Yongquan Temple Thousand Buddha Pagodas

CHINA, Fujian, Fuzhou

The pagodas are located on either side of the Heavenly King Hall in Yongquan Temple. They were constructed in 1082, during the Northern Song dynasty. They are considered to be the largest terracotta pagodas in China. Originally the pagodas belonged to Longrui Temple but were relocated to Yongquan Temple, as a treasure of the temple. They were listed as a Provincial Cultural Heritage Site in 1961.
The two nine-story, octagonal, terracotta pagodas are almost identical. They are built in imitation of timber structures and are around 8 m high. The diameter of their base platforms is 1.2 m. The one in the east is called Pagoda of a Thousand Buddhas of the Past Vyuha Kalpa, while the other is called Pagoda of a Thousand Buddhas of the Present Bhadra Kalpa. Clay Buddhas decorate the walls of both pagodas. The east pagoda houses 1,092 Buddhas, while the west pagoda houses 1,122 Buddhas, hence their names. The base platform is made from stone and is decorated with carvings of lotus petals, lions, Heavenly Kings, warriors, and floral patterns. An inscription states when the pagodas were created, as well as the names of the benefactors and the craftsmen involved. Architectural features include doors, windows, pilasters, bracket sets, eaves, tile caps, and drip tiles. The pagodas were created by first producing each story, then stacking them on top of each other, and applying copper-colored glaze. Tile caps and drip tiles are carved on the eaves. There are 72 clay ridge decorations shaped like monks and warriors. Bells hang from the corner of each eave. The spire consists of an inverted bowl, an inverted lotus, an upturned lotus, and a gourd-shaped finial.