A pagoda is an

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...

n tiered tower with multiple eaves common to Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Vietnam, and other parts of

. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most often

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...

but sometimes Taoist, and were often located in or near viharas. The pagoda traces its origins to the stupa of ancient India. Chinese pagodas () are a traditional part of

Chinese architecture Chinese architecture ( Chinese:中國建築) is the embodiment of an architectural style that has developed over millennia in China and it has influenced architecture throughout Eastern Asia. Since its emergence during the early ancient era, th ...

. In addition to religious use, since ancient times Chinese pagodas have been praised for the spectacular views they offer, and many classical poems attest to the joy of scaling pagodas. Chinese sources credit the Nepalese architect

Araniko Aniko, Anige or Araniko ( ne, अरनिको, zh, 阿尼哥; 1245–1306) was one of the key figures in the arts of Nepal and Yuan dynasty of China, and the artistic exchanges in these areas. He was born in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, durin ...

with introducing the pagoda to China. The oldest and tallest pagodas were built of wood, but most that survived were built of brick or stone. Some pagodas are solid with no interior. Hollow pagodas have no higher floors or rooms, but the interior often contains an altar or a smaller pagoda, as well as a series of staircases for the visitor to ascend and to witness the view from an opening on one side of each tier. Most have between three and 13 tiers (almost always an odd number) and the classic gradual tiered eaves.Steinhardt, 387. In some countries, the term may refer to other religious structures. In Vietnam and Cambodia, due to French translation, the English term ''pagoda'' is a more generic term referring to a place of worship, although ''pagoda'' is not an accurate word to describe a Buddhist vihara. The architectural structure of the stupa has spread across Asia, taking on many diverse forms specific to each region. Many Philippine bell towers are highly influenced by pagodas through Chinese workers hired by the

Spaniards Spaniards, or Spanish people, are a Romance ethnic group native to Spain. Within Spain, there are a number of national and regional ethnic identities that reflect the country's complex history, including a number of different languages, both ...

Etymology

One proposed etymology is from a South Chinese pronunciation of the term for an eight-cornered tower, , and reinforced by the name of a famous pagoda encountered by many early European visitors to China, the "Pázhōu tǎ" (), standing just south of Guangzhou at

Whampoa Anchorage Pazhou is a subdistrict of Haizhu in southeastern Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, in China. , formerly Whampoa Island, has a total area of and is the site of Pazhou Pagoda. Its eastern bay was formerly the chief anchorage for ships partic ...

. Another proposed etymology is

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

''butkada'', from ''but'', "idol" and ''kada'', "temple, dwelling." Yet another etymology is from the Sinhala word ''dāgaba'', derived from Sanskrit ''dhātugarbha'' or Pali ''dhātugabbha'': "relic womb/chamber" or "reliquary shrine", i.e. a stupa, by way of Portuguese.

History

The origin of the pagoda can be traced to the stupa (3rd century BCE). The stupa, a dome shaped monument, was used as a commemorative monument to house sacred relics and writings. In East Asia, the architecture of Chinese towers and

Chinese pavilion A Chinese pavilion ( Chinese 亭, pinyin ''tíng'') is a garden pavilion in traditional Chinese architecture. While often found within temples, pavilions are not exclusively religious structures. Many Chinese parks and gardens feature pavilions to ...

s blended into pagoda architecture, eventually also spreading to Southeast Asia. Their construction was popularized by the efforts of Buddhist missionaries, pilgrims, rulers, and ordinary devotees to honor Buddhist relics. Japan has a total of 22 five-storied timber pagodas constructed before 1850.

China

The earliest styles of Chinese pagodas were square-base and circular-base, with octagonal-base towers emerging in the 5th–10th centuries. The highest Chinese pagoda from the pre-modern age is the

Liaodi Pagoda The Liaodi Pagoda () of Kaiyuan Monastery, Dingzhou, Hebei Province, China is the tallest existing pre-modern Chinese pagoda and tallest brick pagoda in the world, built in the 11th century during the Song dynasty (960–1279). The pagoda stands ...

of Kaiyuan Monastery, Dingxian, Hebei, completed in the year 1055 AD under

Emperor Renzong of Song Emperor Renzong of Song (30 May 1010 – 30 April 1063), personal name Zhao Zhen, was the fourth emperor of the Song dynasty of China. He reigned for about 41 years from 1022 to his death in 1063, and was the longest reigning Song dynasty empe ...

and standing at a total height of 84 m (275 ft). Although it no longer stands, the tallest pre-modern pagoda in Chinese history was the of Chang'an, built by Emperor Yang of Sui, and possibly the short-lived 6th century

Yongning Pagoda The Yongning Pagoda or Yongning Temple () in Luoyang was one of the tallest buildings of the world from 516 AD to 534 AD. The timber-frame pagoda with a complete column grid and a stabilising masonry-core was built during the Northern ...

( 永宁宝塔) of Luoyang at roughly 137 meter. The tallest pre-modern pagoda still standing is the Liaodi Pagoda. In April 2007 a new wooden pagoda Tianning Temple of

Changzhou Changzhou ( Changzhounese: ''Zaon Tsei'', ) is a prefecture-level city in southern Jiangsu province, China. It was previously known as Yanling, Lanling and Jinling. Located on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, Changzhou borders the provin ...

was opened to the public, the tallest in China, standing 154 m (505 ft).

Symbolism and geomancy

Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of v ...

iconography is noticeable in

and other East Asian pagoda architectures. Also prominent is Buddhist iconography such as the image of the Shakyamuni and

Gautama Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in L ...

in the '' abhaya mudra.'' In an article on Buddhist elements in Han dynasty art, Wu Hung suggests that in these temples,

Buddhist symbolism Buddhist symbolism is the use of symbols ( Sanskrit: ''pratīka'') to represent certain aspects of the Buddha's Dharma (teaching). Early Buddhist symbols which remain important today include the Dharma wheel, the Indian lotus, the three jewels ...

was fused with native Chinese traditions into a unique system of symbolism. Some believed reverence at pagodas could bring luck to students taking the Chinese civil service

examinations An examination (exam or evaluation) or test is an educational assessment intended to measure a test-taker's knowledge, skill, aptitude, physical fitness, or classification in many other topics (e.g., beliefs). A test may be administered verba ...

