The Sculpture of Time--The 900-Year-Old Liao and Jin Dynasty Brick Pagoda

The Sculpture of Time--The 900-Year-Old Liao and Jin Dynasty Brick Pagoda
Guangsheng Temple Pagoda is located in Yixian County, Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province, about one kilometer southwest of the Fengguo Temple. After visiting Fengguo Temple, you can come here to take a look. Guangsheng Temple Pagoda is an octagonal thirteen-story dense-eave style brick pagoda, which was built at the end of the Liao Dynasty. Construction was halted at the fourth floor due to the war between the Liao and Jin dynasties, and it was continued during the Jin Dynasty, completing the fifth to thirteenth floors. The entire construction of the pagoda spanned two dynasties, and it is speculated that the pagoda was initially built around the seventh year of the Tianqing era of the Liao Dynasty (around 1117), with the fourth to thirteenth floors being completed after the third year of the Tiande era of the Jin Dynasty. It is most likely built for Fengguo Temple, and it is most appropriate to call it the Fengguo Temple Relic Pagoda. The Guangsheng Temple Pagoda has blue brick reliefs on each side of the pagoda body, with sculptures of seated Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, attendants, flying apsaras, treasure covers, warriors, and auspicious beasts. Despite being weathered over time, what we see is full of the traces of time.

Post by AUBRIE SMALL | May 22, 2024