Within Northern Wei’s capital city of Luoyang (516 AD), there was a pagoda known as the Yongning Pagoda or Temple, which was constructed in the first year of Emperor Xiaoming’s rule. No longer standing, the Yongning Pagoda formerly stood in a temple in Luoyang with the same name. The current location of this temple is near the crossroads of National Highway 310 and Longhai Railway in Luoyang, to the east of White Horse Temple today.
Burned Down by Lightning
18 years after its construction, lightning struck the Yongning Pagoda and destroyed it in February (534 AD). This destruction occurred during the third year of Emperor Xiaowu of Northern Wei. After it was burned down, the building was completely gone. Although its exact height is unclear, around 450 feet is a common approximation.
Yongning Pagoda’s Overall Features
Height
In Yang Xuanzhi’s “Record of Buddhist Monasteries in Luoyang,” the Yongning Pagoda is described as having nine floors and a height of one hundred zhang which is 878 feet. According to the same source, this height made the structure visible from a distance of about one hundred li or 40 miles.
According to other sources, the Yongning Pagoda was not 878 but 482 feet tall and without its spire, the pagoda’s overall height was approximately 449 feet, or 49 zhang. Nonetheless, in ancient times, this pagoda towered over all other known buildings at the time. It remained the tallest building in the world between 516 AD and 534 AD.
Outer Design Elements
The Yongning Pagoda at the temple was square in shape, with three entrances and six windows on each floor. The pagoda’s pinnacle was adorned with golden bells and thirty layers of curved roofs (other sources say thirteen). These decorative golden bells were also hanging from the iron chains that led to the pagoda’s four corners.
The bells were ornamental, but their jingling when they moved in the wind was a nice bonus. Their sound brought a sense of serenity and spirituality. Those “iron chains” were probably the actual chains that hung from the pagoda’s top floors and eaves. In an area prone to earthquakes or high winds, these chains were likely essential for structural stability in a tall ancient building like this.
The Sound It Created Was Heard from Miles Away
According to claims, it was possible to hear the wind howling through the Yongning Pagoda and its bells from more than 6 miles away throughout the night. Embroidered columns, red lacquer on the doors and windows, five golden nails on the door panels, and golden rings ornamented the pagoda’s exterior. The golden nails were likely golden or gold-colored studs hammered into the wooden door panels in specific patterns, while the number five likely had a symbolic meaning in Buddhism.
Archaeological Excavations
There have been archaeological digs at the Yongning Pagoda site. It was discovered that the roughly 330-by-330-foot rammed-earth base served as the structure’s support system. On top of that, there was a clay base with a 7.2-foot-thick layer of limestone bricks that was 125 feet wide.
It was surrounded by stone railings and a ramp ran down the center of each side. Stability was achieved by thickening the pagoda’s corner posts. The Yongning Pagoda was a representation of the earliest kind of central pagoda seen in Buddhist temples today; it stood at the temple’s center, surrounded by hallways, halls, and gates.
