Dingzhou Pagoda

Dingzhou Pagoda

Dingzhou Pagoda is a cultural tourism attraction.

Guide

According to records, a monk named Huineng from Kaiyuan Temple traveled to India to retrieve Buddhist scriptures and brought back sarira (relics). After being summoned by the emperor, an imperial decree was issued to build the pagoda. At that time, the Song and Liao dynasties were in confrontation, and Dingzhou was located at the frontier, making it of great military importance. The Song Dynasty used Dingzhou Pagoda to monitor enemy movements. Therefore, the pagoda is also known as the "Enemy-Watching Pagoda" or "Scouting Pagoda." Dingzhou Pagoda has a history of over 900 years. During this period, it has withstood more than ten earthquakes. The major earthquakes of 1679 and 1697 caused some damage to the structure, but it still stands tall and proud to this day. Unfortunately, in June 1884, the northeastern side of the pagoda collapsed from top to bottom, damaging the integrity of this magnificent ancient structure. Introduction

Located in present-day Dingzhou City, the pagoda was originally named the Kaiyuan Temple Pagoda. Construction began in the fourth year of the Chengping era during the reign of Emperor Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty and took a total of 55 years to complete. Dingzhou Pagoda has 11 stories and is 84.2 meters high, making it the largest existing ancient pagoda in China. The pagoda's top is a bronze-cast six-tiered gourd, while the body is built from brick with a rigorous structure. The inner corridor features brick carvings of large floral patterns, painted floral designs, and arched ceilings from top to bottom. The brick walls of the corridor are inlaid with stone inscriptions and calligraphy by famous individuals, serving as extremely valuable historical materials.

Shijiazhuang, Hebei