The Merciful Wisdom Eye Gratitude Pagoda

The Merciful Wisdom Eye Gratitude Pagoda

The Merciful Wisdom Eye Gratitude Pagoda is a cultural tourism attraction.

It carries profound symbolism, rich cultural heritage, and is imbued with the deep and extensive colors of Tibetan Buddhist culture and the ancient, weighty traditional architectural style. The majestic and resplendent Gratitude Pagoda consists of four parts: the base, the pedestal, the spire, and the crown. The 13 steps on each of the four sides of the pagoda represent the path to enlightenment. The four pagoda pillars respectively represent "earth" with their vertical structure, "water" with their columnar form, "fire" with their square gilded treasure-containing structure, and "sky" with their towering pagoda-like top, forming what Buddhism calls the “Four Great Elements.” This arrangement reflects the natural material order of the universe and symbolizes the essence of life. The 6-meter-high copper treasure vase at the very top symbolizes the Six Realms of Reincarnation: the realm of gods, asuras, humans, animals, hungry ghosts, and hell. The four walls of the pagoda are painted with giant Buddha eyes, representing the Five Eyes of Buddhism (the flesh eye, divine eye, wisdom eye, dharma eye, and buddha eye)—with the wisdom eye (also called the spiritual eye) symbolizing the eye of wisdom, compassion, and enlightenment. It signifies the Buddha’s all-seeing gaze, warning people that good and evil actions have karmic consequences. Only by ceasing evil and cultivating goodness can one escape suffering and find joy; only with a heart of gratitude can hope arise. The wisdom eye possesses the power to pierce through life and the universe. The circular mark between the eyes represents the symbol of complete enlightenment in Buddhism. Below the wisdom eye, the "?"-like symbol is the Nepali numeral for "one," reminding people of the non-duality of worldly phenomena, signifying that compassion and wisdom must be united in action, symbolizing harmony and unity. When viewed from above, the entire pagoda resembles a mandala, symbolizing perfection and completeness, representing a harmonious and whole universe. The square gilded treasure container painted with wisdom eyes houses the Tibetan Buddhist canon—the Kangyur and Tengyur. Simply passing beneath it once is equivalent to reciting the entire canon, helping to discern right from wrong, repent past misdeeds, dispel disasters, and accumulate merit. The red square base of the gilded treasure with its “three-sided” shape represents the “Three Realms” in Buddhism: the heavenly realm where deities and sages reside, the human realm or the physical universe, and the hellish realm filled with fear. It also symbolizes the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm where sentient beings dwell.

The Merciful Wisdom Eye Gratitude Pagoda stands 33 meters tall, symbolizing the geographic elevation of 3,300 meters of the coastal Tibetan city. The 53-meter circumference of the four pagoda pillars represents the year of establishment of Gangca County—1953. The 31 bronze bells hanging from the edge of the gilded canopy emit clear, tinkling sounds, representing the 31 administrative villages of Gangca County and the prayers of people of all ethnic groups for peace and prosperity across the nation during the county’s leapfrog development. The inscriptions “Gangca” and “The Party’s Grace Is as Deep as the Sea” reflect the aspirations and beautiful visions of the people of the coastal Tibetan city, who, under the Party’s benevolence, strive for ethnic unity, social harmony, and the building of their homeland.

That day, I closed my eyes in the incense haze of the scripture hall, and suddenly heard the sacred words you chanted.

That month, I turned all the prayer wheels, not to pray for the dead, but just to touch your fingertips.

That year, I prostrated myself along the mountain path, not to worship, but just to feel your warmth.

That lifetime, I circled mountains, rivers, and stupas, not for the next life, but just to meet you along the way.

A devout believer, he burned incense in the scripture hall, turned prayer wheels, prostrated himself, and worshipped the stupa, pouring out his heart to the Buddha. Amidst the passage of time, he savored the long-lost luster of days gone by. Wrapped in a layer of mystical “veil of emotion,” we sense the piety of Tsangyang Gyatso, the poetic saint, toward the Buddha. In the mysterious world of the Potala Palace, he composed one exquisite poem after another—some as gentle as flowing water, others as stirring as an epic. Yet this immensely talented figure was like a delicate rainbow, flashing briefly across the long river of history before vanishing swiftly, leaving us three hundred years later with beautiful verses and endless sighs. To commemorate this saint of the world’s poetry, the warm, simple, and hardworking people of Gangca adapted to local conditions and created the uniquely designed Tsangyang Gyatso Cultural Square. Here, the world can immerse itself in Tsangyang Gyatso’s sacred cultural haven, appreciate the world’s most beautiful love songs, and savor and reflect upon the master’s most charismatic side.