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My Solo Trip to Datong ( Third Day )
( Yingxian Wooden Pagoda - June 22, 2008 )
About 50 KM east of the Hanging Temple is located Yingxian Wooden Pagoda. Yingxian is the name of the county where the huge wooden pagoda is located, hence Yingxian Wooden Pagoda. The road to Yingxian Wooden Pagoda is not a big one, a provincial level with little traffic due to the season. We pass some villages before we arrive at Yingxian Wooden Pagoda after one hour's drive. To my surprise, there has been great change since I first visited here 5 years ago. An imitation ancient street has beeb built, also many commercial apartments have mushroomed. Last time the wooden pagoda gave me an impression of loneliness. Now I feel it is noisy and crowded here, an experience which may be expected by the local government using the wooden pagoda to drive the local economy.
The real name or the full name of the temple is " Sakya Pagoda of Yingxian Fo Gong Temple. So the temple was built in the Buddha's Palace for worshiping Sakyamuni. It is admired as one of the Three Wonders of Pagoda in the world" together with Eiffel Tower in France and leaningTower of Pisa in Italy. The pagoda was built in 1056 AD in Liao Dynasty. It is the oldest and highest pavilion-style wooden pagoda in the world. It is 67.31 high and 30.27 wide. No iron nails have been used for the construction. Instead, it only uses the wooden structure such as mortise, tenon and bracket system in 54 kinds of design, biting with each other and laying up.
A stele carved with the words"Sakya Pagoda of Yingxian Fo Gong Temple - under state -level protection set
up by Shanxi Provincial Government on March 03, 1961.
So the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda is actually a buddhist temple. To see the pagoda, you first enter the hall
of Heaven' Kings. Then you will see the Sakyamuni Hall. But I'm not allowed to take the photo of the statue of
Sakyamuni.
This is the pagoda. On the first floor is housed the statue of Sakyamuni. We are not allowed to take pictures on
first floor.
A close look at the upper part of the pagoda
A close look at the lower part of the pagoda
We are allowed to climb up to the second floor, only second floor. All the wooden stairs are quite steep. You have to take care! Once on the second floor, you can have a bird's eye-view of the surrounding areas. New buildings are everywhere. Old houses are still perched on the ground. Farmland, roads and running vehicles are all under your eyes.
Follow me to climb up. Watch out!
On the second floor. In the middle is housed Godess of Mercy. But we are forbidden to
take photos.
A bird-eye view of the park in front of the pagoda
A bird-eye view of the surrounding old houses.
The temple at the back of the wooden Pagoda
Finishing the visit to the pagoda, I go out on the imitation ancient streets. I'm not impressed by those fake old streets. You can find in many cities ib China, the similar imitation streets. My driver is waiting on the parking lot. I ask him to take a picture of me with his car as a kind of memory. He is happy to do it.
Homesick, I decide to take the afternoo long-distance bus back to Beijing instead of the overnight train starting from 23:00. I ask Mr. Xu first to go to the bus station. I'm lucky enough to get the 2:10PM Datong - Beijing ticket. Only half hour left for me to check out and come back from my hotel to the bus station. My driver suggests me to call the bus station to wait for a few minutes. To my surprise, the people from the bus station side are very kind and promised to wait for me! God helps me. I'm on the way home now! Bye, Datong! The 400-km distance takes about 5 hours' drive, safe and sound. Nice Trip!
The air-conditioned bus is quite comfortable. It is fully packed.
On the way home!
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