The Tianhu Dhāraṇī Pillar

The Tianhu Dhāraṇī Pillar

The Tianhu Dhāraṇī Pillar is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Tianhu Dhāraṇī Pillar is located in Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province in northern China. It is a Buddhist pillar from the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD).

The Tianhu Dhāraṇī Pillar is made of bluestone, with a remaining height of 5 meters and a diameter of about 64 centimeters. It was carved and built in the 15th year of the Kaiyuan era of the Tang Dynasty (727 AD). The lower part of the pillar body features an inverted lotus base, a Sumeru pedestal, and a square stone foundation. The body of the pillar is octagonal, adorned with two layers of canopies, above which rests a Sumeru mountain. Further up, layered upward-facing lotuses support an eight-sided stone column. Each face of the column has a pointed arch niche housing a standing bodhisattva statue. The southern face of the pillar bears the inscription “Erected for the nation, the Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī Pillar,” followed by a date. The top of the pillar is damaged.

The Tianhu Dhāraṇī Pillar is the oldest surviving dhāraṇī pillar in China and holds significant importance for the study of the historical development of dhāraṇī pillars and Buddhist art. (National Cultural Heritage Administration)

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Cultural Relics Protection Units in Hebei Province

· Fourth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units