. When a pagoda of Yihuang County in Fuzhou collapsed in 1210, local inhabitants believed the disaster correlated with the recent failure of many exam candidates in the prefectural examinationsHymes, 30. The pagoda was rebuilt in 1223 and had a list inscribed on it of the recently successful examination candidates, in hopes that it would reverse the trend and win the county supernatural favor.

Architecture

Pagodas come in many different sizes, with taller ones often attracting

lightning strike A lightning strike or lightning bolt is an electric discharge between the atmosphere and the ground. Most originate in a cumulonimbus cloud and terminate on the ground, called cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning. A less common type of strike, ground- ...

s, inspiring a tradition that the finial decoration of the top of the structure can seize demons. Today many pagodas have been fitted with wires making the finial into a lightning rod. Wooden pagodas possess certain characteristics thought to resist earthquake damage. These include the friction damping and sliding effect of the complex wooden dougong joints, the structural isolation of floors, the effects of wide eaves analogous to a balancing toy, and the Shinbashira phenomenon that the center column is bolted to the rest of the superstructure. Pagodas traditionally have an odd number of levels, a notable exception being the eighteenth-century orientalist pagoda designed by Sir William Chambers at Kew Gardens in London. The pagodas in Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia are derived from Dravidian architecture. The pagodas in Himalayas are derived from Kath kuni architecture, very different from Chinese and Japanese styles.

Construction materials

Wood

During the

Southern and Northern Dynasties The Northern and Southern dynasties () was a period of political division in the history of China that lasted from 420 to 589, following the tumultuous era of the Sixteen Kingdoms and the Eastern Jin dynasty. It is sometimes considered as ...

pagodas were mostly built of wood, as were other ancient Chinese structures. Wooden pagodas are resistant to earthquakes, and no Japanese pagoda has been destroyed by an earthquake, but they are prone to fire, natural rot, and insect infestation. Examples of wooden pagodas: *White Horse Pagoda at

White Horse Temple White Horse Temple () is a Buddhist temple in Luoyang, Henan that, according to tradition, is the first Buddhist temple in China, having been first established in 68 AD under the patronage of Emperor Ming in the Eastern Han dynasty. The site i ...

, Luoyang. *

Futuci Pagoda Futuci Pagoda is a wooden pagoda that was built in Xuzhou Xuzhou (徐州), also known as Pengcheng (彭城) in ancient times, is a major city in northwestern Jiangsu province, China. The city, with a recorded population of 9,083,790 at the 20 ...

Xuzhou Xuzhou (徐州), also known as Pengcheng (彭城) in ancient times, is a major city in northwestern Jiangsu province, China. The city, with a recorded population of 9,083,790 at the 2020 census (3,135,660 of which lived in the built-up area ma ...

, built in the Three Kingdoms period (c. 220–265). *Many of the pagodas in '' Stories About Buddhist Temples in Luoyang'', a Northern Wei text. The literature of subsequent eras also provides evidence of the domination of wooden pagoda construction. The famous Tang dynasty poet, Du Mu, once wrote: :''480 Buddhist temples of the Southern Dynasties,'' :''uncountable towers and pagodas stand in the misty rain.'' The oldest standing fully wooden pagoda in China today is the Pagoda of Fugong Temple in Ying County, Shanxi, built in the 11th century during the Song/ Liao dynasty (see Song Architecture).

Transition to brick and stone

During the Northern Wei and Sui dynasties (386–618) experiments began with the construction of brick and stone pagodas. Even at the end of the Sui, however, wood was still the most common material. For example, Emperor Wen of the Sui dynasty (reigned 581–604) once issued a decree for all counties and prefectures to build pagodas to a set of standard designs, however since they were all built of wood none have survived. Only the

Songyue Pagoda The Songyue Pagoda (), constructed in AD 523, is located at the Songyue Monastery on Mount Song, in Henan province, China.Yetts, 124. Built during the Northern Wei Dynasty, this pagoda is one of the few intact sixth-century pagodas in China and ...

has survived, a circular-based pagoda built out of stone in 523 AD.

Brick

The earliest extant brick pagoda is the 40-metre-tall

in Dengfeng Country, Henan.Steinhardt, 383. This curved, circle-based pagoda was built in 523 during the

Northern Wei Dynasty Wei (), known in historiography as the Northern Wei (), Tuoba Wei (), Yuan Wei () and Later Wei (), was founded by the Tuoba (Tabgach) clan of the Xianbei. The first of the Northern dynasties, it ruled northern China from 386 to 535 during the ...

, and has survived for 15 centuries. Much like the later pagodas found during the following Tang Dynasty, this temple featured tiers of eaves encircling its frame, as well as a spire crowning the top. Its walls are 2.5 m thick, with a ground floor diameter of 10.6 m. Another early brick pagoda is the Sui dynasty Guoqing Pagoda built in 597.

Stone

The earliest large-scale stone pagoda is a

Four Gates Pagoda The Four Gates Pagoda () is a Sui dynasty (581-618 AD) stone Chinese pagoda located in central Shandong Province, China. It is thought to be the oldest remaining pavilion-style stone pagoda in China. The oldest extant brick-built pagoda in China ...

at Licheng, Shandong, built in 611 during the Sui dynasty. Like the Songyue Pagoda, it also features a spire at its top, and is built in the pavilion style.

