Yingxian Wood Tower

As the tallest and oldest wooden pagoda in the world, the pagoda was built in the second year of Qingning (1056 A.D.) of Liao Dynasty. It has lasted for more than 940 years. Although it has gone through storm, strong earthquake and shell Bombardment (bullet marks on the pagoda body, embedded warheads can be seen), it still stands. It is built with more than 50 kinds of brackets, which are inlaid, interspersed and matched by brackets, columns and beams. For example, the outer eaves of the cloister at the bottom of the tower are supported by 24 wooden columns. When it is still, the load of each column at the lower layer is 120 tons, but the stone foundation under the column has no mortar at all, and the section of the wooden column is directly on the stone foundation. It is said that a curious person once held a string in both hands and crossed it between the stone foundation and the wooden column. Therefore, there is a folk legend that 24 wooden pillars alternate intermittently. The whole tower is equipped with wooden stairs, which can climb to each floor step by step. Each floor has a different landscape. The most special thing is that the Buddha statues in this tower are very large and highly skilled. The Buddha statue of Sakyamuni on the first floor is 11 meters high. Looking up from the tower, you will feel more majestic. Surrounded by murals of King Kong, heavenly king, disciples and donors, the painting style is exquisite and vivid, which is unique to the Liao Dynasty. On the second level, because of the light coming from eight sides, it suddenly became clear that one master Buddha, two Bodhisattvas and two followers were arranged in a vivid manner. The third, fourth and fifth floors are also provided with Bodhisattva statues of Buddha. Different layers of statues have different constructions.

Shakyata

synonym

Yingxian Wooden Pagoda generally refers to Sakya pagoda

The full name of Sakya pagoda is Fogong Temple. Sakya pagoda is located in the northwest of Yingxian County, Shuozhou City, Shanxi Province. It is commonly known as Yingxian Wooden Pagoda. It was built in 1056 A.D. in the second year of Qing Ning (the third year of Song Zhi he) of Liao Dynasty and renovated in 1195 A.D. in the sixth year of Jin Ming Chang (the first year of Qing Yuan of Southern Song Dynasty). It is the highest and oldest existing wooden tower building in China and the only national key cultural relics protection unit

National AAAA scenic spot. Together with the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy and the Eiffel Tower in Paris, it is known as the "three wonders of the world".

In 2016, shakhta was recognized as the world's tallest wooden tower by Guinness World Records.

The height of the pagoda is 67.31 meters, and the diameter of the bottom layer is 30.27 meters. The whole tower supplies 3000 cubic meters of Korean pine wood, more than 2600 tons, pure wood structure, no riveting. There are two Sakyamuni tooth relics in the pagoda.

From the end of the epidemic to December 31, 2020, medical workers across the country (including Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan) can visit the scenic spot free of charge with valid certificates.

Historical development

Shigata was built in 1056. It was initiated by Empress Xiao and raised by monk Tian. It was completed in the fourth year of jinmingchang. The writer's temple is used to show the family's prestige, to worship the Buddha, to visit the tourists and to climb high to see the enemy.

In 1423, Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty led his army out to Xuanhua to fight back against Tatar and Wala tribes who invaded the south. On the way back to Beijing, I stayed in Yingzhou. He wrote the word "Junji Shengong" with a brush. The plaque was rebuilt in May 1613.

In the 12th year of Zhengde (1517) of Ming Dynasty, the little Tatar Prince violated Yanghe (Shanxi Yanggao) and plundered Yingzhou. Wang Xun, general of the Ming Dynasty, was trapped in Yingzhou. Emperor Wuzong of Ming Dynasty led his teachers to help him. In October, the two armies fought for six days in Yingzhou, and the little prince was defeated. This decisive battle has dealt a certain blow to Tatars. Since then, the border has been peaceful for several years. In July of the second year, in order to celebrate the victory of Yingzhou, Emperor Wuzong of the Ming Dynasty came to Yingzhou for the second time. He ascended the pagoda to enjoy the meritorious officials and wrote the four words "wonders of the world" to praise the wooden pagoda.

In 1926, Feng Yuxiang's army developed to Shanxi Province, which was resisted by Yan Xishan. The war between Feng and Yan broke out in Shanxi Province. In this war, the wooden pagoda was shot more than 200 times and suffered great trauma. When Yingxian county was liberated in 1948, the Kuomintang troops guarding the city set up machine gun positions with wooden pagodas as the commanding heights, and the wooden pagodas were hit by 12 guns.

In 1961, Sakya pagoda became one of the first batch of national key cultural relics protection units.

In 1974, when the statues inside the tower were renovated, a number of rare cultural relics such as Liao Dynasty Scripture carving, Scripture writing and silk Buddha paintings with wood color were found.

In 1993, the Institute of Geophysics of the State Seismological Bureau, the ninth general survey brigade of the North China Petroleum Bureau of the Ministry of Geology and mineral resources and other scientific research departments carried out a detailed survey of the geological conditions of mutatayuan and its surrounding areas.

In November 2012, sakhatta was listed in the world cultural heritage preliminary list.

