Wooden Pagoda Temple

Overview
Located at Xianfu South Street in Zhangye City. As its main structure is wood, and also it is the wood element of the Five Elements Pagodas (five elements refers to gold, wood, water, fire, earth), hence the name.

History
The pagoda was built in 582 in the Sui Dynasty and was rebuilt several times later. 

In 1418 of Ming Dynasty, Monk Manzhen collected alms and expended the temple. 

In 1685 during Emperor Kangxi of Qing Dynasty, Gansu Provincial Commander-in-chief Sun Sike visited the temple, and renovated the temple again. Unfortunately, the temple was ruined. 

In the last year of the Qing Dynasty (1911) the pagoda was brought down by strong winds; 

It was reconstructed in 1926.

Structure
The rebuilt wooden pagoda, 32.8 meters high, is an octagonal nine-storey structure on a square pedestal, twenty meters long each side. The walls of the first to seventh storeys are brick, but the eaves are wooden. Both the walls and eaves of the eighth and ninth storeys are wooden. Though the wooden parts are fewer than those of Zhengding Pagoda in Hebei Province, it is one of only a few such pagodas in the whole country.

The pagoda tapers gradually from the bottom, and the storeys become lower and lower. The doors and windows are on different sides on different storeys: There are doors on the east and west sides of the first storey; False doors on the east and west sides and false windows on the south and north sides of the second storey; Doors on four sides and moon-shaped windows on the third storey; Doors on the east and west sides and false windows on the south and north sides of the fifth storey; Doors on four sides of the six storey, and no doors but moon-shaped windows on the south and north sides of the seventh storey. Carved on the false windows are designs of flowers, and above the doors are inscribed boards.

The board over the east door of the first storey says, "Reach paradise," and the inscription above the west door says, "Enter the state of samadhi. " The whole pagoda looks steady and exquisite.

Info
Location: Xianfunan Street in Zhangye city, Gansu Province
Opening Hours: 08:00-17:00
Transportation: Take Bus.No 6, 7, 8, 9,12 or walk there from Zhangye city.
Admission Fee: CNY20
Recommended Time for a Visit: 40 Minutes