Shita Temple Stone Pagoda

Shita Temple Stone Pagoda

The Shita Temple Stone Pagoda is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Shita Temple Stone Pagoda is located outside the mountain gate of Shita Temple in Gaoxing Village, Gaowo Town, Qionglai City, Sichuan Province. The pagoda was originally built between the fifth and eighth years of the Qiandao era during the Southern Song Dynasty (1169–1172).

The stone pagoda has a square floor plan, thirteen tiers of dense eaves, and a total height of 17.8 meters. It is entirely carved from red sandstone. Beneath the pagoda is a square, plain base with sides measuring 5.55 meters, atop which sits a rolled-leg pedestal with sides of 5.5 meters and a height of 0.78 meters. This supports a double-layered Sumeru pedestal, each side of which features three arched niches. At the center of the Sumeru pedestal sits a square platform, upon which rises the first tier of the square pagoda body. This measures 1.84 meters on each side and is 2.9 meters tall. The upper part of the pagoda body has eight overlapping layers that project outward, supporting the broad first-tier eaves along with twelve octagonal eave pillars, as well as stone beams and rafters. The four corners are slightly upturned. Above the first-tier eaves are twelve more tiers of dense eaves, with four layers of stone-carved overlapping projections forming short eaves. Each side of the pagoda body features three round-arched niches, each housing a seated Buddha. From the upper part of the first tier to the fifth tier, the external contour of the pagoda body gradually increases in size before narrowing again at higher levels, creating a "spindle-like" shape. The finial consists of a double-layered alms bowl topped with an upward-facing lotus supporting two back-to-back seated Buddhas. Each side of every tier of the pagoda body is carved with three Buddha statues, totaling 148 in all. The pagoda also bears inscriptions of three Buddhist scriptures: the Avalokitesvara Sutra, the Great Compassion Mantra, and the Kṣitigarbha Fundamental Vows Sutra.

The temple complex also preserves the site of an ancient gas well, which holds certain significance in the history of science and technology. In June 2001, the Shita Temple Stone Pagoda was designated as part of the fifth group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units by the State Council.

Protected area: 5 meters beyond the pagoda base.

Construction control zone: 50 meters beyond the protected area.

Further reading:

· Fifth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units