Qingshui Stone Pagoda

Qingshui Stone Pagoda

Qingshui Stone Pagoda is a cultural relic protection unit of Shanxi Province.

Stone Pagoda

Stone Pagoda (Second Batch of Provincial-Level Protected Sites)

Era: Tang Dynasty

Location: At the base of the eastern temple wall in Yuxi Village, 70 kilometers east of Qingshui County

The pagoda was originally constructed in the Tang Dynasty and renovated in the 10th year of the Zhengtong era of the Ming Dynasty (1445). It features a square layout, five tiers, and a dense-eave design, with the body made of bluestone. Its total height is 6.29 meters. The base has three layers, and the middle tier’s waist band is carved with inscriptions detailing the pagoda’s origin and the names of donors. The body of the pagoda is 3.4 meters tall and tapers toward the top, consisting of five levels. The first level is relatively tall, with a door facing south. On either side of the door are carved guardian figures, and above the arch are flying apsaras, seated Buddhas, and cloud motifs. Inside the pagoda chamber are carvings of Sakyamuni Buddha, Kasyapa, Ananda, and two attendant bodhisattvas. Starting from the second level, the pagoda body becomes noticeably shorter. Each level has pointed arched niches on all four sides, each housing a seated Buddha. On the back of the pagoda is an inscription: “The old ancient pagoda to the east of Yuxi Village had been damaged for many years and was repaired through the dedication of Chang Zhang Deshan, who contributed one ox. … Dated the auspicious day of the eighth month in the 10th year of the Zhengtong era.” This indicates that from the pagoda’s construction in the Tang Dynasty until its renovation in the 10th year of the Zhengtong era (1445), the front and back stones of the base level were replaced during the restoration.

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units