Zhenfeng Pagoda

CHINA, Anhui, Anqing

The pagoda was constructed in 1570 during the Ming dynasty, and has been repaired a number of times. It was listed as a National Cultural Heritage Site in 2006.
The seven-story, octagonal, brick pagoda is 60 m high. Its base platform is large, with each side measuring 18 m. There are eight doors on the first story but only the south door leads to the central chamber. The east door gives access to spiral stairs which pass through the walls of each story. The remaining six doorways are inlaid with steles from different dynasties recording the history of the pagoda’s construction. A 5 m high Amitabha Buddha statue is enshrined within the first story. On the second story there is a statue of Maitreya Buddha. The third story houses the Five Dhyani Buddhas. The eaves have courses of dogtooth bricks above and below them. A bell hangs from the slightly upturned corner of each eave. Each story has a balcony surrounded by white stone balustrades. The octagonal pyramidal roof is surmounted by the spire, which consists of a harmika, an inverted bowl, and a series of canopies and jewels followed by the finial. There are brick reliefs of Buddhas on the pagoda body. There are more than ten lamp niches dotted on the exterior of each story. When they are lit at night the pagoda acts as a lighthouse, guiding boats to safety.