Brick and stone

One of the earliest brick and stone pagodas was a three-storey construction built in the (first) Jin Dynasty (266–420), by Wang Jun of

Xiangyang Xiangyang is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Hubei province, China and the second largest city in Hubei by population. It was known as Xiangfan from 1950 to 2010. The Han River runs through Xiangyang's centre and divides the city no ...

. However, it is now destroyed. Brick and stone went on to dominate

Tang Tang or TANG most often refers to: * Tang dynasty * Tang (drink mix) Tang or TANG may also refer to: Chinese states and dynasties * Jin (Chinese state) (11th century – 376 BC), a state during the Spring and Autumn period, called Tang (唐) ...

, Song, Liao and Jin Dynasty pagoda construction. An example is the

Giant Wild Goose Pagoda Giant Wild Goose Pagoda or Big Wild Goose Pagoda (, literally "big swan goose pagoda"), is a monumental Buddhist pagoda located in southern Xi'an, Shaanxi, China. It was built in 648/649(?) during the Tang dynasty and originally had five stor ...

(652 AD), built during the early Tang Dynasty. The Porcelain Pagoda of Nanjing has been one of the most famous brick and stone pagoda in China throughout history. The Zhou dynasty started making the ancient pagodas about 3,500 years ago.

De-emphasis over time

Pagodas, in keeping with the tradition of the

, were generally placed in the center of temples until the Sui and

dynasties. During the Tang, the importance of the main hall was elevated and the pagoda was moved beside the hall, or out of the temple compound altogether. In the early Tang,

Daoxuan Daoxuan (; 596–667) was an eminent Tang dynasty Chinese Buddhist monk. He is perhaps best known as the patriarch of the Four-part Vinaya school (). Daoxuan wrote both the ''Continued Biographies of Eminent Monks'' (Xù gāosēng zhuàn 續高 ...

wrote a ''

Standard Design for Buddhist Temple Construction ''Standard Design for Buddhist Temple Construction'' is a Chinese language text written by Daoxuan in the early Tang Dynasty. It described a design for Buddhist temples influenced by mainstream Chinese architecture, and based upon a traditional lay ...

'' in which the main hall replaced the pagoda as the center of the temple. The design of temples was also influenced by the use of traditional Chinese residences as shrines, after they were philanthropically donated by the wealthy or the pious. In such pre-configured spaces, building a central pagoda might not have been either desirable or possible. In the Song dynasty (960–1279), the

Chan Chan may refer to: Places *Chan (commune), Cambodia * Chan Lake, by Chan Lake Territorial Park in Northwest Territories, Canada People *Chan (surname), romanization of various Chinese surnames (including 陳, 曾, 詹, 戰, and 田) *Chan Caldw ...

(Zen) sect developed a new 'seven part structure' for temples. The seven parts—the Buddha hall, dharma hall, monks' quarters, depository, gate, pure land hall and toilet facilities—completely exclude pagodas, and can be seen to represent the final triumph of the traditional Chinese palace/courtyard system over the original central-pagoda tradition established 1000 years earlier by the

in 67. Although they were built outside of the main temple itself, large pagodas in the tradition of the past were still built. This includes the two Ming dynasty pagodas of Famen Temple and the Chongwen Pagoda in Jingyang of Shaanxi. A prominent, later example of converting a palace to a temple is Beijing's

Yonghe Temple The Yonghe Temple (, "Palace of Peace and Harmony"), also known as the Yonghe Lamasery, or popularly as the Lama Temple, is a temple and monastery of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism located on 12 Yonghegong Street, Dongcheng District, Bei ...

, which was the residence of Yongzheng Emperor before he ascended the throne. It was donated for use as a lamasery after his death in 1735.

Styles of eras

Han Dynasty

Examples of Han Dynasty era tower architecture predating Buddhist influence and the full-fledged Chinese pagoda can be seen in the four pictures below. Michael Loewe writes that during the Han Dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD) period, multi-storied towers were erected for religious purposes, as

astronomical observatories An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysical, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. His ...

, as watchtowers, or as ornate buildings that were believed to attract the favor of spirits, deities, and immortals. Image:Pottery tower 6.JPG, Ancient Chinese model of two residential towers, made of

earthenware Earthenware is glazed or unglazed nonvitreous pottery that has normally been fired below . Basic earthenware, often called terracotta, absorbs liquids such as water. However, earthenware can be made impervious to liquids by coating it with a ...

during the Han dynasty, 2nd century BC to 2nd century AD, excavated by archaeologists in 1993 File:Han Dynasty pottery tower2.JPG, Side view of a Han pottery tower model with a mid-floor balcony and a courtyard gatehouse flanked by smaller towers; the '' dougong'' support brackets are clearly visible. File:Nswag, dinastia han occidentale, modellino funebre di una torre d'avvistamento 02.JPG, A Western-Han model of a watchtower with human figures on its balconies (including crossbowmen) and a gatehouse and courtyard on the first floor Image:Earthenware architecture models, Eastern Han Dynasty, 1.JPG, Among a large set of architectural models, three Eastern Han Dynasty watchtowers stand in the rear of this display

Sui and Tang

Pagodas built during the Sui and Tang Dynasty usually had a square base, with a few exceptions such as the Daqin Pagoda: Image:Four gates pagoda shandong 2006 09.jpg,

, built in 611. File:Da Qin Pagoda.jpg, The

Daqin Pagoda The Daqin Pagoda () is a Buddhist pagoda in Zhouzhi County of Xi'an (formerly Chang'an), Shaanxi Province, China, located about two kilometres to the west of Louguantai temple. The pagoda has been claimed as a Church of the East from the Tang Dynas ...

, built in 640. Image:Xi'anwildgoosepagoda2.JPG, The Small Wild Goose Pagoda, built in 709. File:Baoguangsi.jpg, Pagoda of the

Baoguang Temple The Baoguang Temple () is located in Xindu district 18 km north of Chengdu, Sichuan province, China. It was founded during the Tang dynasty. The temple is listed as an architecture of national heritage and major conservation. It is situated ...

