Dragon-and-Tiger Pagoda
Encyclopedia
The Dragon-and-Tiger Pagoda is a Tang Dynasty
brick and stone pagoda located in central Shandong
Province, China
. It is considered a characteristic example of the pagoda style of the period.
, under the administration of Jinan
City, about 33 kilometers southeast of the city of Jinan proper. The pagoda stands near the site formerly occupied by the Shentong Temple and was erected as a burial monument to a monk. No records about the construction date of the pagoda are known to exist.
sculpture is positioned. The top of the pagoda consists of a richly decorated brick roof. The artistic and technical design of the roof suggest that it has been rebuild during the Song Dynasty
. The pagoda is vividly decorated with alto-relievo tang-dynasty-style
sculpture on the central pillar showing the Buddha, bodhisattva
s, celestial guards, flying apsarases (on top of the doors), as well as the dragons and tigers which give the pagoda its name.
Two other pagodas stand near the Dragon-and-Tiger Pagoda: The Four-Gates Pagoda (Sui Dynasty
) and the Minor Dragon-and-Tiger Pagoda. The latter also dates from the Tang Dynasty area and - although much smaller - shares many features of the Dragon-and-Tiger Pagoda. Also in the immediate vicinity of the Dragon-and-Tiger Pagoda is the Thousand Buddha Cliff into which over 200 religious statues as well as sculptures of noble people have been carved during the Tang Dynasty.
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
brick and stone pagoda located in central Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
Province, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. It is considered a characteristic example of the pagoda style of the period.
Location
The Dragon-and-Tiger Pagoda is located in Nanshan, near Liubu Village, in Licheng CountyLicheng County
Licheng County is a county of Shanxi, China. It is under the administration of Changzhi city.-References:*...
, under the administration of Jinan
Jinan
Jinan is the capital of Shandong province in Eastern China. The area of present-day Jinan has played an important role in the history of the region from the earliest beginnings of civilisation and has evolved into a major national administrative, economic, and transportation hub...
City, about 33 kilometers southeast of the city of Jinan proper. The pagoda stands near the site formerly occupied by the Shentong Temple and was erected as a burial monument to a monk. No records about the construction date of the pagoda are known to exist.
Structure
The pagoda is designed in a single-storey pavilion-style with a square cross-section. The total height of the structure is 10.8 meters. The base of the pagoda consists of a three-tier Sumeru pedestal decorated with relief sculptures of lions and lotus flowers. On the pedestal rests the central pillar of the pagoda which is carved out of a single cube-shaped stone block with 4 meters edge length. Rectangular doors are carved into each side of the central pillar. Behind each of these doors, a carved BuddhaBuddharupa
Buddharūpa is the Sanskrit and Pali term used in Buddhism for statues or models of the Buddha.-Commonalities:...
sculpture is positioned. The top of the pagoda consists of a richly decorated brick roof. The artistic and technical design of the roof suggest that it has been rebuild during the Song Dynasty
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
. The pagoda is vividly decorated with alto-relievo tang-dynasty-style
sculpture on the central pillar showing the Buddha, bodhisattva
Bodhisattva
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is either an enlightened existence or an enlightenment-being or, given the variant Sanskrit spelling satva rather than sattva, "heroic-minded one for enlightenment ." The Pali term has sometimes been translated as "wisdom-being," although in modern publications, and...
s, celestial guards, flying apsarases (on top of the doors), as well as the dragons and tigers which give the pagoda its name.
Two other pagodas stand near the Dragon-and-Tiger Pagoda: The Four-Gates Pagoda (Sui Dynasty
Sui Dynasty
The Sui Dynasty was a powerful, but short-lived Imperial Chinese dynasty. Preceded by the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it ended nearly four centuries of division between rival regimes. It was followed by the Tang Dynasty....
) and the Minor Dragon-and-Tiger Pagoda. The latter also dates from the Tang Dynasty area and - although much smaller - shares many features of the Dragon-and-Tiger Pagoda. Also in the immediate vicinity of the Dragon-and-Tiger Pagoda is the Thousand Buddha Cliff into which over 200 religious statues as well as sculptures of noble people have been carved during the Tang Dynasty.
See also
- Four Gates PagodaFour Gates PagodaThe Four Gates Pagoda is a Sui Dynasty stone Chinese pagoda located in central Shandong Province, China. It is thought to be the oldest remaining pavilion-style stone pagoda in China...
- Nine Pinnacle PagodaNine Pinnacle PagodaThe Nine Pinnacle Pagoda or Jiuding Pagoda is an 8th century pavilion-style brick pagoda located in central Shandong Province, China. It is noted for its unique roof design featuring nine small pagodas.-Location:...
- Songyue PagodaSongyue PagodaThe Songyue Pagoda , constructed in 523 AD, is located at the Songyue Monastery on Mount Song, in Henan province, China. Built during the Northern Wei Dynasty, this pagoda is one of the few intact sixth-century pagodas in China and is also the earliest known Chinese brick pagoda...
- Thousand-Buddha CliffThousand-Buddha CliffThe Thousand-Buddha Cliff is historical site of mostly Tang Dynasty rock carvings in central Shandong Province, China. Along a cliff face of 63 meters length, over 210 statues and 43 inscriptions have been reported...
- List of sites in Jinan