Baolun Temple Pagoda

CHINA, Henan, Sanmenxia

The pagoda was built on the grounds of Baolun Temple, which no longer exists. According to an inscription on the pagoda, it was built in 1176 during the Jin dynasty. It is also known as the Toad Pagoda due to the echoing sound of clapping and falling rocks being markedly similar to the croaking of toads. It is one of the four famous echoing structures in China. It was listed as a National Cultural Heritage Site in 2001.
The 13-tier, square, brick pagoda is 27.2 m high. It has a base platform and a high base. The size of each story gradually decreases with height resulting in a tapered curved effect. The eaves consist of two courses of dogtooth bricks followed by corbeling. The roofs are formed by reverse corbeling. Wind chimes hang from the corners of the eaves. Each tier has either an arched doorway, a niche, or a window. There is a square chamber within tiers two to six. Their pyramidal ceilings are formed by dogtooth bricks and corbeling. The spire has an upturned lotus, followed by five stacked rings and a jewel.