Pagoda of Fogong Temple in Ying County (National AAAA Tourist Attraction)

More than 1000 years ago, Ying County, Shuozhou and Datong were controlled by Liao, collectively known as Yingzhou.

Yunzhou was promoted to Datong Administration of Xijing as one of the five capitals of the Liao Dynasty for more than 80 years. Datong Administration not only built tall and towering, it was equipped with the highest regional administrative officer as well as the Imperial College, the Xijing College, the Prefecture College and the County College. The compounds of nobilitas were placed closely side by side, including Bali, the largest family of the Liao Dynasty.

Bali is an imperial harem family of Liao nationality, that is, most of the empress came from this family. Bali produced three empresses and three princes. They had the military privilege of leading tribal and private soldiers, and were able to create a military state with special favors and rewards. Therefore, Bali became an important family that can influence the political situation in the late Liao Dynasty, as it is called the largest harem family of the Liao Dynasty.

They invited the best designers and craftsmen at their own costs to build the Pagoda of Fogong Temple, which is still famous and standing in Yingzhou. Located between the Shanmen Hall and the Great Hall on the north-south central axis of Fogong Temple, the pagoda is in front of the temple. In front of Shanmen Hall, there is a clear river. Upon completion, it became the clan temple of Bali Family.

The pagoda was built from the middle of the 11th century AD and was completed in 1056, when Xiao Buddhist Bodhisattva, the third empress of the Bali family, presided over the imperial harem of the Liao Dynasty, and the family reached its peak. According to expert speculation, the six suppliers drawn in the pagoda are three empresses, including Xiao Noujin, Empress of Emperor Shengzong, Xiao Tali, Empress of Emperor Xingzong and Xiao Buddhist Bodhisattva, Empress of Emperor Daozong, in the upper layer, and three princes in the lower layer.

The pagoda is composed of three parts: the base, the body, and the top. The base goes deep into the ground for two meters, above which are two layers. The upper layer is an octagon and the lower layer is a square, corresponding to orbicular sky and rectangular earth. The four sides protrude to form a stable cross structure. The pagoda features 54 different kinds of bracket arms, totaling 480, in its construction, the greatest amount for any extant structure in China, known as the “Museum of Bracket Arms”. Looking downward, lotuses bloom in columns. From the exterior, the pagoda seems to have only five stories, yet its interior reveals that it has nine stories in all, with the four hidden stories under eaves. The five visible stories are beautiful, while the four hidden stories hoop the body tightly to prevent displacement or deformation. The top of the pagoda is equipped with religious implements in series, enclosed by eight iron chains.

There are 26 statues representing exoteric Buddhism and esoteric Buddhism. Buddha complete the perfect penetration of the exoteric and the esoteric Buddhism by worshiping from the exoteric Buddhism in the first layer to esoteric Buddhism in the fifth layer.

In 1423, Emperor Yongle led the troops to fight back Tatars and Oirat in Xuanhua. They stayed in Yingzhou in their way back to Beijing. Emperor Yongle wrote a plaque, which was renewed in 1613. In 1517, Mongolia invaded and Zhengde Emperor led the troops to fight against and killed an enemy. With more troops joining the war, Bayan retreated hastily. In the Battle of Yingzhou, the Ming court won a great victory. During the celebration in the next year, Emperor Zhengde attended and wrote “A World Wonder” to praise the pagoda.
 

Site Add.   Liao Dynasty Cultural City, Jincheng Town, Ying County, Shuozhou City, Shanxi Province 

Best Travel Time All year round 

Business Hours   08:30-18:00
 
Traffic Information 
Ying County is not big. So the distance for walking to the scenic area will not be too far; if you take a taxi, the cost will not exceed the start-up fee. 
Tour Reminder   
There are 3D and VR experience services in the scenic area. Don’t miss it!