Zhenfeng Pagoda Explained

The Zhenfeng Pagoda in Anqing City, Anhui Province, People's Republic of China, is a Buddhist pagoda originally built in 1570 during the Ming Dynasty. Due to its location near a bend in the Yangtze River, the pagoda was formerly used as a lighthouse, and contains niches for lanterns.[1] After construction, the pagoda was initially called the "Ten-thousand Buddha" (Chinese: 万佛塔) pagoda due to its interior containing over six hundred Buddha statues.[2]

Structure

Built of brick and 72m (236feet) tall, each of the pagoda's seven stories has seven corners, thereby creating a heptagon. Above the windows on each floor are a set of flying eaves. From the first to the sixth floor, arched doorways lead to an outside balcony. A total of 168 stairs inside the pagoda allow access to the top floor. The walls are tapered slightly, shaping the structure into a partial cone.

References

30.5036°N 117.0493°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Zhenfeng Pagoda in Anqing of Anhui Province. china.org.cn. 2008-10-13. 2016-03-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20160303210141/http://www.tibet40.cn/english/TR-e/43388.htm. dead.
  2. Book: Xu, Xiaoyong. Design of Ancient Chinese Pagodas (中国古塔造型). zh. 2007. Beijing: Chinese Forest Press. p. 147"