Qianming Temple Pagoda

Qianming Temple Pagoda

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

Qianming Temple Pagoda is located in the northwest corner of Yanling County, Xuchang City, Henan Province. It was first built in the fourth year of the Renshou era of the Sui Dynasty (604 AD) and was reconstructed during the Song Dynasty. The pagoda spire was renovated in the 28th year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1549 AD).

The existing thirteen-story brick pagoda in the pavilion style is a structure from the middle to late Song Dynasty, standing 38 meters tall with a hexagonal floor plan. It consists of a base, the main body of the pagoda, and the spire. The pagoda body features arched doors, corbelled doors, carved straight and square lattice blind windows, niches, and embedded carved brick Buddha statues. The eaves are adorned with carved brick brackets, beneath which are carved beam lintels and architraves. The tiled eaves have upturned corners, each adorned with a blue stone beast head from which wind chimes hang. The southern side of the first floor has a pagoda core chamber, while the northern side has an arched doorway with internal steps that allow visitors to spiral up to the eighth floor. The second floor of the pagoda has three carved straight lattice false windows, and the third floor contains eight embedded brick-carved Buddha statues. Each level of the pagoda body includes one Buddha chamber, fourteen niches, and ten arched doorways, all cleverly integrated and arranged in a well-balanced layout. Inside the pagoda, there are steps for climbing, and the top features a copper spire. In front of the pagoda stands a stele erected in the first year of the Longqing era of the Ming Dynasty (1567 AD). During the 1996 restoration of the pagoda, thirty-two cultural relics were discovered inside the spire, including a Ming Dynasty gold-plated copper standing Buddha and a paper version of the "Avatamsaka Sutra."

There was originally a temple at the foot of the pagoda. Historical records state: “The ancient county of Yanling was built across a ridge to form a city, with the northwest corner of the ridge serving as the site of the temple. As it was situated in the direction of Qian (northwest), the temple was thus named after it.” “Qian” represents a direction, and “Ming” represents brightness. According to the “Book of Changes,” “Qian” symbolizes heaven and yang, and also represents the northwest direction. Hence, the temple is named Qianming Temple.

In May 2006, Qianming Temple Pagoda, as an ancient architectural structure from the Song Dynasty, was approved by the State Council to be included in the sixth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Henan Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units