Yuantong Temple Pagoda in Minle County, Zhangye

Yuantong Temple Pagoda, also known as Yuantong Temple Pagoda, is located within the castle of Liuba Town, 35 kilometers north of the county seat of Minle County, Zhangye City, Gansu Province; Yuantong Temple was originally built during the reign of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty (1101-1125), and now only the pagoda tower remains. Yuantong Temple Pagoda faces east and is a brick, earth, and wood mixed-structure bowl-shaped Vajrayana Buddhist pagoda of Tibetan Buddhism. The total height of the pagoda is 23.37 meters, with the height from the base to the top of the pagoda being 21.9 meters. It is composed of the pagoda base, pagoda body, Xianglun (decorative wheels), and the pagoda spire from bottom to top. The construction of Yuantong Temple Pagoda is the result of the coexistence of multiple ethnic groups, a product of multi-ethnic economic and cultural exchanges, and a symbol of multi-ethnic integration, unity, national unity, stability, and prosperity. Yuantong Temple Pagoda faces east and is slightly south by 30 degrees. It is a brick, earth, and wood mixed-structure bowl-shaped Vajrayana Buddhist pagoda of Tibetan Buddhism. The total height of the pagoda is 23.37 meters, with the height from the base to the top of the pagoda being 21.9 meters. It is composed of the pagoda base, pagoda body, Xianglun (decorative wheels), and the pagoda spire from bottom to top. Around the pagoda body, there is a brick railing at about 3.31 meters; around the pagoda, there are several main halls and side rooms to the north and south, with Buddha statues inside for worship. Pagoda Base: The pagoda base of Yuantong Temple Pagoda is a two-tiered square Sumeru base, with each side measuring 8.7 meters and the base height ranging from 20 to 40 centimeters. Above the base is Mount Sumeru, with small pagodas at each of the four corners on the upper and lower levels, totaling eight pagodas, which are rare among similar pagodas; the central largest pagoda represents the Buddha Vairocana, with the small pagodas on the east representing Amitabha, on the south representing Ratnasambhava, on the west representing Amitabha, and on the north representing Amoghasiddhi. The four small pagodas above have no spires, except for the southwest corner pagoda which only has a spire base remaining, and the southwest corner pagoda below is damaged, with all small pagodas having varying degrees of damage. Xianglun: Above the neck of Yuantong Temple Pagoda, there are 13 layers of Xianglun, commonly known as 'Thirteen Heavens,' indicating the high status of the pagoda. A large column is built inside starting from the eighth layer, and the Xianglun gradually tilts northward, with the central axis of the pagoda top deviating by 15 centimeters. The twelfth and thirteenth layers have 11 cracks of varying degrees around them. Pagoda Spire: Above the Xianglun of Yuantong Temple Pagoda, there is a round canopy surrounded by iron tassels and evenly spaced iron wind bells hanging. Above the canopy is a porcelain dark green glazed treasure vase, 1.5 meters high; the canopy, tiles, and treasure vase form the entire pagoda spire. Historical Culture: According to the records in the 'Ganzhou Prefecture Annals, Volume Five' compiled during the Qing Dynasty: 'Yuantong Temple is located in Liuba Fort, commissioned by Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, and was rebuilt in the fourth year of Tianqi of the Ming Dynasty. It was repaired twice in the seventh year of Shunzhi and the thirty-sixth year of Kangxi of our dynasty, the pagoda was repaired in the seventh year of Yongzheng, and a stone-wrapped pagoda was added in the forty-third year of Qianlong, originally over seven zhang high, now increased to over eight zhang, with a circumference of eleven zhang, and the halls and corridors were all expanded according to the original.' 'Old Pagoda Bell Sounds' Yuantong Temple Pagoda has formed the landscape of 'Old Pagoda Bell Sounds,' which is one of the old seven sceneries of Minle County. Cultural Value: Yuantong Temple Pagoda is beautifully shaped and has a long history, ranking first among the ancient buildings of Minle. It is an important Lama pagoda in the Hexi Corridor; its construction is the result of the coexistence of multiple ethnic groups, a product of multi-ethnic economic and cultural exchanges, and a symbol of multi-ethnic integration, unity, national unity, stability, and prosperity.