, built between 862 and 888.

Dali kingdom

Image:Threepagodas.jpg, The

Three Pagodas The Three Pagodas of the Chongsheng Temple () are an ensemble of three independent pagodas arranged on the corners of an equilateral triangle, near the old town of Dali, Yunnan province, China, dating from the time of the Kingdom of Nanzhao an ...

, 9th and 10th centuries.

Song, Liao, Jin, Yuan

Pagodas of the Five Dynasties, Northern and Southern Song, Liao, Jin, and Yuan Dynasties incorporated many new styles, with a greater emphasis on hexagonal and octagonal bases for pagodas: File:Pagoda Yunyan Ta.jpg, The Huqiu Tower, built in 961. File:Longhua Pagoda.JPG, Longhua Pagoda, built in 977. File:The Fugong Temple Wooden Pagoda.jpg,

Pagoda of Fogong Temple The Sakyamuni Pagoda of Fogong Temple () of Ying County, Shanxi province, China, is a wooden Chinese pagoda built in 1056, during the Khitan-led Liao dynasty. The pagoda was built by Emperor Daozong of Liao (Hongji) at the site of his grandmoth ...

, built in 1056. File:Dingzhou Liaodi Pagoda 2.jpg, The

, built in 1055 File:Pagoda at Lingyan Si.jpg,

Pizhi Pagoda The Pizhi Pagoda () is an 11th-century Chinese pagoda located at Lingyan Temple, Changqing, near Jinan, Shandong province, China. Although originally built in 753 during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang (r. 712–756), the present pagoda ...

, built by 1063. File:Haotian pagoda.jpg,

Haotian Pagoda Haotian Pagoda () or Liangxiang Pagoda () is an octagonal brick pagoda situated in Haotian park in the Fangshan District of Beijing. It has 5 octahedral shaped hollow tiers and is 36m high. Originally constructed during Sui dynasty, the pagoda ...

, built in 1103. File:Tianning Pagoda 1.JPG, Pagoda of Tianning Temple in Beijing, 1120. File:Chengling pagoda.JPG, The Chengling Pagoda, built in 1189. File:Wuhan Wuying Ta 2012.11.21 10-44-59.jpg,

Wuying Pagoda The Wuying Pagoda (), also known as the Xingfu Temple Pagoda () and The Thousand Year-Old Pagoda of Wuhan (), is a Buddhist pagoda in Wuchang, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Built of stone 750 years ago during the final years of the Southern Song ...

, built in 1270. File:BailinTemple2.jpg, Pagoda of Bailin Temple, built by 1330. File:Square Tower of Songjiang.jpg, The Square Tower of Songjiang, Shanghai, built in 1884. File:Flower Pagoda dli dpa 000 16187 cor.jpg, Photographer unknown,
Flower Pagoda Guangzhou
" n.d.

Ming and Qing

Pagodas in the Ming and Qing Dynasties generally inherited the styles of previous eras, although there were some minor variations: Image:Jgbzt.jpg,

Zhenjue Temple The Five Pagoda Temple (), formally known as the "Temple of the Great Righteous Awakening" () or "Zhenjue Temple" () for short, is a Ming dynasty Buddhist temple located in Haidian District, Beijing, China. Architecture The temple has a square f ...

, built in 1473. Image:Cishou_Temple_Pagoda.JPG, The

Pagoda of Cishou Temple The Pagoda of Cishou Temple (), originally known as Yong'anwanshou Pagoda (), is a 16th-century stone and brick Chinese pagoda located in the Buddhist Cishou Temple of Balizhuang, a suburb of Beijing. Description This octagonal-shaped pagoda is ...

, built in 1576. Image:Great White Pagoda1.JPG, The Sarira Stupa of Tayuan Temple, built in 1582 Image:Fragrant Hills-pagoda.JPG, The Fragrant Hills Pagoda, built in 1780.

Some notable pagodas

Tiered towers with multiple eaves: * Dâu Pagoda,

Bắc Ninh Bắc Ninh () is a city in the northern part of Vietnam and is the capital of Bắc Ninh province. The city is the cultural, administrative and commercial center of the province. The city area is 82.60 square km, with a population of 501,199 in N ...

, Vietnam, built in 187. *

Changu Narayan Temple Changu Narayan is an ancient Hindu temple, located on a high hilltop that is also known as Changu or Dolagiri in Changunarayan Municipality of Bhaktapur District, Nepal. This hill is about 7 miles (or 12km) east of Kathmandu and a few miles n ...

Bhaktapur , motto = ne, पुर्खले सिर्जेको सम्पत्ती, हाम्रो कला र संस्कृति , lit=Creation of our ancestors, our heritage and culture , image_map ...

, Nepal originally built in 4th century CE, rebuilt in 1702. *

Pashupatinath Temple Pashupatinath Temple ( ne, श्री पशुपतिनाथ मन्दिर) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, and is located in Kathmandu, Nepal. This temple was classified as a World Heritage Site in 1979. This "extensive ...

Kathmandu , pushpin_map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#Asia , coordinates = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = Bagmati Provi ...

, Nepal built in the 5th century. *

Trấn Quốc Pagoda Trấn Quốc Pagoda ( vi, Chùa Trấn Quốc, chữ Nôm: 𫴶鎭國), the oldest Buddhist temple in Hanoi, is located on a small island near the southeastern shore of Hanoi's West Lake, Vietnam. History The Trấn Quốc Pagoda in Hanoi is ...

, Hanoi, Vietnam, built in 545. *

on Mount Song, Henan, China, built in 523. * Mireuksa at Iksan, Korea, built in the early 7th century. *

Bunhwangsa Bunhwangsa ("Fragrant Imperial Temple") is a temple complex from the Old Silla era of Korea. It is located in Gyeongju. The temple is recorded to have been built in 634 under the auspices of Queen Seondeok. Today the temple is still used by a ...

