View source for Pagoda

{{Short description|Usually religious tower in Asian countries}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Redirect|Five-storied pagoda|the building|Zhenhai Tower (Guangzhou)|the novella|The Five-Storied Pagoda}}
{{Distinguish|Pagode}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{multiple image
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| image1            = Horyu-ji09s3200.jpg
| image2            = Liuhe Pagoda.jpg
| image3            = Giant Wild Goose Pagoda.jpg
| image4            = ThienMuPagoda.jpg
| image5            = Seokgatap pagoda (Bulguksa).jpg
| image6            = Prashar Lake,Mandi ,Himachal Pardesh.jpg
| footer            = Top to bottom, from left to right: Pagoda of [[Hōryū-ji]], Japan; [[Liuhe Pagoda]], Hangzhou, China; [[Giant Wild Goose Pagoda]] of [[Xi'an]], China; Phước Duyên Pagoda, [[Temple of the Celestial Lady|Thiên Mụ Temple]], Vietnam; [[Seokgatap]] of [[Bulguksa]], South Korea; [[Prashar Lake]] temple, [[Himachal Pradesh]], India; [[Shwedagon Pagoda]] of [[Yangon]], Myanmar
| image7            = Shwedagon Pagoda 2017.jpg
}}
{{Buddhism}}
A '''pagoda''' is a tiered [[tower]] with multiple [[eaves]], common in [[Thailand]], [[Cambodia]], [[Nepal]], [[India]], [[China]], [[Japan]], [[Korea]], [[Myanmar]], [[Vietnam]], and other parts of Asia. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most often [[Buddhism|Buddhist]], but sometimes [[Taoist]] or [[Hindu architecture|Hindu]], and were often in or near [[vihara]]s. The pagoda traces its origins to the [[stupa]], while its design was developed in [[Nepal]]'s [[Kathmandu]] valley.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pagoda {{!}} History, Design & Construction {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/technology/pagoda |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> Chinese pagodas ({{zh|c=塔|p=Tǎ}}) are a traditional part of [[Chinese architecture]]. In addition to religious use, since ancient times Chinese pagodas have been valued for the spectacular views they offer, and many classical poems attest to the joy of scaling pagodas.

The oldest and tallest pagodas were made of wood, but most that survived were made of brick or stone. Some are solid with no interior. Hollow pagodas have no higher floors or rooms, but the interior often contains an altar or a smaller pagoda, as well as a series of staircases for visitors to climb to see the view from an opening on one side of each tier. Most have between three and 13 tiers (almost always an odd number) and the classic gradual tiered eaves.<ref>{{cite book|title=Architecture and Building|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xg0aAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA245 |year=1896|publisher=W.T. Comstock|page=245}}</ref><ref name="steinhardt 387">Steinhardt, 387.</ref>

In some countries, the term may refer to other religious structures. In Vietnam and Cambodia, due to French translation, the English term ''pagoda'' more generically refers to a [[place of worship]], although ''pagoda'' is not an accurate word for a Buddhist [[vihāra]]. The architectural structure of the stupa has spread across Asia, taking on diverse forms specific to each region. Many Philippine bell towers are highly influenced by pagodas through Chinese workers hired by the [[Spaniards]].
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==Etymology==
One proposed etymology is from a [[South China|South Chinese]] pronunciation of the term for an eight-cornered tower, {{zh|c=八角塔|p=bā jiǎo tǎ|labels=no|link=no|out=c}}, and reinforced by the name of a famous pagoda encountered by many early European visitors to China, the [[Pazhou Pagoda|"Pázhōu tǎ"]] ({{zh|c=琶洲塔|link=no}}), standing just south of [[Guangzhou]] at [[Pazhou#Anchorage|Whampoa Anchorage]].<ref>Chinese Origin of the Term  Pagoda: Liang Sicheng's Proposed Etymology
Authors: David Robbins Tien
Publication: Acta Orientalia, volume 77 (2016), pp 133–144
David Robbins Tien, Gerald Leonard Cohen
Publication: Arts, Languages and Philosophy Faculty Research & Creative Works
DownloadTien, D. R., & Cohen, G. L. (2017) http://scholarsmine.mst.edu/artlan_phil_facwork. David Robbins Tien. Comments on Etymology, October 2014, Vol.44, no. 1, pp. 2–6.</ref> Another proposed etymology is [[Persian language|Persian]] ''botkada'', from ''bot'', "idol" and ''kada'', "temple, dwelling."<ref>''[[Random House Unabridged Dictionary]]'', Second Edition. Random House, New York, 1993.</ref>

