Chinese iconography is noted in Chinese and East Asian pagoda architectures. It also highlights Buddhist iconography, such as the image of Sakyamuni (sage of sages) and Gautama Buddha in the abhaya mudra.[8]​[9]​ In an article on Buddhist elements in the art of the Han dynasty, Wu Hung suggests that in these temples, Buddhist symbolism merged with native Chinese traditions into a unique system of symbolism.[10]​.

Some believed that bowing to pagodas could bring luck to students taking the Chinese civil service exams. When a pagoda in Yihuang County in Fuzhou collapsed in 1210, local inhabitants believed that the disaster was correlated with the recent failure of many candidates in the prefectural exams. The pagoda was rebuilt in 1223 and had a list of recent exam candidates inscribed on it. approved, in the hope of reversing the trend and gaining the county's supernatural favor.[12]​.

Wooden pagodas are pieces of architecture up to five stories high. Despite their age, they are capable of resisting earthquakes.[13]​ One of the reasons for this robustness is the material with which they are built. The building structure is made of wood, which is less rigid than modern building materials, such as concrete or steel, and withstands greater deformations before breaking. The Japanese ones use wood, while Korean pagodas, on the other hand, are commonly built in stone.[14]​.

The planks that form them have a strong union without the need for nails "Nail (object)"). Consequently, if the earth begins to shake the wood, the planks of said material join together even more. This is due to joints into which the small, narrow openings of the planks are inserted. The pagodas are flexible") thanks to the thousand crimped joints (approximately) that they can count on.

Wood

During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, pagodas were built primarily of wood, like other ancient Chinese structures. Wooden pagodas are earthquake resistant and no Japanese pagodas have been destroyed by an earthquake.[15]​ but they are prone to fire, natural rot, and insect infestation.

Examples of wooden pagodas:

Literature from later times also provides evidence of the mastery of wooden pagoda construction. The famous Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu once wrote:

The oldest standing all-wood pagoda in China today is the Sakyamuni Pagoda of Fogong Temple in Ying County, Shanxi, built in the 16th century during the Song Dynasty/Liao Dynasty (see Song Dynasty Architecture).

Transition to brick and stone

During the Northern Wei Dynasty and Sui Dynasty (386–618) experiments began with the construction of brick and stone pagodas. However, even at the end of the Sui, wood was still the most common material. For example, Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty (reigned 581–604) once issued a decree for all counties and prefectures to build pagodas to a set of standard designs, yet since they were all built of wood, none have survived. Only the Songyue Pagoda, a circular-based pagoda built of stone in 523 AD, has survived. c.

The oldest extant brick pagoda is the 40-meter-high Songyue Pagoda in the country of Dengfeng, Henan.[16] This curved pagoda with a circular base was built in 523 during the Northern Wei Dynasty, and has survived for 15 centuries.[16] Like later pagodas found during the following Tang dynasty, this temple featured rows of eaves surrounding its frame, as well as a crowning spire. the top. Its walls are 2.5 m thick, with a ground floor diameter of 10.6 m. Another early brick pagoda is the Guoqing Pagoda of the Sui dynasty built in 597.

The first large-scale stone pagoda is the Four Gates Pagoda in Licheng, Shandong, built in 611 during the Sui Dynasty. Like the Songyue Pagoda, it also features a spire at the top and is built in the style of a pavilion.

One of the first brick and stone pagodas was a three-story construction built in the (first) Jin Dynasty (266–420) "Jin Dynasty (266-420)"), by Wang Jun of Xiangyang. However, it is now destroyed.

Brick and stone dominated pagoda construction in the Tang Dynasty, Song Dynasty, Liao Dynasty, and Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) "Jin Dynasty (1115-1234)"). An example is the Great Wild Goose Pagoda (652 AD), built in the early Tang Dynasty. The Nanjing Porcelain Pagoda has been one of the most famous brick and stone pagodas in China throughout history.

The Zhou Dynasty began making the ancient pagodas about 3,500 years ago.

Pagodas, according to the White Horse Temple tradition, were generally placed in the center of temples until the Sui and Tang dynasties. During the Tang, the importance of the main hall was raised and the pagoda was moved to the side of the hall, or outside the temple precinct entirely. In the early Tang, Daoxuan") wrote a Standard Design for the Construction of Buddhist Temples") in which the main hall replaced the pagoda as the center of the temple.

The design of the temples was also influenced by the use of traditional Chinese residences as shrines, after they were donated philanthropically by the wealthy or the pious. In such preconfigured spaces, the construction of a central pagoda might have been neither desirable nor possible.

In the Song dynasty (960–1279), the Chan (Zen) sect developed a new 'seven-part structure' for temples. The seven parts (Buddha Hall, Dharma Hall, Monk Quarters, Reservoir, Gate, Pure Land Hall and Sanitary Facilities) completely exclude pagodas and can be considered to represent the final triumph of the traditional Chinese palace and courtyard system over the original central pagoda tradition established 1000 years earlier by the White Horse Temple in 67. Although they were built outside the main temple itself, large ones were still built pagodas in the tradition of the past. This includes the two Ming dynasty pagodas of Famen Temple and the Chongwen Pagoda in Jingyang, Shaanxi.

A notable later example of converting a palace into a temple is the Yonghe Temple in Beijing, which was the residence of the Yongzheng Emperor before he ascended the throne. It was donated for use as a lamasery after his death in 1735.