On September 29, 2013, the State Administration of cultural heritage organized 31 academicians and famous experts and scholars in related fields, including Wu Liangyong, Xie Chensheng, GE Xiurun and Jiang Huancheng, to agree in principle the "reinforcement scheme for severely inclined parts and severely damaged components of Sakya tower".

architectural composition

Located between the gate and the main hall on the north-south axis of the temple, the pagoda belongs to the layout of "front pagoda and back hall". The tower is built on a four meter high platform. The height of the tower is 67.31 meters, and the diameter of the bottom layer is 30.27 meters.

The first floor has double eaves, and the above floors are single eaves, with a total of five floors and six eaves. There are dark layers between each floor, which is actually nine floors. Because of the double eaves and corridor on the ground floor, the appearance of the tower is six story eaves. Each floor is supported by two circles of wooden columns, 24 columns outside each floor and eight columns inside. Many diagonal braces, beams, braces and short columns are used between the wooden columns to form the composite beam type wooden frame in different directions. The whole tower shares 3000 cubic meters of Korean pine wood, weighing about 2600 tons.

At the bottom of the tower, a door is opened from north to south, and a flat balustrade is set around the second floor or above. Each floor is equipped with wooden stairs. Visitors can climb step by step to reach the top. There are four doors on each floor from the second floor to the fifth floor, with wooden partition fans. Buddha statues are made in all layers of the tower. The first floor is Sakyamuni, 11 meters high. There are six Buddha statues painted on the walls of the inner trough, and the walls on both sides of the entrance are also painted with Vajra, heavenly king and disciples. On the second floor, the altar is square, with one Buddha, two Bodhisattvas and two waiters.

The top of the tower is octagonal, with an iron brake on it. Wind chimes are installed under the eaves of each floor of the tower.

The design of the pagoda of Sakyamuni boldly inherits the heavy building form with rich national characteristics since the Han and Tang Dynasties, makes full use of traditional architectural techniques, and widely uses the bucket arch structure. The whole tower shares 54 kinds of bucket arches. Each bucket arch has a certain combination form. Some form beams, squares and columns into a whole, and each floor forms an octagonal hollow structure layer.

Cultural relics in the tower

Buddha's Tooth Relic

There are two relic of Buddha's teeth in the pagoda, which are in the silver framework of two seven treasures. It is confirmed that they are the remains of Sakyamuni's teeth. After the death of the Buddha, a total of seven teeth were left.

The two Tooth Relic found in the Sakyamuni pagoda of Yingxian Buddhist temple is a pair of teeth stolen by jieji Luocha recorded in the Daban Nirvana Sutra.

Balishi under lotus platform

There is a tall Tathagata statue sitting on a huge lotus platform opposite the gate at the bottom of the wooden tower. The lotus platform is carried by eight strong men, each of whom is powerful and vivid. These eight powerful men were originally Dharma protectors stationed in eight directions. Taking advantage of the opportunity of the Tathagata Buddha's going out to preach, they gathered together in private. Eight of them went down to earth and were overwhelmed. Originally, the world's three mountains and five mountains and all corners of the country were arranged neatly, like chess pieces, so it was said that they were scattered all over the world.

Plaque Scripture

Zhu Di, Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty, personally wrote the title of "Junji miraculous skill"; Zhu houzhao, Emperor Wuzong of the Ming Dynasty, wrote the title of "wonders of the world". There are 54 plaques and couplets of Ming, Qing and Republic of China in the tower.

There are also a number of precious Liao Dynasty cultural relics in the tower, especially the Liao Dynasty color printing, which fills the gap in the history of Chinese printing. Among the cultural relics, there are many scriptures, including manuscripts, wood block printed copies of Liao Dynasty, some of which are more than 30 meters long.

In memory of master Huineng, the painter drew the "medicine drawing", which was originally hidden in the abdomen of the fourth floor Buddha statue. It is now preserved in Yingxian cultural relics management office.

Scenic spot value

In 1961, sakhatta was listed as one of the first batch of national key protected cultural relics in China. It is the highest existing wooden pavilion style pagoda. The overall structure of the whole tower is made of wood without an iron nail. There are 54 kinds of Dougong used in the whole tower, which is called "Chinese ancient architecture Dougong Museum". The evaluation of the State Administration of cultural relics on the pagoda is that it is the most typical example in the history of wood structure construction in the world, the most valuable coordinate in the development of Chinese architecture, the treasure house of scientific research in the field of earthquake resistance and lightning protection, and a "history book" of economic and cultural development of an era.

Legends and customs

Luban tower

In the folklore of Yingxian County, the construction of the wooden tower is attributed to Luban, the ancestor of the carpenter in Chinese legend. It is said that Lu Ban's younger sister competes with her elder brother in craftsmanship. Her younger sister says that she can make twelve pairs of embroidered shoes in one night. If her elder brother Lu Ban can build a twelve storey wooden tower overnight, his elder brother's craftsmanship is high. As a result, Luban really built a 12 storey wooden tower, but after the completion of the construction, the earth master could not bear it. The tower went straight down to the ground. Luban raised his hand and divided the tower into two parts. The upper part of the tower was photographed by him in today's inner Mongolia. The remaining five floors slowly drilled out of the ground and became today's Sakyamuni.

Fire and water do not invade

In Yingxian County, in order to protect the fruits of Luban's labor, the Jade Emperor sent the God of fire and the Lord of dragon to send the beads to avoid fire and water. Since then, the wooden tower has been able to move on its own

Chinese PinYin : Ying Xian Mu Ta