Changgan Temple: Seven Treasure Asoka Pagoda

CHINA, Jiangsu, Nanjing; Northern Song dynasty

The Seven Treasure Asoka Pagoda was unearthed from the underground palace of Changgan Temple in 2008. When it was discovered, the outermost stone container had an inscription dating it to the year 1011 during the Northern Song dynasty. The pagoda consists of a base, body, and spire. The outside is made of gilt silver embellished with 452 precious gems in white, red, blue, and black. Inside of the body, there are nested layers, which include a sandalwood container, a lacquered container, gold and silver caskets, and a double-silver container, which houses a tooth relic of the Buddha. Carved in the center of each side of the pagoda body are repoussé illustrations of the Prince Mahasattva Jataka, King Mahaprabhasa Avadana, and King Sibi Jataka. There are also 19 illustrations from the Life of the Buddha and Jataka tales depicted on the plantain leaves on the corners of the base of the spire. This pagoda is known to be the largest, most exquisite, and most historically significant of the Asoka pagodas discovered in China.