΅΅
Travel in China > Protected Sites > Class Άσ > Contructions
Advanced Search
E-Mail This Article Print Friendly Format
Duobao Pagoda of Guangde Temple

The Duobao Pagoda in the Guande Temple is located 13 kilometers west of Xiangyang County in Hubei Province.

The Guangde Temple, originally known as Yunju Temple, is a famous old temple dating back to the Han (206BC-AD220)-Tang (618-907) period. Rebuilt between 1450 and 1457 in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the temple is now called Guangde Temple. Today, only the temple's main hall remains with the Duobao Pagoda located in the back. Built during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the hall has a flush gable roof with single-layered eaves. The Duobao Pagoda was built between 1494 and 1496 on a brick structure imitating a wooden one. The 17-meter-high pagoda has an octagonal ground floor with an arched door on each of its four sides. Above the door in the center hangs a stone horizontal tablet inscribed with four Chinese characters that read: Duo Bao Buddhist Pagoda.

Through the north door and up the spiraling steps is the pagoda's bed with five small pagodas located above. The middle pagoda is shaped like a trumpet, hence its name, the Trumpet Pagoda. The Trumpet Pagoda sits on an octagonal Sumeru base carved with four layers of lotus petals. It is covered with a copper canopy that has right small iron bells hanging beneath it. The bells chime as the wind blows, recalling the great charms of the 1,000-year-old temple. The Trumpet Pagoda is surrounded by four pavilion-like pagodas. Each of the hexagonal pagodas has three stories and a double-eaved, pyramidal roof. Niches were carved in the walls to house Buddha statues. Altogether there are 48 Buddha statues -- hence the name, Duobao Buddhist Pagoda (the pagoda of many Buddhas). Built in a simple and elegant fashion, the pagoda, is a representative work of all Buddhist pagodas.

All rights reserved. Reproduction of text for non-commercial purposes is permitted provided that both the source and author are acknowledged and a notifying email is sent to us.