Pagoda

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
(Redirected from
Chinese pagoda
)
For other uses, see Pagoda (disambiguation).
"Five-storied pagoda" redirects here. It should not be confused with the Zhenhai Tower (Guangzhou) or with the novel The Five-Storied Pagoda.
Not to be confused with Pagode.

Thiên Mụ Temple, Vietnam; Seokgatap of Bulguksa, South Korea; Prashar Lake temple, Himachal Pradesh
, India.
Shwedagon Pagoda of Yangon, Myanmar

A pagoda is a tiered

viharas. The pagoda traces its origins to the stupa, while its design was developed in ancient India.[1] Chinese pagodas (Chinese: 塔; pinyin: Tǎ) are a traditional part of Chinese architecture
. In addition to religious use, since ancient times Chinese pagodas have been praised for the spectacular views they offer, and many classical poems attest to the joy of scaling pagodas.

The oldest and tallest pagodas were built of wood, but most that survived were built of brick or stone. Some pagodas are solid with no interior. Hollow pagodas have no higher floors or rooms, but the interior often contains an altar or a smaller pagoda, as well as a series of staircases for the visitor to climb to see the view from an opening on one side of each tier. Most have between three and 13 tiers (almost always an odd number) and the classic gradual tiered eaves.[2][3]

In some countries, the term may refer to other religious structures. In Vietnam and Cambodia, due to French translation, the English term pagoda is a more generic term referring to a place of worship, although pagoda is not an accurate word to describe a Buddhist vihara. The architectural structure of the stupa has spread across Asia, taking on many diverse forms specific to each region. Many Philippine bell towers are highly influenced by pagodas through Chinese workers hired by the Spaniards.

Etymology

One proposed etymology is from a South Chinese pronunciation of the term for an eight-cornered tower, Chinese: 八角塔, and reinforced by the name of a famous pagoda encountered by many early European visitors to China, the "Pázhōu tǎ" (Chinese: 琶洲塔), standing just south of Guangzhou at Whampoa Anchorage.[4] Another proposed etymology is Persian butkada, from but, "idol" and kada, "temple, dwelling."[5]

Yet another etymology is from the Sinhala word dāgaba, derived from Sanskrit dhātugarbha or Pali dhātugabbha: "relic womb/chamber" or "reliquary shrine", i.e. a stupa, by way of Portuguese.[6]

History

Kek Lok Si pagoda tiers labelled with their architectural styles

The origin of the pagoda can be traced to the

Buddhist missionaries, pilgrims, rulers, and ordinary devotees to honor Buddhist relics.[9]

Japan has a total of 22 five-storied timber pagodas constructed before 1850.[10]

China

Zhengding, Hebei, built in 1045 AD during the Song dynasty
, with little change in later renovations

The earliest styles of Chinese pagodas were square-base and circular-base, with

Tianning Temple of Changzhou
was opened to the public, the tallest in China, standing 154 m (505 ft).

Symbolism and geomancy

The Xumi Pagoda, built in 636 AD during the Tang dynasty.

Gautama Buddha in the abhaya mudra.[12][13] In an article on Buddhist elements in Han dynasty art, Wu Hung suggests that in these temples, Buddhist symbolism was fused with native Chinese traditions into a unique system of symbolism.[14]

Some believed reverence at pagodas could bring luck to students taking the Chinese civil service

examinations.[15] When a pagoda of Yihuang County in Fuzhou collapsed in 1210, local inhabitants believed the disaster correlated with the recent failure of many exam candidates in the prefectural examinations[16] The pagoda was rebuilt in 1223 and had a list inscribed on it of the recently successful examination candidates, in hopes that it would reverse the trend and win the county supernatural favor.[16]

Architecture

Horyuji temple
.

Pagodas come in many different sizes,

lightning rod.[19]

Wooden pagodas possess certain characteristics thought to resist earthquake damage. These include the friction damping and sliding effect of the complex wooden dougong joints,[20] the structural isolation of floors, the effects of wide eaves analogous to a balancing toy, and the Shinbashira phenomenon that the center column is bolted to the rest of the superstructure.[21]

Pagodas traditionally have an odd number of levels, a notable exception being the eighteenth-century orientalist pagoda designed by Sir William Chambers at Kew Gardens in London.

