Ying County Wood Pagoda and the Hanging Temple

Ying County Wooden Pagoda

The Ying County Wooden Pagoda, originally named the Sakyamuni Pagoda at Fogong Temple, rests northwest of Ying County in the Shanxi Province. It is the only pure wood pagoda in China. Built in 1056 during the reign of the Liao Emperor Qing Ning by a monk called Monk Tian, the pagoda is the front centerpiece of the Buddhist Fogong Temple.

The pagoda is an octagonal structure with five stories, 67.31 meters in height, the tallest pagoda in China. However, there are four secret stories underground, staircases leading downward are hidden under doors in the floors of the first story on down, creating nine floors in all. The first floor gateway faces a statue of Sakyamuni which is 10 meters tall and there are many Buddhist paintings lining the walls. Each floor contains statues, scriptures, and paintings of Buddha, Bodhisattvas, and Disciples.

The pagoda has survived many earthquakes in the past 900 years of its existence. During the Yuan Dynasty an earthquake lasted for seven days, yet the pagoda remained intact. It is a strong structure, reflecting the achievement of wood architecture of ancient China.

An interesting note is that there is an inscription “The Miracle of Heaven” hanging below the eaves of the third and fourth floor which was written by the Ming Emperor Ying Zong. He was on a spiritual journey, passed through Ying County, and held a banquet at the Pagoda, relishing its peace and beauty.

Hanging Temple

The Hanging Temple near the city of Datong of the Shanxi Province is a monastery built during the Northern Wei Dynasty in 491 A.D. Residing at the foot of Mt. Hengshan (one of the five sacred mountains of Taoism), the temple hangs on the side of the mountain by an intricate framework. Wooden crossbeams were half-inserted into the rock, with the rock acting as support.

The temple is dedicated to Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, making it very unique. Sculptures of the different religious leaders, Sakyamuni, Confucius, and Laotzu appear together as well as other sculptures, carvings, and altars. The 40 wooden halls linked by bridges and stairways lead in only one direction due to lack of space.

The temple was originally built on the cliff to avoid flooding, rain, and snow. It was also built there to reduce noise, following a Taoist principle.