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The Six Harmonies (Liuhe) Pagoda lies in
Yuelun Hill on the north bank of the Qiantang River in Hangzhou, Zhejiang
Province. The name "six harmonies" comes from the six Buddhist
ordinances, meaning "harmonies of the heaven, earth, north, south,
east, and west". The pagoda was first built in 970 AD by the King
of Wuyue State, who intended to demonstrate his authority by conquering
the evil of the river tidal bore of the Qiantang River. The pagoda fell
into ruins and went through reconstruction many times before being listed
as one of the key national cultural heritages in 1961.
Commanding a spectacular view of the surging Qiantang River, the pagoda
presents a quiet image of age-old majesty. The original pagoda has nine
stories with a light on the top, which serves as a navigation tower. In
1156, the pagoda experienced a large-scale restoration. The artisans used
carved bricks when reconstructing the inside of the pagoda. By the end
of the Qing Dynasty, the upturned wooden multi-eaves and wrapping structure
was added to the pagoda and, in the eyes of the people, presented the
soul and labor of ancient Chinese. The pagoda we see today is an octagonal
structure 200 feet tall. Seen from the outside, the pagoda has the appearance
of a 13-story building; in actuality, there are only seven stories.
The Six Harmonies Pagoda is definitely a masterpiece of ancient Chinese
architecture that continually attracts visitors both home and abroad.
Visitors here may be shocked and entertained not only by the long and
splendid history of China but also the arts of Chinese calligraphy and
seal-cutting. There are various sorts of stone tablets and stone statues
both inside and out of the pagoda, left over from the past times. One
may see relics such as a minister's tablet, a Buddhist scripture tablet,
a god statue, a poem inscription, and similar artifacts from different
dynasties. Moreover, the Center of Ancient Chinese Pagodas has opened
near the pagoda. It features all kinds of the ancient pagodas erected
in the different areas and different dynasties. One will have an appreciation
of the quintessence of ancient Chinese pagodas.
Admission Fee: RMB 25
Bus Route: 308, 504
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