The literature of subsequent eras also provides evidence of the domination of wooden pagoda construction. Many of the pagodas in Stories About Buddhist Temples in Luoyang, a Northern Wei text.Futuci Pagoda in Xuzhou, built in the Three Kingdoms period (c.White Horse Pagoda at White Horse Temple, Luoyang.Wooden pagodas are resistant to earthquakes, and no Japanese pagoda has been destroyed by an earthquake, but they are prone to fire, natural rot, and insect infestation. The 40-metre-tall (130 ft) Songyue Pagoda of 523 AD, the oldest existent stone pagoda in China.ĭuring the Southern and Northern Dynasties pagodas were mostly built of wood, as were other ancient Chinese structures. The pagodas in Himalayas are derived from Newari architecture, very different from Chinese and Japanese styles. The pagodas in Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia are derived from Dravidian architecture. Pagodas traditionally have an odd number of levels, a notable exception being the eighteenth-century orientalist pagoda designed by Sir William Chambers at Kew Gardens in London. Sliding effect of the complex wooden dougong joints, the structural isolation of floors, the effects of wide eaves analogous to a balancing toy, and the Shinbashira phenomenon that the center column is bolted to the rest of the superstructure. Wooden pagodas possess certain characteristics thought to resist earthquake damage. Today many pagodas have been fitted with wires making the finial into a lightning rod. Pagodas come in many different sizes, with taller ones often attracting lightning strikes, inspiring a tradition that the finial decoration of the top of the structure can seize demons. History įloor-support structure in a corner of the Horyuji temple Yet another etymology is from the Sinhala word dāgaba, derived from Sanskrit dhātugarbha or Pali dhātugabbha: "relic womb/chamber" or "reliquary shrine", i.e. Another proposed etymology is Persian butkada, from but, "idol" and kada, "temple, dwelling." One proposed etymology is from a South Chinese pronunciation of the term for an eight-cornered tower, Chinese: 八角塔, and reinforced by the name of a famous pagoda encountered by many early European visitors to China, the "Pázhōu tǎ" ( Chinese: 琶洲塔), standing just south of Guangzhou at Whampoa Anchorage. Many Philippine bell towers are highly influenced by pagodas through Chinese workers hired by the Spaniards. The architectural structure of the stupa has spread across Asia, taking on many diverse forms specific to each region. In Vietnam and Cambodia, due to French translation, the English term pagoda is a more generic term referring to a place of worship, although pagoda is not an accurate word to describe a Buddhist vihara. In some countries, the term may refer to other religious structures. Most have between three and 13 tiers (almost always an odd number) and the classic gradual tiered eaves. Hollow pagodas have no higher floors or rooms, but the interior often contains an altar or a smaller pagoda, as well as a series of staircases for the visitor to ascend and to witness the view from an opening on one side of each tier. The oldest and tallest pagodas were built of wood, but most that survived were built of brick or stone. Chinese sources credit the Nepalese architect Araniko with introducing the pagoda to China. In addition to religious use, since ancient times Chinese pagodas have been praised for the spectacular views they offer, and many classical poems attest to the joy of scaling pagodas. Ĭhinese pagodas ( Chinese: 塔 pinyin: Tǎ) are a traditional part of Chinese architecture. The pagoda traces its origins to the stupa of ancient India. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most often Buddhist but sometimes Taoist, and were often located in or near viharas. The temple has been constructed by the King Ban Sen in 13-14th century with the Rishi being present in the form of a Pindi (stone).Ī pagoda is an East Asian tiered tower with multiple eaves common to Nepal, China, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Vietnam, and other parts of Asia. Prashar Lake, An ancient Pagoda style temple dedicated to the Rishi Prashar, the patron God of Mandi region (India), stands besides the lake.
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