The pagodas in Himalayas are derived from

Newari architecture, very different from Chinese and Japanese styles.[22]

Construction materials

Wood

The 40-metre-tall (130 ft) Songyue Pagoda of 523 AD, the oldest existent stone pagoda in China.

During the

Southern and Northern dynasties pagodas were mostly built of wood, as were other ancient Chinese structures. Wooden pagodas are resistant to earthquakes, and no Japanese pagoda has been destroyed by an earthquake,[21]
but they are prone to fire, natural rot, and insect infestation.

Examples of wooden pagodas:

The literature of subsequent eras also provides evidence of the domination of wooden pagoda construction. The famous Tang dynasty poet, Du Mu, once wrote:

480 Buddhist temples of the Southern Dynasties,
uncountable towers and pagodas stand in the misty rain.

The oldest standing fully wooden pagoda in China today is the

Pagoda of Fugong Temple in Ying County, Shanxi, built in the 11th century during the Song/Liao dynasty (see Song architecture
).

Transition to brick and stone

The brick-constructed Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, built by 652 and rebuilt in 704, during the Tang dynasty.

During the

Emperor Wen of the Sui dynasty (reigned 581–604) once issued a decree for all counties and prefectures to build pagodas to a set of standard designs, however since they were all built of wood none have survived. Only the Songyue Pagoda
has survived, a circular-based pagoda built out of brick in 523 AD.

Brick

The earliest extant brick pagoda is the 40-metre-tall

Northern Wei dynasty, and has survived for 15 centuries.[23] Much like the later pagodas found during the following Tang dynasty, this temple featured tiers of eaves encircling its frame, as well as a spire crowning the top. Its walls are 2.5 m thick, with a ground floor diameter of 10.6 m. Another early brick pagoda is the Sui dynasty Guoqing Pagoda
built in 597.

Stone

The earliest large-scale stone pagoda is a

Licheng, Shandong, built in 611 during the Sui dynasty
. Like the Songyue Pagoda, it also features a spire at its top, and is built in the pavilion style.

Brick and stone

One of the earliest brick and stone pagodas was a three-storey construction built in the (first)

Xiangyang
. However, it is now destroyed.

Brick and stone went on to dominate

Jin dynasty pagoda construction. An example is the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda (652 AD), built during the early Tang dynasty. The Porcelain Pagoda of Nanjing
has been one of the most famous brick and stone pagoda in China throughout history. The Zhou dynasty started making the ancient pagodas about 3,500 years ago.

De-emphasis over time

Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai follows the Song dynasty multi-courtyard design, and does not feature a pagoda. The main hall is at the center.

Pagodas, in keeping with the tradition of the White Horse Temple, were generally placed in the center of temples until the Sui and Tang dynasties. During the Tang, the importance of the main hall was elevated and the pagoda was moved beside the hall, or out of the temple compound altogether. In the early Tang, Daoxuan wrote a Standard Design for Buddhist Temple Construction in which the main hall replaced the pagoda as the center of the temple.

The design of temples was also influenced by the use of traditional Chinese residences as shrines, after they were philanthropically donated by the wealthy or the pious. In such pre-configured spaces, building a central pagoda might not have been either desirable or possible.

In the Song dynasty (960–1279), the Chan (Zen) sect developed a new 'seven part structure' for temples. The seven parts—the Buddha hall, dharma hall, monks' quarters, depository, gate, pure land hall and toilet facilities—completely exclude pagodas, and can be seen to represent the final triumph of the traditional Chinese palace/courtyard system over the original central-pagoda tradition established 1000 years earlier by the White Horse Temple in 67. Although they were built outside of the main temple itself, large pagodas in the tradition of the past were still built. This includes the two Ming dynasty pagodas of Famen Temple and the Chongwen Pagoda in Jingyang of Shaanxi.

A prominent, later example of converting a palace to a temple is Beijing's Yonghe Temple, which was the residence of Yongzheng Emperor before he ascended the throne. It was donated for use as a lamasery after his death in 1735.

