Huzhen Sarira Pagoda

　　Huzhen Sarira Pagoda is situated in the Sarira Pagoda Courtyard on Xiajie Street, Huzhen Town, Longyou County, Zhejiang Province. The exact date of its initial construction is unknown, but inscribed bricks found on the second and sixth floors — among other sections — feature raised regular script reading “Reconstructed in July of the third year of the Jiayou era (1058) by Jiang Kui,” clearly indicating that the pagoda was rebuilt in July of the third year of the Northern Song Dynasty’s Jiayou era (1058). In 2001, Huzhen Sarira Pagoda was designated as part of the fifth group of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level by the State Council. The pagoda is a solid brick structure, hexagonal in shape with seven stories, imitating a wooden pavilion-style tower. It stands 31.5 meters tall, with each side of the base measuring 2.3 meters wide, and the Sumeru pedestal rising 1.6 meters high. Its exterior structure completely mimics that of a wooden pavilion-style building, making it a classic example of a brick pagoda designed to resemble wood construction. The unique aspect of this pagoda lies in its creation of the form of a wooden pavilion-style tower entirely out of brick. The overall proportions of the pagoda are well-balanced, its form slender and graceful, and its construction exquisitely detailed.

　　Elements such as bracket arms, dougong (interlocking wooden brackets), balconies, and more reflect refined craftsmanship, especially the delicate carvings found on the eaves and bracket sets. Each level features dynamic structural elements, with carved patterns displaying rich textures. Some carving details remain intact, and many decorative reliefs have preserved their vivid charm. Among them, some patterns exhibit exquisite artistry and offer high aesthetic value. The pagoda has retained its form and charm remarkably well. From the 1980s to the 1990s, during archaeological investigations carried out in front of the pagoda courtyard, a large number of cultural relics were discovered, including a particularly eye-catching bronze seven-story square pavilion-style pagoda dated to the sixth year of the Jiayou era of the Northern Song Dynasty (1054). In front of the pagoda courtyard, there is also a well-preserved old street, which is now part of a Zhejiang Provincial Historic and Cultural Preservation Zone.