Bell Tower of Kaiyuan Temple

Bell Tower of Kaiyuan Temple

The Bell Tower of Kaiyuan Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Bell Tower and Sumeru Pagoda of Kaiyuan Temple

Kaiyuan Temple is situated on the west side of Changsheng Street in Zhengding. Originally named Jingguan Temple, it was first built in the second year of the Xinghe era during the Eastern Wei Dynasty (540), and renamed Jiehui Temple in the tenth year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty (591). In the twenty-sixth year of the Kaiyuan era of the Tang Dynasty (738), it was decreed to be renamed to its current name. By the late Qing Dynasty, due to years of neglect, the temple fell into disrepair, with halls collapsed, leaving only the Bell Tower and Sumeru Pagoda.

The Bell Tower is a two-story, brick-and-wood structure in the pavilion style, with a square floor plan. It is three bays wide and three bays deep, covering a construction area of 135 square meters. It features a single-eave hip-and-gable roof covered with green tiles, and has an overall height of 14 meters. Its major wooden structures, column grid, and bracket sets all showcase the architectural artistry of the Tang Dynasty. Even a significant portion of the upper wooden components retains their original Tang Dynasty form. This is the earliest surviving wooden Bell Tower in our province and also one of the earlier ones in northern China. In 1988, it was listed as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit and underwent complete dismantling and restoration. A bronze bell hangs in the tower, standing 2.9 meters tall, with a diameter of 1.56 meters and a thickness of 15 centimeters. Its simple and classic design is a relic from the Tang Dynasty.

The Sumeru Pagoda, commonly known as the Brick Pagoda or Square Pagoda, is located to the west of the Bell Tower. The pagoda is built on a square brick base about 1.5 meters high. The pagoda itself has a square floor plan, with nine tiers of dense eaves, reaching a total height of 39.5 meters. The first tier of the pagoda body is relatively tall, with carved stone slabs lining the lower part, and at each end of the four sides is a bold relief sculpture of a powerful deity. Above the stone waistline, the entire structure is built from blue bricks. The front features a stone arched door, with the door frame carved with floral vase and flower patterns, and the lintel adorned with a relief of two dragons playing with a pearl. At the top of the lintel is inlaid a rectangular stone plaque inscribed with four regular script characters: “Sumeru Tower Stands Majestically.” Each tier is adorned with projecting brick eaves, and wind bells hang from the four corners. Starting from the second tier, the width of the pagoda body gradually tapers inward, giving it an elegant and upright appearance, simple and unadorned, resembling the Small Wild Goose Pagoda of the Tang Dynasty in Xi’an. It is a typical example of a projecting eaves pagoda.

The interior of the pagoda originally featured a wooden caisson ceiling on the upper part of the second tier, but unfortunately, it has been destroyed. Currently, the interior is a hollow cylinder with vertical walls extending from top to bottom. The eight tiers above the second tier each have a small square window, but there are no stairs for climbing.

The finial base, lotus petal, and inverted alms bowl are all made of brick, surrounded by copper mirrors that shine brilliantly. Above them are metal finial rods and precious jewels. There are as many as four jewel orbs, giving the structure an exceptionally lofty appearance. Regarding the construction period of the Sumeru Pagoda, local chronicles provide unclear records that are not entirely reliable. Based on the existing physical evidence and historical accounts, it is inferred that the pagoda was likely first built in the tenth year of the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty (636 AD) and rebuilt in the fifth year of the Qianning era (898 AD). Although it has undergone repairs in subsequent dynasties, it still retains the architectural characteristics of the Tang Dynasty.

The Sumeru Pagoda is one of the “Four Pagodas” of the ancient city of Zhengding and is a precious heritage in China’s architectural treasury. It was listed as a Provincial Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit in 1956.

Millennium Giant ???/p>

In June 2000, a massive ??? was unearthed on Fuqian Street in Zhengding city. It measures 4.4 meters in length, 3.2 meters in width, 2.6 meters in height, and weighs 107 tons. Experts have preliminarily determined that it is a relic from the Later Tang Dynasty, dating back approximately 1,200 years. It is a major discovery for the study of the history of the Later Tang to the Five Dynasties period, possessing extremely high cultural value. It is a rare artistic treasure in China and can be called the finest in the world. It has now been moved to Kaiyuan Temple for visitors to view.

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Hebei Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Third Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units