Gyeongju Gyeongju ( ko, 경주, ), historically known as ''Seorabeol'' ( ko, 서라벌, ), is a coastal city in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang Province in South Korea. It is the second largest city by area in the province after Andong, ...

, Korea, built in 634. *

Xumi Pagoda The Xumi Pagoda () or Sumeru Pagoda, also known as Summer Pagoda is a Chinese pagoda of the Buddhist Kaiyuan Monastery west of Zhengding, Hebei province, China. This square-base stone and brick pagoda was built in the year 636 AD during the reig ...

Zhengding Zhengding (), originally Zhending (), is a county in southwestern Hebei Province, North China, located approximately south of Beijing. It is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Shijiazhuang, the capital of the province, and h ...

, Hebei, China, built in 636. *

in China, built in 640. * Bình Sơn Pagoda of Vĩnh Khánh Temple, Vĩnh Phúc, Vietnam, built in the

Trần Dynasty The Trần dynasty, ( Vietnamese: Nhà Trần, chữ Nôm: 茹陳）also known as the House of Trần, was a Vietnamese dynasty that ruled over the Kingdom of Đại Việt from 1225 to 1400. The dynasty was founded when emperor Trần Thái ...

(about the 13th century). *

Hwangnyongsa Hwangnyongsa, or Hwangnyong Temple (also spelled Hwangryongsa) was a Buddhist temple in the city of Gyeongju, South Korea. Completed in the 7th century, the enormous 9-story structure was built entirely with wood with interlocking design with n ...

Wooden nine-story pagoda on

, Korea, built in 645. *Pagoda at

Hōryū-ji is a Buddhist temple that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples, in Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, Japan. Its full name is , or Learning Temple of the Flourishing Law, the complex serving as both a seminary and monastery. The temple wa ...

, Ikaruga, Nara, Japan, built in the 7th century. *

Sewu Sewu ( jv, ꦱꦺꦮꦸ, Sèwu) is an eighth century Mahayana Buddhist temple located 800 metres north of Prambanan in Central Java, Indonesia. The word for a Hindu or Buddhist temple in Indonesian is "candi," hence the common name is "Candi Se ...

temple, just outside of Prambanan. Shailendra dynasty, 8th century *

, built in Xi'an, China in 704. *Phổ Minh pagoda of Phổ Minh Temple, Vietnam was built in 1305. * Small Wild Goose Pagoda, built in Xi'an, China in 709. *

Seokgatap Seokgatap (Sakyamuni Pagoda) is a stone pagoda in South Korea designated as the 21st National Treasure on December 12, 1962. Its full name is ''Sakyamuni Yeoraesangjuseolbeop Tap'', and is sometimes referred to as the Shadowless Pagoda or the '' ...

Bulguksa Bulguksa is located on the slopes of Mount Toham (Jinheon-dong, Gyeongju city, North Gyeongsang province, South Korea). It is a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and encompasses six National treasures of South Korea, including the ...

, Korea, built in 751. *

Dabotap This refers to a pagoda containing the relics of Dabo Yeorae. Dabo Pagoda, also known as ''pagoda of many treasures'', is located in the temple of Bulguksa in Gyeongju, South Korea. From entering the temple through the Cheongun and Baegun Bridge, ...

, Korea, built in 751. * Tiger Hill Pagoda, built in 961 outside of Suzhou, China. *

Muara Takus Muara Takus ( id, Candi Muara Takus) is a Buddhist temple complex, thought to belong to the Srivijaya empire. It is situated in Kampar Regency in Riau province, Sumatra, Indonesia. Its surviving temples and other archaeological remains are though ...

, built in the 11th century in Central Sumatra under the Sriwijaya Empire *

Lingxiao Pagoda The Lingxiao Pagoda () is a Chinese pagoda west of the Xinglong Temple in Zhengding, Hebei Province, China. History The original pagoda that stood at the same site was dubbed the Wooden Pagoda, and was built in 860 AD during the Tang dynasty (6 ...

, Hebei, China, built in 1045. *

Iron Pagoda The Iron Pagoda () of Youguo Temple (), Kaifeng City, Henan province, is a Buddhist Chinese pagoda built in 1049 during the Song dynasty (960–1279) of China. The pagoda is so-named not because it is made of iron, but because its color resemb ...

Kaifeng Kaifeng () is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, China. It is one of the Eight Ancient Capitals of China, having been the capital eight times in history, and is best known for having been the Chinese capital during the Nor ...

, built in 1049, during the Song dynasty. *

Dingzhou Dingzhou, or Tingchow in Postal Map Romanization, and formerly called Ding County or Dingxian, is a county-level city in the prefecture-level city of Baoding, Hebei Province. As of 2009, Dingzhou had a population of 1.2 million. Dingzhou has ...

, built in 1055 during the Song dynasty *

, built in 1056 in Ying County, Shanxi, China. *

of Lingyan Temple, Shandong, China, 11th century. *

Bahal temple Candi Bahal, also known as Biaro Bahal (''biaro'', derived from '' vihara'', a monastery) or Candi Portibi (Batak ''portibi'', derived from prithivi, "earth") is Vajrayana Buddhist candi complex in Bahal village, Padang Bolak, Portibi, Padang L ...

of North Sumatra,

Pannai Pannai, Panai or Pane was a Buddhist kingdom located on the east coast of Northern Sumatra that existed between the 11th and 14th centuries. The kingdom was located on the Barumun River and Panai River valleys, in today's Labuhan Batu and Sout ...

kingdom, 11th century. *

Beisi Pagoda The Beisi Pagoda (; Suzhou Wu: Poh zy thaeh, ) or North Temple Pagoda is a Chinese pagoda located at Bao'en Temple in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China. The base of the pagoda has an octagonal frame, and the tower rises nine stories in a total heigh ...

at Suzhou, Jiangsu, China, built in 1162. *

Liuhe Pagoda Liuhe Pagoda (), literally Six Harmonies Pagoda, is a multi-story Chinese pagoda in southern Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China. It is located at the foot of Yuelun Hill, facing the Qiantang River. It was originally constructed in 970 by the Wuy ...

of Hangzhou, built in 1165, during the Song dynasty. *

Ichijō-ji is a Buddhist temple of the Tendai sect in Kasai, Hyōgo, Kasai, Hyōgo Prefecture, Hyōgo, Japan. It was first established in 650 at Emperor Kōtoku's request, and the temple complex and buildings have undergone several periods of destruction ...

