Liuhe Pagoda
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Liuhe Pagoda (Simplified Chinese: 六和塔; pinyin: Liùhé Tǎ), literally Six Harmonies Pagoda or Six Harmonies Tower, is multi-storied Chinese pagoda in southern Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China. It is located at the foot of Yuelun Hill, facing the Qiantang River. It was originally constructed during the Northern Song Dynasty (960 - 1127 AD), destroyed in 1121, and reconstructed during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127 - 1279 AD).
[edit] History and Background
The pagoda was originally constructed by the ruler of the Wuyue State, some of which would later makeup Zhejiang province. The name 'Liuhe' comes from the six Buddhist ordinances and it is said that the reason for building the pagoda was to calm the tidal bore of the Qiantang River and as a navigational aid. However, the pagoda was completely destroyed during warfare in the year 1121.
After the current pagoda was constructed of wood and brick during the Southern Song Dynasty, additional exterior eaves were added during the Ming (1368 - 1644) and Qing Dynasties (1644 - 1911). The pagoda is octagonal in shape and some 59.89 meters (196 feet) in height, it also has the appearance of being a thirteen-story structure, though it only has seven interior stories. There is a spiral staircase leading to the top floor and upon each of the seven ceilings are carved and painted figures including animals, flowers, birds and characters. Each story of the pagoda consists of four elements, the exterior walls, a zigzagged corridor, the interior walls and a small chamber. Viewed from outside, the pagoda appears to be layered-bright on the upper surface and dark underneath. That is a harmonious alternation of light and shade.
Chinaculture.org has this to say of the pagoda:
The location of the Six Harmonies Pagoda was originally the south orchard of the king of the Wuyue state in the Five Dynasties Period (907-960). The pagoda was first built in the third year (970) of the Kaibao reign of the Northern Song Dynasty on the denoted land by Qian Hongshu to control the tides of the Qiantang River. The temple was built at the same time. The 9-storeyed pagoda is more than 50 zhang (1 zhang = 3.33meters) high, steep and grand. Bright lamps were installed on the top for guide the ships to sail in the dark nights. In the third year (1121) of the Xuanhe reign, the Six Harmonies Pagoda was destroyed by the war. The existing brick body was rebuilt in the 26th year (1156) of the Shaoxing reign of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). The project was not completed until the first year (1165) of the Qianbao reign.
The Six Harmonies Pagoda has 13 layers of wooden eaves that were rebuilt in the 26th year (1900) of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Six storeys of it are close, and the seventh storey leads to the inside. From outside to inside, the pagoda is divided into four parts: the outer wall, the cloister, the inner wall and a small room, forming two rings. Inside the inner ring is the small room at the heart of the pagoda; the outer ring is the thick wall; between two rings is the corridor, and the stairs are in the corridor. A leaning pole is fixed at the corner of outer wall, connected with the wood eaves. Doors are opened in each side of the wall. Because the wall is 4.12-meter thick, each door has a corridor with wall niches on both sides. The niches have pedestals. The passageway leads to the cloister. Four doors and four niches alternate with each other on the eight sides of the inner wall. The 4.2-meter-thick inner wall has doors with a corridor each, leading to the small room at the heart.
The niches are carved with The Sutra of Forty-Two Sections. The small room was originally set for the statue of Buddha; it is an exquisite building intimating wood structure. The molds of the Hu Gate in the Six Harmonies Pagoda are typical style of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), with smooth lines and round and beautiful design. The seventh storey and the pagoda spire were built in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368).
On the pedestal of the Six Harmonies Pagoda, there are more than 200 vivid brick carvings that contain wide-range subjects: pomegranate, lotuses, phoenixes, peacocks and parrots flying in the sky, lions, kylins (unicorn) galloping and jumping, and fairy maiden dancing high-spiritedly, etc. These brick carvings tally with the record in Ying Zao Fa Shi (Constructing Molds and Styles) of the Song Dynasty. They are valuable material in the history of China's ancient buildings.
The Six Harmonies Pagoda is one of the famous sceneries in Hangzhou City. When travelers come here, they can not only enjoy the heroic posture of the pagoda, but also get some idea of the views on the Qiantang River. Therefore, a number of scholars and poets in the past wrote poems and lyrics about them. [1]
