Yingxian Wooden Pagoda in Datong

Yingxian Wooden Pagoda in Datong

Attractions Overview: The oldest and highest wooden pagoda in China
Attraction Type: Pagoda; Cultural
Chinese Name: 应县木塔
English Name: Yingxian Wooden Pagoda 
Best Time to Visit: All Year Round
Recommended Visiting Time: 2 Hours
Open Hours:  08:30-18:00
Admission Fee: 50 RMB / Person
Address in English: Yingxian County, Shuozhou City, Shanxi Province, China 
Address in Chinese: 山西省朔州市应县

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Why is Yingxian Wooden Pagoda So Special?

Yingxian Wooden Pagoda is also called Sakyamuni Pagoda of Fogong Temple. It is the oldest and tallest surviving wooden pagoda structure in China. It is regarded as the ‘First Pagoda in the World’ and a gem in the architectural field. And Yingxian Wooden Pagoda is the highest all-wood pagoda in the world, standing at 67.31 meters and with a base diameter of 30.27 meters. The pagoda was built in 1056 during the Liao Dynasty, about 1000 years ago.

Where is Yingxian Wooden Pagoda?

Yingxian Wooden Pagoda is located in a village of Yingxian in Shanxi Province, about 70 kilometers south of the old Liao Dynasty’s capital Datong. The pagoda lies about 81 km from Datong Railway Station, and about 87 km from Datong Yungang Airport.

How to Get to Yingxian Wooden Pagoda?

Travel with China Dragon Tours (top recommended)

If you want to get rid of hustle of transportation and troublesome navigation, you can book a private tour package which covers visiting, dining and transfer from us. Our local tour guide and driver will escort you to Yingxian Wooden Pagoda with speed and convenience, and take care of all the details. You just need to focus on travel.

Independent Travel

For independent travelers you can 

From Yingxian County to Yingxian Wooden Pagoda: take bus 8 from Yingxian Bus Station to Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, it’s only about 10 minutes. Or traveler can take taxi or tricycle to it.

What to See in Yingxian Wooden Pagoda

Construction

Yingxian Wooden Pagoda was build with totally wood without any nails, the pagoda is a masterpiece of Chinese timber construction. The pagoda appears to be five storeys from the outside, however, it has nine storeys, and there are four blindstories inside the pagoda. On each storey, there are two circles of wooden pillars to support the upper storey, and the outside circle has 24 wooden pillars while the inside circle has 8 wooden pillars. 

Sakyamuni Statue

The first storey holds an 11 meters high Sakyamuni statue, sitting under a delicate caisson ceiling. From second storey to fifth storey, there are also various Buddha statues and Bodhisattva statues. There are also two Buddha tooth relic in the pagoda, it is said that they are the tooth of Sakyamuni.

Legend of Yingxian Wooden Pagoda

According to the legend in Yingxian County, in order to protect the wooden tower, the Jade Emperor sent the God of Fire and the God of Water to send the fire avoiding beads and water avoiding beads to the pagoda. Since then, the wooden pagoda became fireproof and waterproof. This pagoda embodies the wisdom of ancient craftsmen, and it still stands tall after many seismic tests, water and fire tests during thousand years.

Useful Travel Tips

  1. To protect the pagoda, tourists are only allowed to ascend to the second floor. Please protect the pagoda in your visit.
  2. Both Yingxian Muta and the Hanging temple of Hunyuan County can be visited in a single day if you take a rented car, or if you can arrange for group travel in a minibus.

Nearby Attractions

Edited by Emily Wang/王海玲