Thousand-Foot Pagoda

Thousand-Foot Pagoda

The Thousand-Foot Pagoda is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Thousand-Foot Pagoda is located within Shengshou Temple at the summit of Dazhou Mountain in Jiayu Town, Xingyang City. It was built during the reign of Emperor Renzong of the Northern Song Dynasty and is also known as Empress Cao’s Pagoda. Facing south, the hexagonal nine-story closely-eaved pavilion-style brick pagoda stands 15 meters tall. The body of the pagoda is constructed from green bricks measuring 31.5 cm in length, 15 cm in width, and 5.5 cm in thickness, bonded with a mixture of lime and yellow earth. Each level of the pagoda features corbelled eaves, with a flat terrace above the corbelled eaves. The width and height of each story gradually decrease from the bottom up, and the top of the pagoda forms a hexagonal spire. The drainage structure and the upward-curving wing corners of the Thousand-Foot Pagoda adopt techniques similar to those used in the curved roof designs of ancient Chinese wooden architecture. These features not only enhance the pagoda’s elegant curves but also reduce water damage and extend its lifespan.

Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units

Source: Zhengzhou Municipal Bureau of Cultural Relics

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Henan Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units