South Pagoda

　　    Standing atop Donghualing Mountain in Yongxin County and gazing northward, one sees the meandering He Shui River winding its way through willow-lined banks, with a towering thatched pagoda standing majestically before the eyes, its grandeur undimmed by the winds and rains of time. This thatched pagoda, located within the campus of Chengnan Middle School, is the Nan Pagoda—the oldest surviving Song Dynasty pagoda in Jiangxi Province.

　　    The Nan Pagoda is a dense-eave-style blue brick pagoda. Originally built in the first year of the Zhi Dao era of the Northern Song Dynasty (995), it has a history of nearly a thousand years. The pagoda stands 16.5 meters tall and has nine levels, with each level featuring an arched doorway shape on its southwestern side. Between the levels are interlayered eaves. The interior of the pagoda is hollow below the second level and solid above. The western side of the first level has a door that is 2 meters high and 1.3 meters wide, while the other three sides each have a false door. The second to third levels have wall niches on both sides, which originally housed Buddha statues. The ninth level is cylindrical, topped with an iron finial. The bottom of the iron finial features an inverted bowl, above which sits a lotus pedestal. On the pedestal is a cylindrical iron column with three tiers of sacred wheels. The iron finial and the sacred wheels are cast with vivid images of Vajra Dharma protectors and exquisitely detailed patterns. In the spaces between the figures and patterns, as well as on the exterior of the sacred wheels, there are bas-reliefs and finely crafted inscriptions. The inscriptions consist of 686 characters, divided into 48 sections, recording that the initiator of the pagoda’s construction was the eminent monk Yuan Zhou, while the construction was overseen by the monks Wen Yuan and Nigu Bao Cheng, along with the lay nun Zhang Tong and four others. The architects of the ancient pagoda were the craftsmen Zhao Wenche and Hong Shou, among others. According to the inscriptions, the funding for the pagoda’s construction came entirely from public donations.

　　    For nearly a thousand years, various legends have surrounded the Nan Pagoda. One tale says that the He Shui River was once prone to severe flooding, and the Nan Pagoda served as one of the “Three Treasures” used to subdue the waters. Another legend claims the “Nan Pagoda wears Zhou Yu’s hat,” referring to the pagoda’s top resembling the helmet of an ancient general. In recent years, the Nan Pagoda has undergone multiple restorations, growing ever more majestic. It now stands like a valiant general ready for battle, quietly guarding the clear river and witnessing the tremendous changes in Hecity.