Located in the Shanzhou Scenic Area, the Pagoda of Baolun Temple was originally a pagoda in the Baolun Temple of Shanzhou City. Back in the Tang Dynasty, it was built by Master Dao Xiu, and in 1177, Master Zhi Xiu had it rebuilt. As 800 years have passed, the temple is no more and only the pagoda remains.
A 13-storey brick pagoda, it stands 25.5m long and has a perimeter of 21.6m. The bottom part consists of a base and a pedestal. In the front, there is an inscription meaning a pagoda where Buddha's remains are kept. An inverted taper tower, the height on each storey descends evenly. The outline of the pagoda takes on the shape of a parabola. On each storey, there are semi-annular doors, recesses, and wickets built into the walls, and the corners are decorated with wind chimes. Inside the pagoda are the stairway and rooms where one can look far into distance and enjoy the views.
While having a look of a Tang-styled architecture, the inside structure was built with the methods of the Song Dynasty. The pagoda blends the artistic features and construction of the two periods and has a unique shape. Owing to this special structure, the pagoda has survived 16 earthquakes, four of which were destructive to the surrounding areas. Standing several meters away from the pagoda, one can hear the toads croaking on the rocks and therefore, it is nicknamed the Toad Tower.
It is said that there were a couple of golden toads in the pagoda, so loud the sound was that nothing else could be heard. Later a monk stole the male away and only the female was left. Ever since, the toads' croaking was not as loud as before. As a matter of fact, the croaking mystery can be explained by echoes. The pagoda is ranked as the number four echo architecture in china, and it is a key relic preservation unit of the He'nan Province. |
Asia Travel 
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