Lingxiao Pagoda facts for kids
The Lingxiao Pagoda (Chinese: 凌霄塔; pinyin: Língxiāo tǎ) is a tall and ancient Chinese pagoda. You can find it in Zhengding, Hebei Province, China. It stands proudly near the Xinglong Temple.
History of the Lingxiao Pagoda
The very first pagoda on this spot was made of wood. It was built way back in 860 AD during the Tang dynasty (618-907). This was a powerful time in Chinese history.
The pagoda you see today is made of brick and wood. It was built in 1045 AD. This was during the Song dynasty (960-1279), when Emperor Renzong was in charge. Over the years, it was repaired and restored many times. This happened during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing periods.
This pagoda used to be part of the Tianning Monastery. Even though the monastery is gone, the pagoda has been kept safe since the 11th century. In 1966, an earthquake caused some damage to the pagoda. But quick repairs helped it stay standing. Today, it is still open for people to visit.
What Makes the Pagoda Special
The Lingxiao Pagoda is about 42 meters (137 feet) tall. The bottom part, up to the 4th floor, is made of brick. The rest of the pagoda, from the 5th floor up, is made entirely of wood.
It has nine stories in total. Each story has wooden eaves that go around its octagonal (eight-sided) shape. Inside the pagoda, there is a large column in the very center. This was a common feature in Chinese architecture for pagodas a long time ago. However, this style of central column was not used much after the Song and Yuan periods.
Another famous pagoda, the Liaodi Pagoda, was built in 1055. It is China's tallest pre-modern pagoda. It also has an inner column that looks like another small pagoda inside. At the Lingxiao Pagoda, a wooden staircase lets you climb up to the 4th floor. The very top of the pagoda has a cast iron spire.
