The Tiger Hill Pagoda or Huqiu Pagoda (Chinese : 虎 丘 塔 ; pinyin :Hǔqiū tǎ; Suzhou Wu: Hou chieu thaeh, Wu Chinese pronunciation: [houtɕʰʏtʰɑʔ] ), officially the Yunyan Pagoda [1] (Chinese : 云 岩 寺 塔 ; pinyin :Yúnyán sì tǎ; Suzhou Wu: Yuin nge zy thaeh, Wu Chinese pronunciation: [ɦʏnŋe̞zz̩tʰɑʔ] ), is a Chinese pagoda situated on Tiger Hill (Huqiu) in Suzhou city, Jiangsu Province of Eastern China. It is nicknamed the 'Leaning Tower of China'. [1]
The Tiger Hill Pagoda is the primary pagoda of the former Yunyan Temple, which was founded in 327 and rebuilt for the last time in 1871. The temple suffered damage in successive wars and most of the temple was destroyed during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Some elements of the temple such as the formal entrance, the Yunyan Pagoda, and several other buildings and smaller shrines have survived, and now stand as landmarks throughout Tiger Hill Park.
Construction of the pagoda began in 907 CE, during the later period of the Five Dynasties period, at a time when Suzhou was ruled by the Wuyue Kingdom. Construction was completed in 961 CE during the Song dynasty. [2]
The uppermost stories of the pagoda were built as an addition during the reign of the Chongzhen Emperor (1628–1644), the last emperor of the Ming dynasty. [3]
The Yunyan Pagoda rises to a height of 47 m (154 ft). The pagoda has seven stories and is octagonal in plan, and was built with a masonry structure designed to imitate wooden-structured pagodas prevalent at the time.
In more than a thousand years the pagoda has gradually slanted due to forces of nature. Now the top and bottom of the tower vary by 2.32 meters. The entire structure weighs some 7,000,000 kilograms (15,000,000 lb), supported by internal brick columns. [3] However, the pagoda leans roughly 3 degrees due to the cracking of two supporting columns. [3]
The pagoda leans because the foundation is originally half rock and the other half is on soil. In 1957, efforts were made to stabilize the pagoda and prevent further leaning. Concrete was also pumped into the soil forming a stronger foundation.
During the reinforcement process, a stone casket containing Buddhist scriptures was found. The container had an inscription noting the completion date of the pagoda as the seventeenth day of the twelfth month of the second year of the Jianlong era (961 CE).
The Yunyan Pagoda is a designated Major National Historical and Cultural Site in Jiangsu. As of September 2010, public access to the top of the tower is no longer allowed.[ citation needed ]
A pagoda is a tiered tower with multiple eaves common to Thailand, Cambodia, Nepal, China, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Vietnam, and other parts of Asia. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most often Buddhist, but sometimes Taoist, and were often located in or near viharas. The pagoda traces its origins to the stupa, while its design was developed in ancient India. Chinese pagodas are a traditional part of Chinese architecture. In addition to religious use, since ancient times Chinese pagodas have been praised for the spectacular views they offer, and many classical poems attest to the joy of scaling pagodas.
Suzhou is a major prefecture-level city in southern Jiangsu province, China. As part of the Yangtze Delta megalopolis, it is a major economic center and focal point of trade and commerce.
Songjiang is a suburban district of Shanghai. It has a land area of 605.64 km2 (233.84 sq mi) and a population of 1,909,713 (2020). Owing to a long history, Songjiang is known as the cultural root of Shanghai.
Wuyue was a dynastic state of China and one of the Ten Kingdoms during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period of Chinese history. It was ruled by the Qian clan of Haiyan (海鹽錢氏), whose family name remains widespread in the kingdom's former territory.
Giant Wild Goose Pagoda or Big Wild Goose Pagoda, is a monumental Buddhist pagoda located in southern Xi'an, Shaanxi, China. It was built in c. 652 during the Tang dynasty and originally had five stories. It was rebuilt in 704 during the reign of Empress Wu Zetian and its exterior brick façade was renovated during the Ming dynasty.
The Yunyan Temple or Tiger Hill Temple was a historical temple located on Tiger Hill in Suzhou, in Jiangsu province, China.
Tiger Hill or Huqiu is a hill in Suzhou, China. It is a tourist destination that is known for its natural environment and historic sites. The hill's name is said to come from the fact it looks like a crouching tiger. Another legend states that a white tiger appeared on the hill to guard it following the burial of King Helü. The hill is also sometimes referred to in parallel with Shizishan, another mountain in Suzhou which resembles a sitting lion.
Pan Gate, Pan Men, or Panmen is a historical landmark in Suzhou, Jiangsu, China. It is located on the south-west corner of the Main Canal or encircling canal of Suzhou. Originally built during the Spring and Autumn period in the state of Wu, historians estimate it to be around 2,500 years old. It is now part of the Pan Gate Scenic Area. It is known for the "three landmarks of Pan Gate". They are the Ruiguang Pagoda, the earliest pagoda in Suzhou built in 247, the Wu Gate Bridge, the entrance to the gate at that time over the water passage and the highest bridge in Suzhou at the time, and Pan Gate. The Ruigang Pagoda is constructed of brick with wooden platforms and has simple Buddhist carvings at its base.
The Suzhou Museum is a museum of ancient Chinese art, paintings, calligraphy and handmade crafts in Suzhou, Jiangsu, China. It is one of the most visited museums in the world, with more than 2 million visitors in 2018. The Folk Branch of the museum is at the Bei family ancestral temple near Lion Grove Garden. The Western New Pavilion was designed by renowned architect I.M. Pei and was completed and opened in 2006.
The Beisi Pagoda or North Temple Pagoda is a Chinese pagoda located at Bao'en Temple in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China. The base of the pagoda has an octagonal frame, and the tower rises nine stories in a total height of 76 m (249 ft). The pagoda was once eleven stories tall, but was damaged and reduced to nine stories. Its double eaves and flying corners are similar to that of the Liuhe Pagoda found in Hangzhou. Its base and outside walls are made of brick, the balustrades made of stone, and the eaves and banisters encircling the structure are made of wood.
Huqiu District is one of five urban districts of Suzhou, Jiangsu province, China. The district is named after Tiger Hill, a historically famous hill and tourist attraction.
Huqiu may refer to the following locations in China:
Lingering Garden is a renowned classical Chinese garden, dating back to 1593. It is located at 338 Liuyuan Rd. Suzhou, Jiangsu province, China (留园路338号). The garden is divided into 4 themed sections connected by covered walkways. The central garden encircles a pond and a grotto constructed of yellow stone granite. It was created by the noted artist Zhou Binzhong.
The Chinese Plum Garden is a botanical garden on Lake Tai in Jiangsu, China. It is most prominent in spring when 4000 fruit trees blossom in the park.
Shantang Street, also known as Seven-li Shantang, is a street in northwestern Gusu District, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China. The street connects Changmen in the east with Huqiu in the west, with a total length of about 3,829.6 meters, or a little more than seven li or traditional "Chinese miles". Due to the great history and events involving Shantang Street it is sometimes stated as being the "First Street in Shuzou".
Huzhu Pagoda is a Chinese pagoda located on Tianmashan Hill in the Songjiang District of Shanghai. It is known for its leaning angle, surpassing that of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Xingfu Temple is a Buddhist temple located at the foot of Mount Yu in Changshu, Jiangsu, China.
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