Huzhen Relic Pagoda

CHINA, Zhejiang, Quzhou

The pagoda is located within Huzhen Relic Temple. It was built in 1058 during the Northern Song dynasty. It underwent major repairs in 1533 during the Ming dynasty, and again in 1903 during the Qing dynasty. On the last occasion white marble statues of Sakyamuni Buddha were placed inside each niche of the pagoda. It was listed as a National Cultural Heritage Site in 2001.
The seven-story, hexagonal, brick pagoda has a solid interior and is 27.3 m high. It is built in imitation of a timber structure. At the center of each side there is an ogee arch niche housing a Buddha statue. The eaves are formed by a series of dogtooth bricks and they turn upwards at the corners. A wind chime hangs from the corner of each eave. Architectural features, such as pilasters, architraves, and bracket sets are visible on every story. The spire is made of iron and consists of an inverted bowl, upturned lotus, five stacked rings, a canopy, jewels and finial.