View of Yingxian Wooden Pagoda – Shanxi, China
Yingxian Wooden Pagoda (应县木塔), also known as Pagoda of Fogong Temple (佛宫寺释迦塔), is located in Fogong Temple, Shuozhou City, Shanxi Province, China. It is the oldest and tallest existing wooden pagoda in China and also the tallest existing pagoda in the world.
Its exact construction year cannot be verified, but its architectural style and information on cultural relics can confirm that the pagoda was built in the Liao Dynasty (916-1125).
The pagoda was repaired many times in the Jin Dynasty, Yuan Dynasty, Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty. The tower has experienced several major earthquakes, but it has never collapsed.
Yingxian Wooden Pagoda is a valuable coordinate in the development of Chinese architecture, a treasure trove of knowledge in scientific fields such as earthquake resistance and lightning protection.
The height of the tower is 67.31 meters. The main structure is entirely wooden. The tower has five floors and inside it on each floor there are statues of Buddha. The lower floor is a square and the upper floors are octagonal.
If you want to take a virtual walk to the pagoda, check out this video in blog post: Walk in Shuozhou City, China – Yingxian Wooden Pagoda
Video Source: 趣享山西好风光 #山西古建 建筑这么有节奏感，和古建一起跳舞！建筑又被称为“凝固的音乐”。在重复、层叠的音乐鼓点中，感受应县木塔的重复、层叠的古典美学和榫卯结构的呼吸感！ from China Cradle 山西:华夏文明的摇篮 on Youtube ⁄ CC BY
