Zhangye, formerly known as Ganzhou, is a famous historical and cultural city and an important node for the eastward spread of Buddhism on the Silk Road.

Zhangye was formerly known as Ganzhou. It is a famous historical and cultural city and an important node city for the eastward spread of Buddhism on the Silk Road. The word "Gan" in the name of Gansu Province originated from this. “One city is covered with mountains, half of the city is covered with pagodas, there are stretches of reed streams and ancient temples everywhere.” If you ask the locals where to go, they will definitely recommend Zhangye Wooden Pagoda Temple.
Zhangye Wooden Pagoda Temple is located on County Government South Street, Ganzhou District, and is a 5-minute walk north from the museum. When I arrived, the wooden pagoda was under repair and was not open to the public, so I could only view it from a distance outside the gate.
The Wooden Pagoda Temple was originally named Wanshou Temple. It was founded in the Northern Zhou Dynasty and rebuilt during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty and the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty. It is the oldest temple in Zhangye. The stone tablet in front of the door is engraved with a brief introduction of the wooden tower.
The wooden pagoda was first built in the Northern Zhou Dynasty and rebuilt in the second year of the Sui Dynasty (582 AD). It has been repaired in all dynasties since the Tang Dynasty. According to relevant records, after Sakyamuni's Nirvana, he was cremated and 84,000 relics were obtained. King Ashoka placed bottles and built pagodas, one for each sarira. A total of 16 pagodas were built in China, and the Zhangye Wooden Pagoda is one of them. The original wooden tower was destroyed by a strong wind in the late Qing Dynasty, and the existing wooden tower was rebuilt in the 15th year of the Republic of China (1926 AD).
The wooden tower is a pavilion-style building. The tower body is made of bricks, the outer eaves are made of wood, it has eight sides and nine levels, is 32.8 meters high, and sits on a square base that is 1.5 meters high and 20.3 meters long. The doors and windows of the tower are different, some have doors on all four sides, and some have windows on the north and south sides. The door is carved with brackets and the twelve zodiac animals, with vivid images and exquisite craftsmanship. There is a staircase inside the tower. When you climb to the top of the tower, you can not only have a panoramic view of the whole city, but also watch the rising sun, the clear snow in Qilian Mountains in the south, the winding Ruoshui River in the west, and the ancient pasture in Juyan in the north.
The wooden tower has an exquisite structure, beautiful shape and unique style, reflecting the unique characteristics of my country's pavilion architectural art. The weather is sunny and the clouds are passing over the tower. Birds are flying around and the bells are ringing in a rhythm that makes people linger. There was an ancient bell on the top of the tower. According to historical records: "When it was knocked, the sound of the bell was faintly heard in the sky and could be heard everywhere." This is one of the "Eight Scenic Spots of Ganzhou" - the "Wooden Pagoda".
Monk Bu Zhou of the Qing Dynasty once wrote a poem saying "The majestic brushstrokes dip into the cold sky, the nine levels are exquisitely created, the top of the building faces the sun and the moon, and the intertwined roots stand tall against the frost and wind. The sound floats beyond the dim smoke, and is reflected in the indifferent waves. The auspicious spirit of Zhangye is beautiful, and the model of great benevolence will flow eastward forever. ”
The Sutra Library behind the wooden pagoda (also known as the "Black Building", named after the meaning of shocking the Black River) is five bays wide and three bays deep, with a two-story double-eaved hip roof and corridors all around. It is magnificent and complements the wooden pagoda.
The area around the Wooden Pagoda Temple used to be the Zhangye Middle School campus, but it has now been planned as the Zhangye City Center Square. The perfect combination of modern architecture and the ancient wooden pagoda has made it a great place for urban leisure.

Post by Moonbeam321000 | Jul 2, 2024