Tang Jing Zhuang, Buddhist dhvaja pillar in Songjiang, China

Tang Jing Zhuang is a Buddhist dhvaja pillar in Songjiang featuring intricate stone carvings that showcase the precision and craftsmanship of Tang Dynasty artisans. The structure displays detailed architectural elements characteristic of Buddhist religious monuments from this period.

This pillar was constructed in 859 during the Tang Dynasty and represents the oldest standing above-ground structure in Shanghai. It reflects the Buddhist architectural traditions that influenced religious monuments throughout the region during this era.

The pillar was built in 859 by the local man Li Song as a tomb pillar for his deceased parents and younger brother. Its ninth level lists 137 donors, 31 of them women, with gifts such as skirts, quilts, silk and a crystal bead. Local legends say it was raised to seal a spring or to suppress a blackfish spirit.

The pillar stands inside the grounds of Zhongshan Primary School in Songjiang, so access depends on the school and is not a normal public monument visit; arrange permission in advance. The restored structure rises 1.6 m above ground level, and its carvings are best examined up close rather than from a distance.

During the 1963-1964 restoration, workers packed the joints between the 21 stone sections with coin-shaped copper plates to keep the horizontal alignment true. Coins were also found hidden in the pillar: 125 Kaiyuan Tongbao, 8 Qianyuan Chongbao and 2 Wu Zhu in a recess at the top, plus Song-era Shengsong Yuanbao and Chongning Tongbao near the base.