Chongxing Pagoda

Chongxing Pagoda

Chongxing Pagoda is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Chongxing Pagoda, located inside the North Gate of the old city (now within the Gutai residential area), is a brick pagoda initially built in the early Northern Song Dynasty. There used to be a Buddhist temple in front of the pagoda.

The 1680s edition of the Zou County Annals states: “Chongxing Temple, originally named Faxing Temple, was renamed Chongxing Temple during the Yuanyou era (1335–1340) of the Yuan Dynasty.” It was partially destroyed in the second year of the Tianqi era (1622). “During the Chongzhen era, County Magistrate Huang Yingxiang had it repaired and also built a Guanyin Hall south of the temple’s main hall. There is one brick pagoda.” Chongxing Pagoda is an octagonal pavilion-style structure with nine stories and ten eaves, reaching a total height of 27.4 meters. The lowest level features a wooden corridor; the base has a door on the true north side, and square niches on the east, south, and west sides. Inside the north gate, diagonal brick steps lead up to the wooden corridor outside the south gate on the second floor. Visitors can walk along the corridor to the west gate and enter the interior of the pagoda, then ascend step-by-step via spiral brick stairs to the top. Each level is adorned with carved brick brackets under the eaves; the second floor has double eaves with carved brick bracket sets mimicking wooden structures, and its ang brackets feature double arms. From the third to ninth floors, single eaves are supported by carved brick lotus petals. Each corner of the floors has semi-circular brick pillars. The four main facades have doors: the first to third floors have round arched doors, while the fourth to ninth have pointed arch doors. The four side faces have blind windows on the first and second floors, with patterns including wave designs, turtle-back lattice, and clustered rug motifs. The pagoda is crowned with a gilded copper finial decorated with inverted lotus patterns. Its design is robust and rustic, exuding a majestic presence. “Zen Pagoda and Auspicious Clouds” is one of the Eight Scenic Spots of ancient Zou. In 1996, the Zoucheng Municipal Government funded a comprehensive restoration. In 1985, Chongxing Pagoda was designated as a Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit of Jining City. In 2006, it was listed as a Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit of Shandong Province. In May 2013, it was announced as part of the seventh batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Shandong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· First Batch of Jining Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units