Yet another etymology is from the Sinhala word ''dāgaba'', derived from Sanskrit ''dhātugarbha'' or Pali ''dhātugabbha'': "relic womb/chamber" or "reliquary shrine", i.e. a [[stupa]], by way of Portuguese.<ref>''Hobson-Jobson: The Anglo-Indian Dictionary'' by Henry Yule & Arthur Coke Burnell, first printed 1896, reprinted by Wordsworth Editions, 1996, p. 291. ''Online Etymology Dictionary'' by Douglas Harper, s.v. ''pagoda'', at http://www.etymonline.com/ (Accessed 29 April 2016)</ref>{{fv|date=August 2024}}

==History==
[[File:Kek Lok Si pagoda styles.svg|thumb|upright|[[Kek Lok Si]] pagoda tiers labelled with their architectural styles]]
The origin of the pagoda can be traced to the [[stupa]] (3rd century BCE).<ref name=Ency>{{Britannica|438284|Pagoda}}</ref> The stupa, a dome shaped monument, was used as a commemorative monument to house sacred relics and writings.<ref name=Ency/><ref>''[https://books.google.com/books?id=HrzPlqLjR1MC A World History of Architecture]''. Michael W. Fazio, Marian Moffett, Lawrence Wodehouse. Published 2003. McGraw-Hill Professional. {{ISBN|0-07-141751-6}}.</ref> In East Asia, the architecture of Chinese towers and [[Chinese pavilion]]s blended into pagoda architecture, eventually also spreading to Southeast Asia. Their construction was popularized by the efforts of [[Buddhist missionary|Buddhist missionaries]], pilgrims, rulers, and ordinary devotees to honor Buddhist relics.<ref>''The Impact of Buddhism on Chinese Material Culture''. John Kieschnick. Published 2003. [[Princeton University Press]]. {{ISBN|0-691-09676-7}}.</ref>

Japan has a total of 22 five-storied timber pagodas constructed before 1850.<ref name=hanazato10>{{cite journal |title=Seismic and Wind Performance of Five-Storied Pagoda of Timber Heritage Structure |year=2010 |url=http://www.hms.civil.uminho.pt/sahc/2010/79.pdf |doi=10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.133-134.79 |last1=Hanazato |first1=Toshikazu |last2=Minowa |first2=Chikahiro |last3=Niitsu |first3=Yasushi |last4=Nitto |first4=Kazuhiko |last5=Kawai |first5=Naohito |last6=Maekawa |first6=Hideyuki |last7=Morii |first7=Masayuki |journal=Advanced Materials Research |volume=133-134 |pages=79–95 |s2cid=135707895 |archive-date=21 January 2022 |access-date=2 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121194152/http://www.hms.civil.uminho.pt/sahc/2010/79.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===China===
[[File:Zhengding Lingxiao Pagoda 3.jpg|thumb|upright|right|The [[Lingxiao Pagoda]] of [[Zhengding]], Hebei, built in 1045 AD during the [[Song dynasty]], with little change in later renovations]]
The earliest styles of Chinese pagodas were square-base and circular-base, with [[octagon]]al-base towers emerging in the 5th–10th centuries. The highest Chinese pagoda from the pre-modern age is the [[Liaodi Pagoda]] of Kaiyuan Monastery, Dingxian, [[Hebei]], completed in the year 1055 AD under [[Emperor Renzong of Song]] and standing at a total height of 84&nbsp;m (275&nbsp;ft). Although it no longer stands, the tallest pre-modern pagoda in Chinese history was the {{convert|100|m|ft|adj=mid|-tall wooden pagoda}} of [[Chang'an]], built by [[Emperor Yang of Sui]],<ref>Benn, 62.</ref> and possibly the short-lived 6th century [[Yongning Pagoda]] ([[:zh:永宁寺塔|永宁宝塔]]) of [[Luoyang]] at roughly 137 metres. The tallest pre-modern pagoda still standing is the Liaodi Pagoda. In April 2007 a new wooden pagoda [[Pagoda of Tianning Temple (Changzhou)|Tianning Temple]] of [[Changzhou]] was opened to the public, the tallest in China, standing 154&nbsp;m (505&nbsp;ft).

==Symbolism and geomancy==
[[File:Zhengding Kaiyuan Temple 1.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Xumi Pagoda]], built in 636 AD during the [[Tang dynasty]].]]
[[Chinese art|Chinese]] [[iconography]] is noticeable in [[Chinese pagoda|Chinese]] and other East Asian pagoda architectures. Also prominent is Buddhist iconography such as the image of the [[Shakyamuni Buddha|Shakyamuni]] and [[Gautama Buddha]] in the ''[[Mudra#Abhaya Mudr.C4.81|abhaya mudra]].''<ref>''The Impact of Buddhism on Chinese Material Culture'' By John Kieschnick. Published 2003. Princeton University Press. {{ISBN|0-691-09676-7}}. p.  83</ref><ref>''The Impact of Buddhism on Chinese Material Culture''. John Kieschnick. Published 2003. Princeton University Press. {{ISBN|0-691-09676-7}}. page 83</ref> In an article on Buddhist elements in [[Han dynasty]] art, [[Wu Hung]] suggests that in these temples, [[Buddhist symbolism]] was fused with native Chinese traditions into a unique system of symbolism.<ref>''The Impact of Buddhism on Chinese Material Culture''. John Kieschnick. Published 2003. Princeton University Press. {{ISBN|0-691-09676-7}}. page 84</ref>

