Wooden Pagoda in Yingxian County (Part 1)

To guarantee the pagoda stands firm, the designer adopted the double-layer ring structure. The wooden rings are linked by beams and dou gong (carved brackets supporting the eaves from the columns); and slanting supports can be found between pillars, making the structural frame an integrated whole. The wooden Pagoda of Yingxian County is the oldest and tallest wooden pagoda extant in China, as well as a good example of ancient Chinese architecture in the perfect integration of the structure, functions and shape. Hence the Wooden Pagoda occupies an important position in the architectural history of China and of the world.

Wooden Pagoda in Yingxian County

The Wooden Pagoda stands in front of the Grand Hall in Fogong Temple northwest of the seat of Yingxian County, Shanxi Province, about 70 kilometers south of Datong. Originally it was named Sakyamuni Pagoda. Constructed in the second year of Qingning reign period of Liao Dynasty (1056), this octagonal pagoda was built with wood, 67.31 meters high. The exterior of the pagoda appears to have five stories, but it has nine stories inside.