崇教兴福寺塔, Buddhist pagoda in Changshu, China
The Chongjiao Xingfu Temple Pagoda is a square, nine-storey brick pagoda with wooden eaves and balconies, located inside the East Gate of Changshu, Jiangsu. Its profile follows a parabolic curve, and a wooden staircase runs up the interior.
The pagoda was first built in 1130, in the fourth year of the Jianyan era of the Southern Song, and was rebuilt in 1272, the eighth year of the Xianchun era. During the War of Resistance against Japan its ground-floor veranda was destroyed by bombing. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China it has been repaired several times, and in 2006 it was listed in the sixth batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level.
The pagoda is a Buddhist stupa that also served as a feng shui tower, a dual role that makes it a key example of how Buddhist pagodas evolved into feng shui structures. Its name links it to the Chongjiao Xingfu Temple, and it stands inside the old East Gate of Changshu.
The pagoda stands inside the East Gate of Changshu, at the northeast corner of the old city. It is a nine-storey brick tower with wooden eaves and a wooden staircase inside; the ground-floor veranda was destroyed by bombing during the War of Resistance and the tower has since been repaired several times. Visitors climb the interior stairs to the upper storeys.
The pagoda is a rare documented example of a Buddhist stupa built to serve also as a feng shui tower, marking the shift from purely religious pagoda to geomantic landmark. Its brick core with wooden eaves and interior wooden staircases follows a square, nine-storey plan.
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