Feiying Pagoda

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Feiying Pagoda is located in the Feiying park, which is named after the Pagoda. It has been the landmark of Huzhou city. The pagoda was the highest construction in Huzhou before the eighties of the last century. Feiying pagoda is a construction consisting of the inner pagoda and the outer pagoda, namely, pagoda-in-pagoda. It is the only one of its sort in China, and listed among the major historical and cultural relics under state protection. As a unique ancient wonder, it is a must-see for anyone who comes to Huzhou to appreciate its architectural art.

The pagoda was set to build in the fourth year(884) of the Zhonghe Reign of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), originally called Buddhist Relics Stone Pagoda of Shangcheng Temple. It was located on the west side of Feiying Temple. The temple was built in the fifth year(864) of the Xiantong Reign, and named Zisheng Temple. The construction of Feiying Pagoda lasted 10 years from 884 to 894 in the Tang Dynasty. It got the present name in the second year(1005) of the Jingde Reign. It was an octagonal, five-storey pagoda made of white marbles. On the surface of the stone pagoda were carved some exquisite images of Buddhist and other decorative patterns. Between 968-975 in the Northern Song Dynasty, another outer octagonal pagoda with seven storeys made of brick and wood was built, which enclosed the original inner stone pagoda. Such a covered structure is extremely rare and unique in the Chinese history of architecture.

Unfortunately, the whole pagoda was destroyed by lightning in the year 1150 during the Southern Song Dynasty. The present inner pagoda was rebuilt after the year 1154, and the outer pagoda was reconstructed in the same dynasty between 1234 and 1236.

As the landmark of Huzhou, it stood 47 meters high at first, but was cut down to 36.3 meters later. Now the whole pagoda is 55 metres in height with seven storeys. When tourists pay a visit to Feiying pagoda, they can get inside to see the inner pagoda. The inner pagoda resembles an attic-style pagoda. It has five storeys with a total height of 14.55 meters.

The pedestal has the carvings of nine mountains and eight seas with a heavenly seat on it. Lotus flowers and branches are carved on the heavenly seat. On the middle part of the inner pagoda, the engraved lions in quite different postures are lifelike. The flowers and plants like peony, pomegranate, lotus; the animals like monkey, tiger, deer; and lads, monks are truely carved on the upper and the lower parts separately. There are 48 images of carving Buddha on the whole inner pagoda.

Feiying Pagoda has a spiral stairway inside, the second, third and fourth floors are installed with surrounding corridors, and the upper three floors are paved with wooden planks. Each floor of the pagoda has niches and doorways leading to the viewing corridor. Each plank door with doornails seems old and strong which gives visitors a taste of primitive simplicity. The lattice windows, straight rafters, upturned eaves, round-ended tiles, dripping eaves, ridge-poles and corner girders are decorated with the fine images of creatures. They all present the exquisite work and great care of ancient craftsmen. Standing on the top floor of the outer pagoda, visitors can have a bird’s-eye view of Feiying Park and a part of downtown.