, Kasai, Hyōgo, Japan, built in 1171. *

Jabung Jabung is a 14th-century Buddhist temple dated from Majapahit era, located in the Jabung Sisir village (''desa''), Paiton area, Probolinggo district, East Java, Indonesia. The temple is made from red brick measuring 16.20 metres. The temple was ...

, built in East Java under the Majapahit Empire in the 14th century * The Porcelain Tower of Nanjing, built between 1402 and 1424, a wonder of the medieval world in Nanjing, China. *

Tsui Sing Lau Pagoda The Tsui Sing Lau Pagoda () is the only surviving ancient pagoda in Hong Kong near MTR Tin Shui Wai station and Light Rail Tin Shui Wai stop. It is part of the Ping Shan Heritage Trail and a declared monument. History According to Tang Clan ...

Ping Shan Ping Shan () is an area in the New Territories, Hong Kong. It is located west of Yuen Long Town and Shui Pin Wai, and south of Tin Shui Wai. Administratively, it is part of the Yuen Long District. Geography Although sandwiched between Yuen ...

, Hong Kong, built in 1486. *

Bajrayogini Temple Bajrayogini Temple is a Tantric Buddhist temple located at Sankhu in Nepal's Kathmandu Valley. It is also well known as Bodhisattva's Temple. The temple is actually a sort of temple complex, with the main temple having been built by King Prata ...

Kathmandu , pushpin_map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#Asia , coordinates = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = Bagmati Provi ...

, Nepal, built in 16th century by

Pratap Malla Pratap Malla (1624–74 A.D.) was King of Kantipur from 1641 until his death in 1674. He attempted to unify Kathmandu Valley by conquering Lalitpur and Bhaktapur, but failed in the effort. He was successful in extending and securing the borders ...

. * Taleju Temple,a temple in

Kathmandu , pushpin_map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#Asia , coordinates = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = Bagmati Provi ...

, Nepal, built in 1564. *

Gokarneshwor Mahadev temple Gokarna Mahadev (The Gods of Gokarna) or Gokarneshwor Mahadev Temple (The Lord of Gokarna) is an important Nepali temple, situated near the village of Gokarna, several kilometers northeast of Bodhnath in the Kathmandu Valley. Within the temple' ...

, Nepal, built in 1582. *

Pazhou Pagoda The Pazhou Pagoda, also known as the Whampoa Pagoda or Pa Chow Pogoda, is an early modern Chinese pagoda on Pazhou Island in Haizhu District, Guangzhou, the capital of China's Guangdong Province. History The Whampoa Pagoda initiated work in 15 ...

on Whampoa (Huangpu) Island, Guangzhou (Canton), China, built in 1600. *Phước Duyên Pagoda of

Thiên Mụ Temple The Thiên Mụ Temple (meaning Temple of the Celestial Lady, vi, Chùa Thiên Mụ; also called ''Linh Mụ Temple'') is a historic temple in the city of Huế in Vietnam. Its iconic seven-story Phước Duyên pagoda is regarded as the unoffi ...

, in Huế, Vietnam, built in 1844. *

Palsangjeon Palsangjeon (Hall of Eight Pictures) is a worship hall found at a Korean Buddhist temple complex that contains the "Palsang", the series of painted murals depicting the eight stages in the life of the historic Buddha, Sakyamuni. Though configura ...

, a five-story pagoda at

Beopjusa Beopjusa ( ko, 법주사 or Beopju temple) is a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. It is situated on the slopes of Songnisan, within Songnisan National Park, in Naesongni-myeon, Boeun County, in the province of Chungcheongbuk-do, ...

, Korea built in 1605. *

Tō-ji , also known as is a Shingon Buddhist temple in the Minami-ku ward of Kyoto, Japan. Founded in 796, it was one of the only three Buddhist temples allowed in the city at the time it became the capital of Japan. As such it has a long history, ...

, the tallest wooden structure in Kyoto, Japan, built in 1644. *

Nyatapola Nyātāpola (Nepal Bhasa: , "''ṅātāpola''", ) is a five tiered temple located in the central part of Bhaktapur, Nepal. It is the tallest monument within the city and is also the tallest temple of Nepal. This temple was commissioned by King Bh ...

, Kathmandu Valley built during 1701–1702. *The Great Pagoda at Kew Gardens, London, UK, built in 1762. * Reading Pagoda of Reading, Pennsylvania, built in 1908. *

Kek Lok Si The Kek Lok Si Temple () is a Buddhist temple situated in Air Itam, Penang, Malaysia. It is the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia, and is also an important pilgrimage centre for Buddhists from Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore and othe ...

's main pagoda in

Penang Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...

, Malaysia, exhibits a combination of Chinese, Burmese and Thai Buddhist architecture, built in 1930. *Seven-storey Pagoda in

Chinese Garden The Chinese garden is a landscape garden style which has evolved over three thousand years. It includes both the vast gardens of the Chinese emperors and members of the imperial family, built for pleasure and to impress, and the more intimate g ...

