Pagoda of Monk Fanzhou

Pagoda of Monk Fanzhou

The Pagoda of Monk Fanzhou is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Pagoda of Monk Fanzhou, situated on the ruins of Baoguo Temple to the northwest of Yuncheng City, was built in the ninth year of the Zhenyuan era of the Tang Dynasty (793 AD), while some sources claim it was built in the second year of the Changqing era (822 AD). It is among the country’s well-preserved pavilion-style pagodas and a typical and unique example of single-story circular brick pagodas from the Tang Dynasty, boasting high scientific value. Its unique design, exquisite craftsmanship, and long-standing preservation are a true reflection of the achievements of ancient Chinese engineering and construction technology.

Due to years of neglect, weathering, and erosion, cracks appeared on the body of this national treasure-level ancient structure, and its eaves were damaged. Following an application by the Yuncheng District Committee and District Government, the National Cultural Heritage Administration allocated 1 million yuan for repairs. The author visited this thousand-year-old pagoda during the restoration period.

Qu Huan

To understand the Pagoda of Monk Fanzhou, one must first learn about Qu Huan, a key figure in suppressing rebellions during the mid-Tang Dynasty.

Qu Huan, a native of Anyi, was born in the thirteenth year of the Kaiyuan era (725 AD). Because his father, Qu Bin, had long served as an official on the western frontier of the Tang Dynasty, Qu Huan developed an early interest in military strategy and excelled in horseback archery. After the outbreak of the An Lushan Rebellion, Qu Huan resisted the rebel forces in the Henan region. Due to his remarkable military achievements, he gained great fame in the early years of Emperor Dezong’s reign and was appointed as the Military Governor of Chen (Prefecture) and Xu (Prefecture), effectively overseeing 13 counties. The position of Military Governor was a significant role in the mid-Tang Dynasty, combining military, political, and financial power. In the twelfth year of the Zhenyuan era (796 AD), Qu Huan was further honored with the title of Left Minister of Works (equivalent to the position of Prime Minister). He passed away in the fifteenth year of the Zhenyuan era (799 AD) at the age of 74. The court observed a day of mourning in his honor after his death. There is also a dedicated chapter on Qu Huan in the "Old Book of Tang" titled "The Biography of Qu Huan."

Baoguo Temple

After achieving success and fame, Qu Huan built the 15,000-square-meter Baoguo Temple about 20 li to the northwest of his hometown, Anyi.

After the completion of Baoguo Temple, Qu Huan invited Monk Fanzhou to serve as its abbot and became close friends with him. Qu Huan traveled over 20 li from Anyi to the temple every day to engage in deep conversations, poetic recitations, scripture studies, and often played chess with the monk late into the night.

Due to the distance between Qu Huan’s home and the temple, which made it inconvenient for him to visit for chess games and friendly chats, he built a villa to the north of the temple, settled there, and hired people to farm the land. Over the generations, the residential area expanded continuously, eventually developing into a village. Because the village was located north of the temple and was predominantly inhabited by the Qu family, it was commonly known as "Sibei Qu Village" (North Temple Qu Village). After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, it was renamed "Sibei Village." Even today, the Qu surname remains predominant in Sibei Village.

Monk Fanzhou

Monk Fanzhou was the grandson of Emperor Gaozong of Tang, Li Zhi. It is said that at the time of his birth, during early winter, the lotus flowers in the palace pond were in full bloom and birds sang in unison. Emperor Gaozong firmly believed this was a divine blessing bestowed by the Buddha. From a young age, Fanzhou was exceptionally intelligent. As an adult, he was deeply devoted to Buddhism, dedicated to Buddhist practices, and had an extraordinary memory for Buddhist scriptures, which greatly pleased Emperor Gaozong. He often accompanied the emperor on tours of royal temples.

Later, unable to tolerate the power struggles, deceit, and political intrigue among the imperial relatives in the palace, Fanzhou resolutely abandoned his life in the royal court in his twenties, avoided the court and political arena, and chose to become a monk.

After the completion of Baoguo Temple, Qu Huan invited Monk Fanzhou to serve as its abbot. During his tenure as abbot, he continued to spread Buddhist teachings among the common people and was deeply loved by them, earning the reputation of being a living bodhisattva.

To verify this claim, the author consulted Volume Ten of the "Newly Compiled Annals of Anyi County," which records on page 176: “Monk Fanzhou, secular surname Li, was a member of the Tang imperial family. He was respectfully referred to as the ‘royal descendant.’ He renounced his noble status to become a monk at the Baoguo Temple in Qu Village, north of the county. During the Dali era, Emperor Dezong summoned him to the capital, hosted a banquet for several days, but he left without hesitation. He traveled between Pufan and Tiaofeng, and those who saw him with his staff and fly-whisk regarded him as supernatural. Later, he journeyed to Shanzhou in Henan. He passed away and was buried at Baoguo Temple.”

Pagoda of Monk Fanzhou

The Pagoda of Monk Fanzhou has three remarkable features: First, it is the relic pagoda and burial stupa of Monk Fanzhou; second, it is a typical and unique example of a single-story circular brick pagoda from the Tang Dynasty, with high scientific value; third, the arrangement and calligraphy of the pagoda inscription—the "Stele Inscription for the Late Venerable Monk Fanzhou of Baoguo Temple in Anyi County" by Yuan Yun—are written vertically from left to right, which was extremely rare or unprecedented in ancient times. The reason for this remains unclear to this day.

This pagoda is hailed as a masterpiece of ancient architecture, showcasing not only the wisdom and craftsmanship of ancient Chinese laborers and artisans but also serving as a testament to the advanced engineering and architectural artistry of ancient China. As such, it has been included in textbooks such as "A History of Ancient Chinese Architecture" and "Famous Pagodas of China." (Wang Zhiying)

Address: Approximately 5 kilometers northwest of Yuncheng City

Type: Ancient Pagoda

Recommended Visiting Time: About 1 hour

Opening Hours:

8:30-16:30

Ticket Information:

Door Price: 5.0 RMB

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units