Introduction to Wenxing Pavilion: What are the famous towers in Suzhou, and which ones have you visited?
Huqiu Tower
- Huqiu Tower, also known as Yunyan Temple Pagoda, is a landmark building in Suzhou, with the saying “First you see Huqiu Tower, then you see Suzhou City.” Huqiu Tower was built in the sixth year of Xiande in the Later Zhou dynasty of the Five Dynasties period (959), completed in the second year of Jianlong in the Northern Song dynasty (961), and was announced by the State Council as one of the first national key cultural relics protection units in 1961.(Photo by Kong Fanli)
Beisi Tower
- The Bao’en Temple Pagoda, commonly known as the North Temple Pagoda, is located in the northern part of Suzhou’s ancient city. It is the oldest Buddhist temple in Suzhou, first built during the Chiwu era of the Three Kingdoms’ Wu Kingdom (238-251 AD). The pagoda is 76 meters high, with eight sides and nine stories. According to legend, the Suzhou Bao’en Temple Pagoda was built by Lady Wu, Sun Quan’s mother, who donated her residence for its construction. (Photo/Ma Yaoming)
Twin Pagodas
- The Twin Pagodas, also known as the Luohan Courtyard Twin Pagodas, are ancient pagoda structures first built during the Song Dynasty. Located in the Twin Pagoda Courtyard on Dinghui Temple Lane in Fenghuang Street, Suzhou City, the two pagodas have almost identical “appearances”, each with 7 floors. The East Pagoda is 33.3 meters high, while the West Pagoda is slightly taller at 33.7 meters. The Twin Pagodas were built during the Taiping Xingguo era of the Northern Song Dynasty, are a pair of Buddhist pagodas, and are only about 20 meters apart.(Photo/Yin Qimin)
Ruiguang Pagoda
- The Ruiguang Pagoda, fully named Ruiguang Temple Pagoda, was first built in 247 (the 10th year of Chiwu of Eastern Wu under Sun Quan). It was listed as a Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit in 1956 and as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit in 1988. It is one of the “Three Sceneries of Panmen” in the scenic area south of Suzhou city(Photo/Zhang Wenyue)
Lengjiasi Pagoda
- The Lengjiasi Pagoda, commonly known as the Shangfang Pagoda, is located on the top of Shangfang Mountain west of Shihu Lake. The pagoda has a brick structure, with an appearance imitating a pavilion-style wooden pagoda. It has eight sides and seven levels, with a current height of about 23 meters. The walls of the pagoda chambers converge toward the center layer by layer using the corbelling method. The plane orientation of each pagoda chamber is staggered at 45°, and the positions of the niche doors also alternate with each layer.(Photo/Zhou Huangen)
Jiachen Lane Brick Pagoda
- There is no literature record of the construction date of the Jiachen Lane Brick Pagoda. Folk legend has it that it was built by Liu Bowen of the Ming Dynasty. After appraisal by cultural relics departments, this brick pagoda was identified as a sutra storage object from the Song Dynasty. Additionally, a pagoda is marked at this location on the Song Dynasty’s “Pingjiang Map,” and coupled with its strong Song Dynasty style features, it has long been considered a Song Dynasty pagoda.(Photo/Yin Qimin)
Lingfeng Pagoda
- At the summit of Xiangshan in Zhangjiagang stands a pagoda—the Lingfeng Pagoda. When shrouded in mist, its spire soars into the clouds, seemingly reaching straight to the heavens.(Photo/Shi Borong)
Lingyan Temple Pagoda
- The Lingyan Temple Pagoda is located in Lingyan Temple on Lingyan Mountain, southwest of Suzhou city. It is a wooden-structured brick pagoda. The pagoda has an octagonal shape with seven layers and is a solid pagoda. There are many Song Dynasty inscription bricks on the pagoda walls.(Photo/Liao Weimin)
Ciyun Temple Pagoda
- Ciyun Temple Pagoda is located in Zhenze Town, Wujiang District, and is a hexagonal five-story brick and wooden structure pagoda. The pagoda stands 38.44 meters high and consists of pagoda walls, corridors, and a central core. The finial is composed of an iron alms bowl, upturned lotus, wheels, precious canopy, precious pearl, receptacle flower, and a bronze precious vase.(Photo/Wu Bin)
Qinfeng Pagoda
- Qinfeng Pagoda is located in Qiandeng Town, Kunshan City, and is an ancient pagoda with brick and wooden structure. The pagoda stands 11 zhang, 6 chi, 1 cun (approximately 38.7 meters) high, with a square plane, each side measuring 1 zhang, 4 chi, 6 cun, 4 fen (approximately 4.88 meters). The finial at the top is cast iron, 2 zhang, 1 chi high (approximately 7 meters), with an iron gourd at the top and an octagonal ring welded below, with a purple copper bird standing at each corner.(Photo/Zhang Congyu)
Square Pagoda
- The Square Pagoda is the landmark building of Changshu ancient city. The full name of the Square Pagoda is “Chongjiao Xingfu Temple Pagoda.” It is a four-sided, nine-story structure and a landmark of the ancient city of Changshu. It was first built in the Southern Song Dynasty and was listed as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit in 2006.(Photo/Huang Junwei)
Wenxing Pavilion
- The Wenxing Pavilion stands majestically on the Tiancizhuang Campus of Soochow University, also known as Fangta (Square Pagoda) or Bell Tower. The Wenxing Pavilion was first built in the 20th year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1541), and the current structure we see was rebuilt in the 17th year of the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty (1752).(Photo/Yin Qimin)
Source: Visual Suzhou
Editor: Xiao Ming
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