Jurong East Jurong East is a planning area and residential town situated in the West Region of Singapore. It borders Jurong West and Boon Lay to the west, Clementi to the east, Tengah and Bukit Batok to the north and Selat Jurong to the south. Firs ...

, Singapore, built in 1975. *

Dragon and Tiger Pagodas The Dragon and Tiger Pagodas () is a temple located at Lotus Lake in Zuoying District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The temple was built in 1976. One of the towers is the ''Tiger'' Tower, the other one being the ''Dragon'' tower. Both towers are seve ...

in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, built in 1976. *The pagoda of

Japan Pavilion at Epcot The Japan Pavilion is a Japanese-themed pavilion that is part of the World Showcase, within Epcot at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, United States. Its location is between The American Adventure and Morocco Pavilions. History The Ja ...

, Florida, built in 1982. *Pagoda of Tianning Temple, the tallest pagoda in the world since its completion in April 2007, stands at 153.7 m in height. *

Nepalese Peace Pagoda The Nepal Peace Pagoda in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, is located at the transformed Brisbane World Expo '88 site, South Bank Parklands. It is one of the most significant heritage items in Brisbane from the hosting of the Expo. It is the ...

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the Sou ...

, Australia built for the World Expo '88. * Pagoda Avalokitesvara, Indonesia, tallest pagoda in Indonesia, stands at 45 meters built in 2004. * Sun and Moon Pagodas in

Guilin Guilin (Standard Zhuang: ''Gveilinz''; postal map romanization, alternatively romanization of Chinese, romanized as Kweilin) is a prefecture-level city in the northeast of China's Guangxi, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It is situated on th ...

, Guangxi, China, twin pagodas on Shan Lake, originally built in the 10th century and reconstructed using historical description on the original foundation in 2001. Stupas called "pagodas": *

Global Vipassana Pagoda The Global Vipassana Pagoda is a Meditation dome hall with a capacity to seat around 8,000 Vipassana meditators (the largest such meditation hall in the world) near Gorai, north-west of Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. The pagoda was inaugurated by ...

, the largest unsupported domed stone structure in the world. * Mingun Pahtodawgyi, a monumental uncompleted stupa began by King

Bodawpaya Bodawpaya ( my, ဘိုးတော်ဘုရား, ; th, ปดุง; 11 March 1745 – 5 June 1819) was the sixth king of the Konbaung dynasty of Burma. Born Maung Shwe Waing and later Badon Min, he was the fourth son of Alaungpaya, fou ...

in 1790. If completed, it would be the largest in the world at 150 meters. *

Pha That Luang Pha That Luang ( lo, ທາດຫຼວງ or ພຣະທາດຫລວງ; 'Great Stupa') is a gold-covered large Buddhist stupa in the centre of the city of Vientiane, Laos. Since its initial establishment, suggested to be in the 3rd cent ...

, the holiest

wat A wat ( km, វត្ត, ; lo, ວັດ, ; th, วัด, ; khb, 「ᩅᨯ᩠ᨰ」(waD+Dha); nod, 「ᩅ᩠ᨯ᩶」（w+Da2)) is a type of Buddhist temple and Hindu temple in Cambodia, Laos, East Shan State, Yunnan, the Southern Provi ...

, pagoda, and stupa in Laos, in Vientiane *

Phra Pathommachedi Phra Pathommachedi or Phra Pathom Chedi ( th, พระปฐมเจดีย์) is a Buddhist stupa in Thailand. The stupa is located in the Wat Phra Pathommachedi Ratcha Wora Maha Wihan ( th, วัดพระปฐมเจดีย์ร ...

the highest pagoda or stupa in Thailand Nakhon Pathom, Thailand. * Shwedagon Pagoda, a gilded pagoda and stupa located in Yangon, Myanmar. It is the most sacred Buddhist pagoda for the Burmese with relics of the past four

Buddhas In Buddhism, Buddha (; Pali, Sanskrit: 𑀩𑀼𑀤𑁆𑀥, बुद्ध), "awakened one", is a title for those who are awake, and have attained nirvana and Buddhahood through their own efforts and insight, without a teacher to point out ...

enshrined within. *

Shwezigon Pagoda The Shwezigon Pagoda or Shwezigon Paya ( my-Mymr, ရွှေစည်းခုံဘုရား ) is a Buddhist stupa located in Nyaung-U, Myanmar. A prototype of Burmese stupas, it consists of a circular gold leaf-gilded stupa surrounded ...

Nyaung-U Nyaung-U ( my, ညောင်ဦးမြို့) is the administrative town of Nyaung-U Township of Nyaung-U District in the Mandalay Region of central Myanmar. It lies on the eastern bank of Ayeyarwaddy River. It is just 4 kilometers away ...

, Myanmar. Completed during the reign of King

Kyanzittha Kyansittha ( my, ကျန်စစ်သား, ; also spelt as Kyanzittha or Hti-Hlaing Shin; 1030 – 1112/13) was king of Pagan dynasty of Burma (Myanmar) from 1084 to 1112/13, and is considered one of the greatest Burmese monarchs. He cont ...

in 1102, it is a prototype of Burmese stupas. * Uppatasanti Pagoda, a 325-foot tall landmark in

Naypyidaw Naypyidaw, officially spelled Nay Pyi Taw (; ), is the capital and third-largest city of Myanmar. The city is located at the centre of the Naypyidaw Union Territory. It is unusual among Myanmar's cities, as it is an entirely planned city o ...

, Myanmar, built from 2006 to 2009, which houses a Buddha tooth relic. Places called "pagoda" but which are not tiered structures with multiple eaves: *

One Pillar Pagoda The One Pillar Pagoda ( vi, Chùa Một Cột ), formally belongs to an architecture complex called (延祐寺) which means Extend Bless pagoda. The pagoda is a historic Buddhist temple in the central Ba Đình district (near the Thăng Long ...

