The Shijiawen Buddhist Tower is located on
the east side of the Guanghua Temple in the south of Putian City, Fujian
Province.
The stone tower was built before 1165 during the Southern Song Dynasty
(1127-1279), imitating the style of a wooden-structured pavilion. The
five-storied tower is octagonal in shape and 36 meters high. The middle of the
tower base is embossed with patterns depicting lions playing with a ball and
peonies, and dwarf-like figures. On the first floor there are doors on the east
and west sides and niches containing vivid Buddhist saints on the other sides.
On the remaining floors are doors on four sides with statues of Buddha's warrior
attendants standing on guard; the other four sides have niches embossed with
Kwan-yin statues. Various patterns are carved beneath the eaves, including a
phoenix, double-headed feather men, flying Apsaras, and rare flowers and grass.