Iron Pagoda of Longxing Temple

Iron Pagoda of Longxing Temple

The Iron Pagoda of Longxing Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Iron Pagoda of Longxing Temple is located on the west bank of the canal in Liaocheng city proper, within the former Huguo Longxing Temple, and is now a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The pagoda is cast from wrought iron and consists of 13 levels, standing approximately 15.8 meters tall. It is composed of two main parts: the body and the base. The base is an asymmetric square stone Sumeru pedestal built with up-and-down corbeling, standing 2.90 meters high with a bottom side length of 3.17 meters, covering an area of 10.50 square meters. The body of the pagoda is cast layer by layer in imitation of wooden structure using wrought iron and then assembled section by section. The iron shell is hollow, with thickness varying from 6 to 10 centimeters. The base of the pagoda covers an area of 16 square meters and features stone carvings of Buddhist-themed reliefs, including images of peacocks, qilin (mythical creatures), dragons and phoenixes, as well as musicians and dancers. The four sides of the pagoda are adorned with mock doors, windows, brackets, tiled roofs, and eaves—elements that are for viewing only and not meant for climbing. The iron pagoda holds significant research value both in terms of architectural style and stone carving artistry.

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units