Hunyuan Yuanguang Temple Pagoda

The Hunyuan Yuanguang Temple Pagoda is located on Shiqiaobei Lane in Hunyuan County, Datong, Shanxi.

Yuanguang Temple, commonly known as the "Small Temple." The 1644 edition of the *Hunyuan Prefecture Records* states: "Yuanguang Temple is located east of the prefectural seat and was built in the third year of the Zhenglong era (1158) of the Jin Dynasty by the monk Xuanzhen." Originally, it was a complete set of ancient buildings centered around the pagoda, including a main hall, east and west side halls, the mountain gate, and a main hall in the west courtyard. In the 1930s, during the Japanese invasion, all wooden structures within the temple were dismantled, leaving only the brick pagoda as the original Jin Dynasty structure. It underwent renovations in the fifth year of the Ming Chenghua era (1469), the fourth year of the Wanli era (1576), and the ninth year of the Qing Xianfeng era (1859), with inscriptions either engraved on bricks or stones embedded into the pagoda.

The brick pagoda has an octagonal floor plan and nine tiers of dense eaves, entirely constructed of brick without any internal staircase. The base is a 4-meter-high Sumeru pedestal, with several layers of corbeling at the bottom gradually tapering inward. The lower part features brick-carved decorative motifs. The niches on each face are relatively small, adorned with carvings of Buddha statues, lotus flowers, and other designs. The first tier features prominent projecting brackets, while the third tier has niches housing various figures. The pagoda body is divided into sections by brick moldings, with inclined chisel marks at approximately 5-degree angles. The first tier is richly ornamented, with intricate carvings of musicians, celestial guardians, and other figures. The upper section of the third tier features niches containing Buddhist statues and Bodhisattva images. At the corners, there are small columns, bracket sets, and carved animal heads. The pagoda also displays carved reliefs of musicians and celestial beings. The second tier contains a row of small Buddha images, while the upper tiers gradually become simpler, with the uppermost section featuring a steeple. The top of the pagoda is adorned with a precious bead and a precious umbrella. The ninth tier is particularly delicate, featuring carved railings and small Buddha statues that appear to be dancing, giving the structure a dynamic and ornate aesthetic quality. This is likely due to the influence of Buddhist cosmology and the depiction of celestial musicians (often referred to as "music gods" or "flying apsaras").

In May 2013, the Hunyuan Yuanguang Temple Pagoda was designated as part of the Seventh Batch of Major National Historical and Cultural Sites.

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Shanxi Provincial Protected Cultural Heritage Sites

· Seventh Batch of Major National Historical and Cultural Sites