Exploring Ancient Sites in Northern Henan: Anyang Wenfeng Pagoda

The pagoda is an architectural form introduced from abroad, brought to China from India along with Buddhism during the Eastern Han Dynasty. Although Chinese pagodas embody Buddhist philosophy in their construction, Chinese Buddhism differs from ancient Indian Buddhism, carrying strong local characteristics.

The Wenfeng Pagoda, also known as the "Literary Brush Pagoda," is a pagoda-style structure influenced by Chinese feng shui principles. In reality, the Wenfeng Pagoda was not solely built for feng shui purposes but also served as a spiritual symbol of flourishing local culture and scholarship in ancient times.

The Anyang Wenfeng Pagoda is one of the earliest surviving Wenfeng Pagodas in China and is a nationally protected cultural heritage site. Located in the northwest corner of the ancient city of Anyang, it was first built in the second year of the Later Zhou Dynasty's Guangshun era (952 AD), with the current structure dating back to the Qing Dynasty reconstruction. Originally named the Tianning Temple Pagoda due to its location within the Tianning Temple, it was later called the Wenfeng Pagoda because of its position northeast of the Zhangde Prefecture Confucian Temple, symbolizing the local literary culture.

This pagoda features a brick body with wooden eaves, standing on a circular lotus pedestal with seven layers of interlocking petals that support the pagoda body above and protect the base below. The pagoda has five tiers of overlapping eaves, gradually widening from bottom to top. The spire is designed in the Tibetan Buddhist style, constructed during the Qing Dynasty.

The Anyang Wenfeng Pagoda is architecturally unique for its "wide top and narrow base" design, resembling an umbrella shape—a stark contrast to the traditional "wide base and narrow top" stability of ancient pagodas. This design not only demonstrates exquisite engineering mechanics but also gives the pagoda a light and dynamic aesthetic. This "upside-down pagoda" design is hailed as "the only one of its kind among ancient Chinese pagodas." Anyang, Henan

Post by SamuelMcKay | Jul 19, 2025