Yangling Village Shousheng Temple and Glazed Tile Pagoda in Yangcheng, Shanxi

Shousheng Temple and the Glazed Tile Pagoda are buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Yangcheng Shousheng Temple was originally built during the Later Tang dynasty. In the fourth year of Emperor Yingzong of Song's Zhiping era (1067), it was granted the plaque "Shousheng Chan Yuan." The Glazed Tile Pagoda was constructed in the 36th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming dynasty (1608). Yangcheng Shousheng Temple faces south and consists of two courtyards, covering an area of about 1,333 square meters. Along the central axis from south to north are the front hall, the Glazed Tile Pagoda, and the main hall, with side rooms, watch towers, auxiliary halls, and ear halls on both sides. The Glazed Tile Pagoda is octagonal with ten stories, standing 27.8 meters tall. Each level features glazed eaves, and the outer walls are embedded with glazed relief sculptures of figures from Buddhist stories and legends. Yangcheng Shousheng Temple clearly reflects the characteristics of its era. Its Glazed Tile Pagoda is entirely covered with glazed statues in yellow, green, blue, purple, and black glazes, showcasing the Ming dynasty's glazed tile firing and glazing techniques, and holds significant historical and artistic value. It is a nationally protected key cultural relic.

Post by VictoriaMcDermott99 | Oct 20, 2025