Wooden Pagoda Temple

The wooden pagoda stands among the remains of Wanshou Temple in Zhangye Town. The pagoda was built in 582 in the Sui Dynasty and was rebuilt several times later. In the last year of the Qing Dynasty (1911) the pagoda was brought down by strong winds; it was reconstructed in 1926. Located in the south street of Zhangye County Government, the present Wooden Pagoda has been well kept since 1926, which is regarded as one of Zhangye City's 'Five Elements' Pagodas. (Metal, wood, water, fire and earth are the 'five elements' in ancient Chinese philosophy and fortune-telling.).

 
The rebuilt wooden pagoda, 32.8 meters high, is an octagonal nine-storey structure on a square pedestal, twenty meters long each side. The walls of the first to seventh storeys are brick, but the eaves are wooden. Both the walls and eaves of the eighth and ninth storeys are wooden. It has a distinction unique from other pagodas because neither a nail nor a rivet can be found in the entire structure. Ascending to the top, you can get a panoramic view of the surrounding city.

The pagoda tapers gradually from the bottom, and the storey become lower and lower. The doors and windows are on different sides on different storeys: There are doors on the east and west sides of the first storey; false doors on the east and west sides and false windows on the south and north sides of the second storey. Carved on the false windows are designs of flowers, and above the doors are inscribed boards. The board over the east door of the first storey says, "Reach paradise," and the inscription above the west door says, "Enter the state of samadhi.” The whole pagoda looks steady and exquisite.

Other than its distinct feature, it is also considered magnificent. At the back of the pagoda, there is a two-storey building called Scripture Pavilion, which was reconstructed at the end of Qing (1644-1911A.D.) Dynasty. With its 27.4 meters (89.9 feet) height and five-room broad span, the building was decorated with railings and layered terraces. The local government allocated funds to restore the whole temple from 1983 to 1986. Nowadays, Zhangye Folk Customs Museum is located in the Wooden Pagoda Temple, which forms a more complete architectural building complex.

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