The Sutra Pillar of Longxing Temple in Hangzhou, Buddhist stone sutra pillar at Dengxin Alley, Gongshu District, Hangzhou, China

The Sutra Pillar at Longxing Temple is a stone monument carved with Buddhist scriptures and traditional design elements from ancient China. The surface displays carefully carved texts that run across the full height of the structure.

The pillar was built during a period of Buddhist expansion in Zhejiang province and represents the construction methods used for religious monuments in medieval China. Its design reflects the architectural techniques that were common for sacred sites during that era.

The inscriptions on the pillar contain Buddhist texts that show how religious teachings were woven into architecture. As you walk around it, you can see how faith and craftsmanship came together in this single structure.

The monument sits within the temple grounds in a central area of Hangzhou and is easy to reach. It is best to allow time to walk around it and view the carvings from different angles.

The pillar's base now lies about 1.6 metres below street level, buried by centuries of rising ground in Hangzhou. In 1998 it was straightened, set on a concrete slab with waterproofing, and given a wooden shelter; a glass casing was added later. Red Guards broke it into several pieces in 1966, yet most of the inscription remains legible.