The only remaining circular ancient pagoda from the Tang Dynasty in China

The Fanzhou Chan Master Pagoda in Yuncheng is the tomb pagoda of Master Fanzhou, located in Beiqu Village northwest of Yuncheng City, on the site of the former Bao'en Temple from the Tang Dynasty. The temple no longer exists, with only this pagoda remaining.

Standing 10 meters tall, the Fanzhou Chan Master Pagoda has a perfectly circular layout, divided into three parts: the base, the body, and the top, each roughly one-third of the total height. Master Fanzhou was a member of the Tang imperial family, with his grandfather being a cousin of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. Born in the 27th year of the Kaiyuan era (739 AD), he was exceptionally intelligent from a young age, skilled in poetry and painting, and deeply versed in Buddhist teachings. At the age of 20, he renounced his royal life to practice at Baoguo Temple. It is said that his paintings of arhats were remarkably lifelike, earning him comparisons to renowned figures like the monk Huaisu and the painter Yan Liben.

While many single-story pagodas from the Tang Dynasty still exist, this one is unique as the only surviving example of a single-story circular pagoda from that period. Additionally, the inscription on the Fanzhou Chan Master Pagoda is written vertically from left to right, a rare feature in China.

Post by ChristianPedersen | Jul 6, 2025