Styles of eras

Han dynasty

Examples of Han dynasty era tower architecture predating Buddhist influence and the full-fledged Chinese pagoda can be seen in the four pictures below. Michael Loewe writes that during the Han dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD) period, multi-storied towers were erected for religious purposes, as astronomical observatories, as watchtowers, or as ornate buildings that were believed to attract the favor of spirits, deities, and immortals.[24]

  • Ancient Chinese model of two residential towers, made of earthenware during the Han dynasty, 2nd century BC to 2nd century AD, excavated by archaeologists in 1993.
    Ancient Chinese model of two residential towers, made of earthenware during the Han dynasty, 2nd century BC to 2nd century AD, excavated by archaeologists in 1993.
  • Side view of a Han pottery tower model with a mid-floor balcony and a courtyard gatehouse flanked by smaller towers; the dougong support brackets are clearly visible.
    Side view of a Han pottery tower model with a mid-floor balcony and a courtyard gatehouse flanked by smaller towers; the dougong support brackets are clearly visible.
  • A Western-Han model of a watchtower with human figures on its balconies (including crossbowmen) and a gatehouse and courtyard on the first floor.
    A Western-Han model of a watchtower with human figures on its balconies (including crossbowmen) and a gatehouse and courtyard on the first floor.
  • Among a large set of architectural models, three Eastern Han dynasty watchtowers stand in the rear of this display.
    Among a large set of architectural models, three Eastern Han dynasty watchtowers stand in the rear of this display.

Sui and Tang

Pagodas built during the Sui and Tang dynasty usually had a square base, with a few exceptions such as the Daqin Pagoda:

Dali kingdom

Song, Liao, Jin, Yuan

Pagodas of the Five Dynasties, Northern and Southern Song, Liao, Jin, and Yuan dynasties incorporated many new styles, with a greater emphasis on hexagonal and octagonal bases for pagodas:

Ming and Qing

Pagodas in the Ming and Qing dynasties generally inherited the styles of previous eras, although there were some minor variations:

Notable pagodas

Taleju Temple, a 16th-century temple in Kathmandu Durbar Square
Changu Narayan Temple, Bhaktapur, Nepal

Tiered towers with multiple eaves:

Stupas called "pagodas":

Places called "pagoda" but which are not tiered structures with multiple eaves:

  • Vietnamese culture
    . It was built in 1049, destroyed, and rebuilt in 1954.

Structures that evoke pagoda architecture:

  • The Dragon House of Sanssouci Park, an eighteenth-century German attempt at imitating Chinese architecture
  • The Panasonic Pagoda, or Pagoda Tower, at the
    Indy 500, has been transformed several times since it was first built in 1913.[25]
  • Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai, built between 1994 and 1999
  • tallest buildings in the world
    from 1998 to 2004
  • Taipei 101 in Taiwan, record setter for height (508 m) in 2004 and currently (2021) the world's tenth tallest completed building

Structures not generally thought of as pagodas, but which have some pagoda-like characteristics:

