Youwu Temple Pagoda

Youwu Temple Pagoda

Youwu Temple Pagoda is a cultural relic protection unit of Henan Province.

Youwu Temple Pagoda. Located in Zhouta Village, Pinggang Town, about 20 kilometers south of the city, the Tang Dynasty–era Youwu Temple Pagoda is ingeniously designed and exquisitely refined, resembling a gentle and graceful maiden. Despite the ravages of time, its noble elegance of the Tang style remains undiminished. Situated to the south of the city, the pagoda was originally an octagonal, five-tiered brick structure. In the early years of the Republic of China, two tiers were removed, leaving the current three. Each tier has two opposing doors, while the undoored sides are adorned with diamond-patterned brick carvings of false windows and Buddha images. The corners feature round pillar-like brackets, beneath which are bracket sets (dougong) constructed with corbelled bricks, topped by layers of inverted corbelled bricks, with upturned wing corners. Inside the pagoda is a trapezoidal inner chamber that allows visitors to spiral their way to the top. Although the pagoda is now heavily damaged, its sophisticated architectural techniques are still clearly visible. During the Northern Song Dynasty, when the capital was established in Bianjing (modern-day Kaifeng), Xiangyi was close to the capital region. At that time, both Buddhism and Taoism flourished, resulting in numerous temples and Taoist shrines in the area. After the Jin and Yuan dynasties, as times changed, most temples disappeared, leaving only the Shengshou and Youwu pagodas as surviving relics.

Zhouta Village: Zhouta Village is located 2 kilometers west of Pinggang Town. … More details about Zhouta Village++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Henan Province