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Songyue Temple Pagoda [Source: china.com.cn] |
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- Location: Dengfeng City, Henan Province
The Songyue Temple Pagoda (嵩岳寺塔) is the oldest existing large pagoda in China. Its structure and style are consummate among ancient pagodas. It was constructed in 520 during the Northern Dynasties.
The brick pagoda is the earliest multi-eave pagoda to be found thus far. The pagoda's total height is about 39.8 meters. The diameter of the ground floor is 10.6 meters, including the walls, which are each 2.5 meters thick. The first story of the pagoda is very high, which is characteristic of all multi-eave pagodas. The first story is divided into upper and lower parts by balconies, and there are doors on the eastern, southern, western and northern sides, linking the two parts. The top part of each door is an arch with an ornamental relish above it. The other eight sides of the lower part of the first story are plain, without ornament. The upper part, however, is the most decorated part of the entire pagoda.
The interior of the pagoda is cylindrical and there are eight levels of stone supports for what originally must have been wooden flooring. The exterior of the entire pagoda presents the contour of a smooth parabola, making it not only towering and magnificent, but also elegant and graceful, fully displaying the high artistic level of its design.
Travel tips:
- Hours: 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
- Admission: 80 yuan
- How to get there: take bicycle