  • The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests at the Temple of Heaven
  • Wongudan
    Altar in Korea
  • The Iron Pagoda of Kaifeng, China, built in 1049
    The Iron Pagoda of Kaifeng, China, built in 1049
  • Five-story pagoda of Mount Haguro, Japan
    Five-story pagoda of
    Mount Haguro
    , Japan
  • Wooden three-story pagoda of Ichijō-ji in Japan, built in 1171
    Wooden three-story pagoda of Ichijō-ji in Japan, built in 1171
  • Yingde pagoda, Qingyuan, Guangdong Province, China, from Johan Nieuhof (1618–1672); Jean-Baptiste Le Carpentier (1606 – c. 1670): L'ambassade de la Compagnie Orientale des Provinces Unies vers l'Empereur de la Chine, 1665
    Yingde pagoda, Qingyuan, Guangdong Province, China, from Johan Nieuhof (1618–1672); Jean-Baptiste Le Carpentier (1606 – c. 1670): L'ambassade de la Compagnie Orientale des Provinces Unies vers l'Empereur de la Chine, 1665
  • One Pillar Pagoda, Hanoi, Vietnam
    One Pillar Pagoda, Hanoi, Vietnam
  • The nine-story Xumi Pagoda, Hebei, China, built in 636
    The nine-story Xumi Pagoda, Hebei, China, built in 636
  • Nyatapola Temple located in Bhaktapur, Nepal, built in 1701–1702
    Nyatapola Temple located in Bhaktapur
    , Nepal, built in 1701–1702
  • Taipei 101 in Taipei, Taiwan
    Taipei 101 in Taipei, Taiwan
  • The Bombardier Pagoda at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
    The Bombardier Pagoda at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
  • Shwedagon Pagoda located in Yangon, Myanmar. The whole structure is coated with 60 tons of pure gold
    Shwedagon Pagoda located in Yangon, Myanmar. The whole structure is coated with 60 tons of pure gold
  • Pagoda Mumbai
    Pagoda Mumbai
  • Peace Pagoda - Sri Lanka
    Peace Pagoda - Sri Lanka
  • The Sun and Moon Pagodas lighted at night and reflected in Lake Shanhu in November 2017.
    The Sun and Moon Pagodas lighted at night and reflected in Lake Shanhu in November 2017.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "Pagoda | History, Design & Construction | Britannica". www.britannica.com.
  2. ^ Architecture and Building. W.T. Comstock. 1896. p. 245.
  3. ^ Steinhardt, 387.
  4. ^ Chinese Origin of the Term Pagoda: Liang Sicheng's Proposed Etymology Authors: David Robbins Tien Publication: Acta Orientalia, volume 77 (2016), pp 133–144 David Robbins Tien, Gerald Leonard Cohen Publication: Arts, Languages and Philosophy Faculty Research & Creative Works DownloadTien, D. R., & Cohen, G. L. (2017) http://scholarsmine.mst.edu/artlan_phil_facwork. David Robbins Tien. Comments on Etymology, October 2014, Vol.44, no. 1, pp. 2–6.
  5. Random House Unabridged Dictionary
    , Second Edition. Random House, New York, 1993.
  6. ^ Hobson-Jobson: The Anglo-Indian Dictionary by Henry Yule & Arthur Coke Burnell, first printed 1896, reprinted by Wordsworth Editions, 1996, p. 291. Online Etymology Dictionary by Douglas Harper, s.v. pagoda, at http://www.etymonline.com/ (Accessed 29 April 2016)
  7. ^ a b Pagoda at the Encyclopædia Britannica
  8. ISBN 0-07-141751-6
    .
  9. ISBN 0-691-09676-7
    .
  10. S2CID 135707895
    .
  11. ^ Benn, 62.
  12. ISBN 0-691-09676-7
    . p. 83
  13. ISBN 0-691-09676-7
    . page 83
  14. ISBN 0-691-09676-7
    . page 84
  15. ^ Brook, 7.
  16. ^ a b Hymes, 30.
  17. ^ Terry, T. Philip (1914). Terry's Japanese Empire. Houghton Mifflin. p. 257.
  18. ^ Christel, Pascal (2020). Splendour of Buddhism in Burma: A Journey to the Golden Land. Partridge Publishing Singapore.
  19. ^ Spacey, John. "Japanese Temple Architecture in 60 Seconds". Japan Talk. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  20. ^ Tokmakova, Anastasia (24 July 2017). "2,500-year-old Chinese wood joints that make buildings earthquake-proof". Archinect.
  21. ^ a b Koji NAKAHARA, Toshiharu HISATOKU, Tadashi NAGASE and Yoshinori TAKAHASHI (2000). "EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE OF ANCIENT FIVE-STORY PAGODA STRUCTURE OF HORYU-JI TEMPLE IN JAPAN" (PDF). No. 1229/11/A. 12th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  22. ISBN 90-04-10512-3
    .
  23. ^ a b Steinhardt, 383.
  24. ^ Loewe (1968), 133.
  25. ^ "Indianapolis 500 Traditions :: Indianapolis 500". 1 May 2008. Archived from the original on 1 May 2008.

References

External links

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