Shengta Temple Pagoda

Shengta Temple Pagoda

Shengta Temple Pagoda is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Shengta Temple Pagoda is located on Jingke Mountain, 2.5 kilometers southwest of Yixian County in Hebei Province.

In the late Warring States period, Crown Prince Dan of Yan sought to hire brave warriors. He welcomed Jing Ke (?–227 BCE), a man from the State of Wei, as his chief minister and built a residence to host him. Jing Ke enjoyed reading and swordsmanship, had a bold and chivalrous personality, and was a wandering swordsman. He crossed the Yi River to assassinate the King of Qin but failed and was killed. To commemorate his tragic and heroic act of “the map unfolding to reveal a dagger,” later generations built a cenotaph next to Jing Ke’s residence, which was also called Jingke Mountain. In the third year of the Qian Tong era of the Liao Dynasty (1103 CE), a pagoda was constructed on the mound. During the Liao Dynasty, the Shengta Temple was built here. It was renovated in the sixth year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1578 CE) and further repaired during the Qing Dynasty. The existing pagoda, along with the Ming Dynasty renovation stele, the Qing Dynasty Qianlong Year of Guiwei stele “Record of the Renovation of Shengta Temple Pagoda,” and the Ming Dynasty censor Xiong Wenxi’s inscription “Ancient Righteous Warrior Jing Ke’s Hometown Stele,” remain. The name “Jing Ke Pagoda” first appeared in the “Hongzhi Yizhou Annals.” Since the pagoda was built on Jingke Mountain and is said to commemorate Jing Ke, it earned this name. In ancient times, during the Qingming Festival, villagers would hang white banners on the pagoda and offer sacrificial animals to honor Jing Ke’s spirit, hence it was commonly known as the “Soul-Calling Pagoda.” Originally part of the Liao Dynasty Shengta Temple built in 1103 CE, both the pagoda and temple were soon destroyed.

Only the pagoda and a Qing Dynasty “Record of the Renovation of the Pagoda Courtyard” stele remain today. The pagoda is an octagonal solid brick structure with thirteen stories, standing 25.36 meters tall. It has a brick-and-stone structure, with a two-tiered Sumeru pedestal base. The lower part of the pagoda body is plain, while the upper section features carved double-layered bracket sets with five tiers and a central column, supporting railings and pillars, above which rise four layers of upward-facing lotus petals. The Sumeru pedestal is adorned with carved stone columns at each of the eight corners. The first story of the pagoda body is tall and designed in a pavilion style, with carved brick pillars resembling towers at each corner, and circular door knockers above the doors, reflecting typical Liao Dynasty architectural techniques. The stories above the second are built with overlapping eaves. The pagoda finial includes a base, body, inverted bowl, spire, precious bead, upturned crescent, and finial pole, all fully formed. Wind bells are attached, dating from the Ming Dynasty. Shengta Temple Pagoda combines the features of a pavilion-style and dense-eave brick pagoda, presenting an elegant and graceful appearance. Despite multiple renovations, it retains the distinctive style of Liao Dynasty pagodas.

In 2006, Shengta Temple Pagoda was listed in the sixth group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units by the State Council as an ancient Liao Dynasty structure.

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Hebei Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units