|
|
Inner Mongolia Tour of
Wanbu Huayanjing Pagoda
|
|
Built in the Liao Dynasty (916-1125), the Wanbu
Huayanjing (Ten Thousand Huayan Buddhist Scriptures) Pagoda is
located in the east suburbs about 17 kilometers (11miles) from
Hohhot City. Legend says that about ten thousand volumes of the
Huayan Buddhist Scripture once were kept in the pagoda, hence its
name. Due to its white surface, the pagoda is also called the White
Pagoda. In 1982, the Wanbu Huayanjing Pagoda became a national key
cultural relic site.
With a height of 55 meters (180 feet), the Wanbu
Huayanjing Pagoda is a seven-tier octagonal brick and wood
structure. In order to survive earthquakes, many wooden stakes were
wedged in the walls to reinforce the structure. Each story of the
pagoda consists of the exterior wall, the interior wall and the
cloister between them. A spiral staircase connects the stories
together and leads to the top of the pagoda. Bronze mirrors are
embedded under the eaves of each side of the pagoda. Wind bells hang
on the ceiling of the corner of each story and on the rafter of the
seventh tier. Approaching the pagoda, tourists can see the bronze
mirrors gleaming under the sun and hear the euphonious sound of the
wind bells.
The White Pagoda is built on a huge pedestal with a
perimeter of about 56 meters (184 feet). On the pedestal are carved
beautiful lotus petals. The sculptures of Bodhisattvas, Heavenly
Kings and other Buddhist figures are embedded on the surface of the
walls of the first and the second tiers. These sculptures are
considered to be the finest expressions of the sculpturing art in
the Liao Dynasty.
Each story of the pagoda has two gates. On the door
head of the south gate of the first story is embedded a plaque with
the inscription, 'Wanbu Huayanjing Pagoda'. Originally, nine Jin
Dynasty (1115-1234) steles were preserved on the first floor. Only
six remain extant today. Inside the pagoda are also preserved some
inscriptions of the Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties which are
written in Chinese or languages of other ethnic minorities.
Tour Inner Mongolia
with Great Wall Adventure Club, the best Inner Mongolia
tour agent to help
you with your hotel booking and transfers.
|
|
