Shengshou Pagoda is located on the Nanshan Mountain (now within Zheng He Park) in the urban area of Changle County-level City, Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, China. It was first constructed in the third year of the Shaosheng era of the Song Dynasty (1096 AD) and completed on October 23rd, the seventh year of the Zhenghe era (1117 AD). The pagoda was funded by a local resident, Lin Ang, and built with the help of the monk Jingxiu from the Fahuan Temple by raising funds from the public.
In the early Ming Dynasty, Zheng He, the famous Chinese mariner and explorer, made seven voyages to the Western Seas. Each time his fleet would anchor at Changle Taiping Port to wait for the monsoon winds. The pagoda served as both a watchtower for Zheng He to overlook Taiping Port and a navigational landmark for his fleet entering and leaving the port. The pagoda stands at a height of 27.4 meters, with seven levels and an octagonal shape, constructed in the style of a wooden pavilion using granite. The interior of the pagoda has a hollow arched top and is equipped with a zigzag-shaped stone staircase. It has one door on the first level, two doors on levels two to six, and four doors on the seventh level. From 1981 to 1984, the state allocated funds for the maintenance and repair of the pagoda. Reinforcements were made at the base of each floor’s corridor using reinforced concrete, cracks were filled with high-pressure cement grouting, damaged components were repaired, and the railings on each level were restored in the style of the Song Dynasty. The pagoda yard was also rebuilt in the same style. The pagoda is open to the public all year round and is accessible 24 hours a day.Related posts:
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