Tapingsi Pagoda

Tapingsi Pagoda

Tapingsi Pagoda is a cultural relic protection unit of Chongqing Municipality.

Tapingsi Pagoda is located in Taping Village, Jingguan Town, Beibei District. It includes a stone pagoda, an iron pagoda, and Tapingsi Temple, dating back to the Song and Qing dynasties.

The temple was built during the Song Dynasty, originally named Xiaokunlun Ancient Tibetan Temple. After being rebuilt during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty, it was renamed Tapingsi Temple, and underwent renovation in the 24th year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty (1819). It features a wooden quadrangle courtyard layout, with surviving structures such as the main hall, scripture depository, rear hall, and left and right wing rooms. The stone pagoda was built in the 16th year of the Shaoxing reign of the Song Dynasty (1146), a seven-story hollow square pavilion-style tower. It stands 14.4 meters tall with a base side length of 6.2 meters. The ground floor doorway features five relief carvings, and upper floors preserve various carvings and window niches. Inside the pagoda, there is a stone staircase for access, along with seven relief carvings. The iron pagoda was cast during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty (1796–1820), a six-sided, seven-story dense-eave iron pagoda. It is 6.38 meters high with a base side length of 0.87 meters. Each level has several cast Buddha statues.

Tapingsi Temple was first built in the Song Dynasty (1146), taking twenty-two years to complete, and was finished in 1168.

Originally named Xiaokunlun Ancient Tibetan Temple, Tapingsi Temple was rebuilt during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty and renamed Tapingsi Temple. It was listed as a Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Unit in 1986. The temple covers an area of 5,000 square meters, with an overall quadrangle courtyard architecture. It is a complex integrating temple, pagoda, archway, and memorial stele—also a rare architectural complex centered on a pagoda that had been lost in the Central Plains region of China since the Tang Dynasty. Within the temple grounds are a stone pagoda built in 1167, a memorial archway constructed in 1612, as well as Qing Dynasty structures such as the Mahavira Hall, scripture depository, left and right wing rooms, an iron pagoda, and the Yunleng Stele (a sutra pillar), among other cultural relics.

Nestled against a mountain, Tapingsi Temple is surrounded by undulating peaks, with a towering pagoda peak at its center. The temple gate is built from brick and stone. To the left is the Guiding Hall, beside which stand a pair of huabiao (ornamental columns), each 5 meters tall and spaced 3 meters apart. These are rectangular stone pillars topped with lions and resting on fish-shaped pedestals. About forty steps along a winding path, there is a stone archway mimicking wooden architecture—a double-eave hip-and-gable roof supported by four pillars and three gates. The archway stands 12 meters tall and 7 meters wide, with a horizontal plaque in the center inscribed “First Scenic Wonder,” dated “Built in the 40th Year of the Wanli Reign.” Below the plaque, the lintel features carved figures and animal motifs, exuding an ancient elegance and exquisite craftsmanship, making it a fine example of Ming Dynasty archway architecture.

The Song Dynasty stone pagoda standing in the temple is praised as “a heavenly brush standing firmly against the sky, a towering pavilion rooted solidly on the earth.” This square, pavilion-style brick pagoda is hollow inside, standing 14.4 meters tall with a base perimeter of 6.2 meters. Its body is inlaid with colorful ceramic fragments forming various patterns, including three-dimensional animals and flowers, all vividly crafted. Inside the pagoda are seventeen relief-carved divine statues, serene and lifelike. Inscriptions left by visitors throughout the dynasties can still be found on the walls, along with a slanted stone staircase just wide enough for one person. Climbing to the top and looking out the windows, one may feel as if “the rising sun draws near above the sacred tripod, while the plains stretch far below.” The pagoda’s top is a gourd-shaped precious bead finial, giving a sense of dignity and stability. At sunrise or sunset, the view is especially magnificent. Bells hang from the pagoda’s corners and top; as dusk falls, their resonant chimes create an atmosphere described as “pagoda shadows hang in the clear sky, bell sounds drift through the white clouds.”

The rear hall houses an iron pagoda, hexagonal and seven stories tall, standing 6.38 meters high with a base circumference of 5.22 meters. Each level is cast with several gilded divine statues and inscriptions detailing the pagoda’s casting process. The pagoda’s corners slightly curl upwards on each level, each holding a small bell; when the breeze blows, harmonious tones resonate continuously. When illuminated by candlelight, the golden reflections from the pagoda brighten the entire hall. This iron pagoda is the largest of its kind in Sichuan Province and serves as an important relic for studying Qing Dynasty casting techniques.

Tapingsi Temple boasts a long history, frequented by ancient celebrities who left behind couplets, poems, and paintings. An ancient poem praises it: “A fairy peak rises abruptly before the temple, half in the clouds and half in the air; verdant ridges tower in all directions, winding paths lead through seven levels. Boundless merit lasts through the ages, majestic presence inspires awe; it rivals the northern capital’s grandeur, standing firmly to guard Eastern Sichuan.”

Tapingsi Temple is not only a renowned ancient monastery but also home to beautifully scenic gardens. The surrounding area is planted with ginkgo, nanmu, pines, and cypresses, with ancient trees providing dense shade, complemented by elegant bamboo and vibrant flowers, creating a pleasant landscape. A Qing Dynasty poet, Huang Zhuxuan, once praised: “In spring, pink peach blossoms shine brilliantly, resembling the Red City; in summer, wildflowers emit a delicate fragrance, no different from a fragrant paradise; in autumn, golden hues blend with yellow clouds, akin to a golden cosmos; in winter, snow blankets the land, like a crystal-clear world”—capturing the essence of this splendid site. The four seasons offer breathtaking views. Visiting Tapingsi Temple allows you to admire garden landscapes, witness the grandeur of the Song Dynasty pagoda, appreciate the delicacy of the archway, gaze upon the magnificence of the temple buildings, explore the serenity of the ancient monastery, and contemplate the mysteries of the Buddhist sanctuary. Amid tranquility and simplicity, worries melt away, immersing you in a serene, ethereal, and peaceful realm that is truly captivating.

In 2000, Tapingsi Pagoda was announced by the Chongqing Municipal People's Government as part of the first batch of Chongqing Cultural Relic Protection Units.

Tapingsi Village: Tapingsi Village…… More information about Tapingsi Village++