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Analysis Of The Foguang Si Pagoda

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The Foguang Si Pagoda was constructed in 1056 during the Liao dynasty in China. The Foguang Si Pagoda was constructed at Yingxian in the Shanxi Province. It also goes by two other names: The Wooden Pagoda of Yingxian County, and the Sakyamuni Pagoda of Fogong Temple. At the time this pagoda was the tallest building ever constructed entirely out of wood, at nine stories tall, or 216 feet. It was also recently officially given of “Tallest Wooden Pagoda” by Guinness World Records. The construction of this pagoda shows off a beautiful example of the Chinese wood construction style. This pagoda has also survived numerous earthquakes that have occurred in the region since its construction. Since pagodas were commonplace in areas that practiced …show more content…

This marks how important this building has been for the people that live in this area. For them, this pagoda is the main building where they can come to and practice their religion. Despite several earthquakes, constant weathering and even artillery fire at one point in time the Foguang Si Pagoda still stands to this day. Even more impressive is that this building withstood all of these conditions while being completely made from wood. It is commonly said that this pagoda truly embodies the wisdom of the craftsmen that originally built the pagoda. It is widely seen as an architectural marvel in some groups. With repairs and restorations being faithful to the original design it is still possible to see the characteristics of Chinese architecture at the time of building. The changes and repairs to the building are recorded and inscripted on the building itself. The Foguang Si Pagoda was built using the “Cai-Fen system”, a popular wooden building technique at the time, that allowed for pleasing curves and consistent proportions for the building. This type of styling helps separate this pagoda from other ones around this area and time. Since the idea of a pagoda stemmed from the same religious beliefs, there are many similarities between pagodas from different regions.

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