Yuanjue Temple Pagoda

CHINA, Shanxi, Datong

Yuanjue means Perfect Enlightenment. It was built by the monk Xuanzhen in 1158 during the Jin dynasty and renovated during the rule of Emperor Chenghua (reigned 1464–1487) of the Ming dynasty. In the 1930s the temple was destroyed leaving only the brick pagoda still standing. It is listed as a Provincial Cultural Heritage Site.
The nine-tier, octagonal, brick pagoda is more than 30 m high. The two-layer base is decorated with bracket sets, ogee arched doors, and reliefs of musicians, animals, and flowers. The eaves of the unusually high first tier are supported by large complex imitation wooden bracket sets, while the remaining eaves have corbeling. On the first tier, only the doorway on the south side is real and it leads to the central chamber. The iron spire consists of an inverted bowl, stacked rings, canopies, and a jewel.