Chinese iconography is noted in Chinese and East Asian pagoda architectures. It also highlights Buddhist iconography, such as the image of Sakyamuni (sage of sages) and Gautama Buddha in the abhaya mudra.[8]​[9]​ In an article on Buddhist elements in the art of the Han dynasty, Wu Hung suggests that in these temples, Buddhist symbolism merged with native Chinese traditions into a unique system of symbolism.[10]​.

Some believed that bowing to pagodas could bring luck to students taking the Chinese civil service exams. When a pagoda in Yihuang County in Fuzhou collapsed in 1210, local inhabitants believed that the disaster was correlated with the recent failure of many candidates in the prefectural exams. The pagoda was rebuilt in 1223 and had a list of recent exam candidates inscribed on it. approved, in the hope of reversing the trend and gaining the county's supernatural favor.[12]​.

Wooden pagodas are pieces of architecture up to five stories high. Despite their age, they are capable of resisting earthquakes.[13]​ One of the reasons for this robustness is the material with which they are built. The building structure is made of wood, which is less rigid than modern building materials, such as concrete or steel, and withstands greater deformations before breaking. The Japanese ones use wood, while Korean pagodas, on the other hand, are commonly built in stone.[14]​.

The planks that form them have a strong union without the need for nails "Nail (object)"). Consequently, if the earth begins to shake the wood, the planks of said material join together even more. This is due to joints into which the small, narrow openings of the planks are inserted. The pagodas are flexible") thanks to the thousand crimped joints (approximately) that they can count on.

Wood

During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, pagodas were built primarily of wood, like other ancient Chinese structures. Wooden pagodas are earthquake resistant and no Japanese pagodas have been destroyed by an earthquake.[15]​ but they are prone to fire, natural rot, and insect infestation.

Examples of wooden pagodas:

Literature from later times also provides evidence of the mastery of wooden pagoda construction. The famous Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu once wrote:

The oldest standing all-wood pagoda in China today is the Sakyamuni Pagoda of Fogong Temple in Ying County, Shanxi, built in the 16th century during the Song Dynasty/Liao Dynasty (see Song Dynasty Architecture).

Transition to brick and stone

During the Northern Wei Dynasty and Sui Dynasty (386–618) experiments began with the construction of brick and stone pagodas. However, even at the end of the Sui, wood was still the most common material. For example, Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty (reigned 581–604) once issued a decree for all counties and prefectures to build pagodas to a set of standard designs, yet since they were all built of wood, none have survived. Only the Songyue Pagoda, a circular-based pagoda built of stone in 523 AD, has survived. c.

The oldest extant brick pagoda is the 40-meter-high Songyue Pagoda in the country of Dengfeng, Henan.[16] This curved pagoda with a circular base was built in 523 during the Northern Wei Dynasty, and has survived for 15 centuries.[16] Like later pagodas found during the following Tang dynasty, this temple featured rows of eaves surrounding its frame, as well as a crowning spire. the top. Its walls are 2.5 m thick, with a ground floor diameter of 10.6 m. Another early brick pagoda is the Guoqing Pagoda of the Sui dynasty built in 597.

The first large-scale stone pagoda is the Four Gates Pagoda in Licheng, Shandong, built in 611 during the Sui Dynasty. Like the Songyue Pagoda, it also features a spire at the top and is built in the style of a pavilion.

One of the first brick and stone pagodas was a three-story construction built in the (first) Jin Dynasty (266–420) "Jin Dynasty (266-420)"), by Wang Jun of Xiangyang. However, it is now destroyed.

Brick and stone dominated pagoda construction in the Tang Dynasty, Song Dynasty, Liao Dynasty, and Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) "Jin Dynasty (1115-1234)"). An example is the Great Wild Goose Pagoda (652 AD), built in the early Tang Dynasty. The Nanjing Porcelain Pagoda has been one of the most famous brick and stone pagodas in China throughout history.

The Zhou Dynasty began making the ancient pagodas about 3,500 years ago.

Pagodas, according to the White Horse Temple tradition, were generally placed in the center of temples until the Sui and Tang dynasties. During the Tang, the importance of the main hall was raised and the pagoda was moved to the side of the hall, or outside the temple precinct entirely. In the early Tang, Daoxuan") wrote a Standard Design for the Construction of Buddhist Temples") in which the main hall replaced the pagoda as the center of the temple.

The design of the temples was also influenced by the use of traditional Chinese residences as shrines, after they were donated philanthropically by the wealthy or the pious. In such preconfigured spaces, the construction of a central pagoda might have been neither desirable nor possible.

In the Song dynasty (960–1279), the Chan (Zen) sect developed a new 'seven-part structure' for temples. The seven parts (Buddha Hall, Dharma Hall, Monk Quarters, Reservoir, Gate, Pure Land Hall and Sanitary Facilities) completely exclude pagodas and can be considered to represent the final triumph of the traditional Chinese palace and courtyard system over the original central pagoda tradition established 1000 years earlier by the White Horse Temple in 67. Although they were built outside the main temple itself, large ones were still built pagodas in the tradition of the past. This includes the two Ming dynasty pagodas of Famen Temple and the Chongwen Pagoda in Jingyang, Shaanxi.

A notable later example of converting a palace into a temple is the Yonghe Temple in Beijing, which was the residence of the Yongzheng Emperor before he ascended the throne. It was donated for use as a lamasery after his death in 1735.