Wuying Pagoda

CHINA, Henan, Zhumadian

The pagoda’s exact construction date is unknown. It was build by Master Wuying of the Tang dynasty (618–907) and thus named. It is the earliest and the tallest existing pagoda in southern Henan. The pagoda was rebuilt in 1567 during the Ming dynasty. A popular story is that at midday during the winter solstice, its shadow completely disappears, so it is also called Wuying (Shadowless) Pagoda. It was listed as a National Cultural Heritage Site in 2006.
The nine-story, hexagonal, brick pagoda is 25 m high. Its Sumeru base has pilasters and carvings of flowers and animals on the concave section. The first and second stories both have a chamber with a vaulted ceiling supported by brick corbeling. There is an arched doorway on the south side of the first story, while the north side is carved with a lattice door. The remaining sides are decorated with either false square windows or false vertical bar windows. From the second story upwards, almost every wall is filled with either an arched door, a false door, false vertical bar windows, or engraved Buddhas in brick. The eaves are carved with bracket sets and are upturned at the corners. A staircase inside leads to the roof. The roof is in the form of a hexagonal pyramid, which is surmounted by an iron spire shaped like a vase. At the very top, the finial consists of a jewel encased in flames.