: Hanoi, Vietnam, is an icon of Vietnamese culture; it was built in 1049, destroyed, and rebuilt in 1954. Structures that evoke pagoda architecture: *The Dragon House of Sanssouci Park, which is an eighteenth-century German attempt at imitating Chinese architecture. *The Panasonic Pagoda, or Pagoda Tower, at the

Indianapolis Motor Speedway The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is an automobile racing circuit located in Speedway, Indiana, an enclave suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the home of the Indianapolis 500 and the Verizon 200, and and formerly the home of the United Stat ...

. This 13-story pagoda, used as the control tower for races such as the

Indy 500 The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly called the Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indianap ...

, has been transformed several times since it was first built in 1913. * Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai, built between 1994 and 1999. * Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, the

tallest buildings in the world This list of tallest buildings includes skyscrapers with continuously occupiable floors and a height of at least . Nonbuilding structure, Non-building structures, such as towers, are not included in this list (for these, see ''List of tallest ...

from 1998 to 2004 * Taipei 101 in Taiwan, record setter for height (508m) in 2004 and currently (2021) the world's tenth tallest completed building. Structures not generally thought of as pagodas, but which have some pagoda-like characteristics: *The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests at the Temple of Heaven *

Wongudan Hwangudan Altar, located in Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea, was built in 1897 to serve as a site for the performance of the rite of heaven. The site was also known by other names, such as Wongudan (원구단, ), Jecheondan (제천단, ) and Wonda ...

Altar in Korea File:Iron Pagoda d.JPG, The

, China, built in 1049 File:Five tier pagoda at Mt. Haguro 2006-10-29.jpg, Five-story pagoda of

Mount Haguro is one of the Three Mountains of Dewa in the city of Tsuruoka, the ancient province of Dewa (a domain consisting of modern-day Yamagata Prefecture and Akita Prefecture), Japan. As the lowest of the three mountains, standing at , it is the only ...

, Japan File:Ichijoji Kasai13bs4272.jpg, Wooden three-story pagoda of

in Japan, built in 1171 File:Nieuhof-Ambassade-vers-la-Chine-1665 0755.tif, Yingde pagoda, Qingyuan, Guangdong Province, China, from Johan Nieuhof (1618–1672); Jean-Baptiste Le Carpentier (1606 – c. 1670): L'ambassade de la Compagnie Orientale des Provinces Unies vers l'Empereur de la Chine, 1665 File:Chua Mot Cot.jpg,

, Hanoi, Vietnam. File:Zhengding Kaiyuan Temple 1.jpg, The nine-story

, Hebei, China, built in 636 File:Nyatapola Temple.JPG,

Temple located in

, Nepal, built in 1701–1702 File:101.red-dusk.altonthompson.jpg, Taipei 101 in Taipei, Taiwan File:Indy Pagoda.JPG, The Bombardier Pagoda at the

File:Shwedagon-Pano.jpg, Shwedagon Pagoda located in Yangon, Myanmar. The whole structure is coated with 60 tons of pure gold File:Pagoda Mumbai 2009.jpg, Pagoda Mumbai File:Buddha Tooth Relic Pagoda.JPG File:Peace pagoda -Sri Lanka.jpg, Peace Pagoda - Sri Lanka File:Sun and Moon Pagodas Guilin November 2017 HDR panorama.jpg, The Sun and Moon Pagodas lighted at night and reflected in Lake Shanhu in November 2017.

Notes

References

*Benn, Charles (2002). ''China's Golden Age: Everyday Life in the Tang Dynasty''. Oxford: Oxford University Press. . * Brook, Timothy. (1998). '' The Confusions of Pleasure: Commerce and Culture in Ming China''. Berkeley: University of California Press. * Fazio, Michael W., Moffett, Marian and Wodehouse, Lawrence.
A World History of Architecture
'. Published 2003. McGraw-Hill Professional. . *Fu, Xinian. (2002). "The Three Kingdoms, Western and Eastern Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties," in ''Chinese Architecture'', 61–90. Edited by Nancy S. Steinhardt. New Haven: Yale University Press. . * Govinda, A. B. ''Psycho-cosmic symbolism of the Buddhist stupa''. 1976, Emeryville, California. Dharma Publications. *Hymes, Robert P. (1986). Statesmen and Gentlemen: The Elite of Fu-Chou, Chiang-Hsi, in Northern and Southern Sung. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. . *Kieschnick, John. ''The Impact of Buddhism on Chinese Material Culture''. Published 2003. Princeton University Press . . *Loewe, Michael. (1968). ''Everyday Life in Early Imperial China during the Han Period 202 BC–AD 220''. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd.; New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. *Steinhardt, Nancy Shatzman (1997). ''Liao Architecture''. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.

External links

Oriental architecture.com

Culzean Pagoda (Monkey House) – the only stone built pagoda in Britain

"Why so few Japanese pagodas have ever fallen down"
('' The Economist'')
Chinese pagoda gallery (211 pics)

* ttp://www.china.org.cn/english/TR-e/43208.htm The Songyue Pagoda at China.org.cnbr>Structure of Pagodas, including the underground palace, base, body and steeple, at China.org.cnThe Herbert Offen Research Collection of the Phillips Library at the Peabody Essex Museum
{{Authority control * Buddhist buildings Buddhist temples Towers Buddhist architecture Chinese architectural history Japanese architectural history Architecture in Korea Architecture in Vietnam Building types Architecture in Nepal

Etymology

History

China

Symbolism and geomancy

Architecture

Construction materials

Wood

Transition to brick and stone

Brick

Stone

Brick and stone

De-emphasis over time

Styles of eras

Han Dynasty

Sui and Tang

Dali kingdom

Song, Liao, Jin, Yuan

Ming and Qing

Some notable pagodas

See also

Notes

References

External links