of Nanchang.

Shengjin Pagoda has undergone planning and renovation within an area of about 40 acres, forming a park layout centered around the pagoda as a cultural relic axis and composed of four major zones. It boasts rich historical and cultural heritage and, from a market economy perspective, holds tremendous tourism value as a rare and valuable resource. Specifically, it forms a layout with a historical and cultural main axis and four zones. Historical and Cultural Main Axis: Includes the existing ancient pagoda, the reconstructed Pagoda-Front Temple, Sword Pond, and the Southern Gate Stone Archway, showcasing a wealth of moving legends. The Four Zones: The first zone is the Art Garden, covering nearly four acres and planted with precious flowers, trees, including Nanchang’s famous camphor trees, tall sago palms, inverted scholar trees, wind and rain pavilions, and more, offering both sightseeing and leisure functions. The second zone is the Folk Village, covering 7.8 acres, where a late Qing to early Republican-era residence has been restored, and a folk village established based on traditional customs. It displays traditional rural farming tools such as plows, harrows, rollers, waterwheels, and various daily items, providing visitors with a refreshing experience. The third zone, covering 4.8 acres, includes a Confucian Temple, symbolizing a gathering place for scholars throughout history and a venue for commemorating Confucius and his 72 disciples and 12 worthy followers. Once completed, it will fulfill the aspirations of worshippers and literati. The fourth zone, covering 8.4 acres, features the Longxing Courtyard (with a stage and teahouse), where local Nanchang operas are performed daily. Regular performances by the Provincial Peking Opera Troupe, the Municipal Tea-Picking Opera Troupe, and the Municipal Song and Dance Troupe attract large audiences and have had a notable impact.

The Shengjin Pagoda scenic area offers the following features: Visitors can climb the thousand-year-old pagoda to enjoy views of Nanchang, gaze at the Western Hills and Meiling Mountains, the ancient course of the Fu River, and admire the city’s night scenery glittering under lights. The Grand Hall of the Thousand Buddha Temple houses 999 statues of Sakyamuni Buddha for visitors to view and allows worshippers to pay tribute. A 7.9-ton auspicious bell hangs in the center of the hall, symbolizing ringing in the century bell to make a wish. On either side of the Grand Hall are exhibition halls: the first displays relics unearthed from the Shengjin Pagoda underground chamber and ancient temple artifacts; the second showcases relics excavated from construction sites around Nanchang. To the right front of the Thousand Buddha Temple, a display and sales area has been added to enrich the content of the Pagoda-Front Temple and meet visitor needs.

As the surrounding environment of Shengjin Pagoda is improved and the park expansion project progresses, the green space is increasing and the visiting content is enriched. The overall layout now consists of: one pagoda and one temple (Shengjin Pagoda and Thousand Buddha Temple), one garden and one temple (Art Garden and Confucian Temple), one stage and one village (stage and Folk Village).

A 15-meter-wide, 250-meter-long passage has been created, connecting Qianjin Road directly to Yanjiang Road. The sides of the road have been developed into an antique-style snack street, and a tourist parking lot has been established. Through a period of development and construction, Shengjin Pagoda Park and its surrounding areas have expanded in scale and improved in quality, gaining a good reputation as a scenic destination where visitors can see, eat, play, and enjoy themselves.

Address: No. 1, Shengjin Pagoda Street, Xihu District, Nanchang City

Type: Ancient Pagoda

Recommended Visiting Time: About 1 hour

Opening Hours:

8:00-18:30

Ticket Information:

Free admission.

Shengjin Pagoda Subdistrict: Located in the southwestern part of Xihu District, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, Shengjin Pagoda Subdistrict is traversed by Bayi Avenue. It covers an area of 0.7 km² and has a population of 31,000. The subdistrict administers eight communities and three residential committees, including Zhangjiashan, Yesutang, Zhanqian West Road, Yongshu Road, Laofushan, Shengjin Pagoda, Bakou Lane, Huiyuan Street, Post and Telecom, Bus Company, and the Second Municipal Hospital. The subdistrict office is located on Huiyuan Street.

Historical Evolution

Named after the provincial cultural heritage site Shengjin Pagoda (built in the Tang Dynasty). The Shengjin Pagoda Subdistrict was established in 1954, renamed a commune in 1960, and reverted to being called a subdistrict in 1979... More details about Shengjin Pagoda Subdistrict++

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Jiangxi Provincial Cultural Heritage Sites