Some believed reverence at pagodas could bring luck to students taking the Chinese civil service [[Imperial examinations|examinations]].<ref>Brook, 7.</ref> When a pagoda of Yihuang County in [[Fuzhou]] collapsed in 1210, local inhabitants believed the disaster correlated with the recent failure of many exam candidates in the prefectural examinations<ref name="hymes 30">Hymes, 30.</ref> The pagoda was rebuilt in 1223 and had a list inscribed on it of the recently successful examination candidates, in hopes that it would reverse the trend and win the county supernatural favor.<ref name="hymes 30" />

==Architecture==
[[File:Horyuji temple , 法隆寺 - panoramio (18).jpg|thumb|right|Floor-support structure in a corner of the [[Horyuji temple]].]]
Pagodas come in many different sizes,<ref>{{cite book|last=Terry|first=T. Philip|title=Terry's Japanese Empire|url=https://archive.org/details/terrysjapanesee00terrgoog|year=1914|publisher=Houghton Mifflin|page=[https://archive.org/details/terrysjapanesee00terrgoog/page/n568 257]}}</ref> with taller ones often attracting [[lightning strike]]s, inspiring a tradition that the [[finial]] decoration of the top of the structure can seize demons.<ref>{{cite book|last=Christel|first=Pascal|title=Splendour of Buddhism in Burma: A Journey to the Golden Land|year=2020|publisher=Partridge Publishing Singapore}}</ref> Today many pagodas have been fitted with wires making the finial into a [[lightning conductor|lightning rod]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Spacey |first1=John |title=Japanese Temple Architecture in 60 Seconds |url=https://www.japan-talk.com/jt/new/temple-architecture |website=Japan Talk |access-date=7 January 2021}}</ref>

Wooden pagodas possess certain characteristics thought to resist earthquake damage. These include the friction damping and
sliding effect of the complex wooden [[dougong]] joints,<ref name="tokmakova17">{{cite news |last1=Tokmakova |first1=Anastasia |title=2,500-year-old Chinese wood joints that make buildings earthquake-proof |url=https://archinect.com/news/article/150019184/2-500-year-old-chinese-wood-joints-that-make-buildings-earthquake-proof |publisher=Archinect |date=24 July 2017}}</ref> the structural isolation of floors, the effects of wide eaves analogous to a balancing toy, and the [[Shinbashira]] phenomenon that the center column is bolted to the rest of the superstructure.<ref name=nakahara00/>

Pagodas traditionally have an odd number of levels, a notable exception being the eighteenth-century [[Orientalism|orientalist]] [[Great Pagoda, Kew Gardens|pagoda]] designed by [[William Chambers (architect)|Sir William Chambers]] at [[Kew Gardens]] in London.

The pagodas in Himalayas are derived from [[Newari architecture]], very different from Chinese and Japanese styles.<ref>{{cite book|last=Chihara |first=Daigorō|title=Hindu-Buddhist Architecture in Southeast Asia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wiUTOanLClcC&pg=PA28|year=1996|publisher=BRILL|isbn=90-04-10512-3|page=28}}</ref>

==Construction materials==

===Wood===
[[Image:Pagoda of Songyue Temple, 2015-09-25 20.jpg|thumb|right|The {{convert|40|m|ft|adj=mid|-tall}} [[Songyue Pagoda]] of 523 AD, the oldest extant stone pagoda in China]]
During the [[Southern and Northern dynasties]], pagodas were mostly built of wood, as were other ancient Chinese structures. Wooden pagodas are resistant to earthquakes, and no Japanese pagoda has been destroyed by an earthquake,<ref name="nakahara00">{{cite news |author=Koji NAKAHARA |author2=Toshiharu HISATOKU |author3=Tadashi NAGASE |author4=Yoshinori TAKAHASHI |title=EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE OF ANCIENT FIVE-STORY PAGODA STRUCTURE OF HORYU-JI TEMPLE IN JAPAN |url=https://www.iitk.ac.in/nicee/wcee/article/1229.pdf |issue=1229/11/A |publisher=12th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering |date=2000}}</ref> but they are prone to fire, natural rot, and insect infestation.

Examples of wooden pagodas:
*White Horse Pagoda at [[White Horse Temple]], Luoyang
*[[Futuci Pagoda]] in [[Xuzhou]], built in the [[Three Kingdoms]] period ({{Circa|220}}–265)
*Many of the pagodas in ''[[Stories About Buddhist Temples in Luoyang]]'', a [[Northern Wei dynasty|Northern Wei]] text

The literature of subsequent eras also provides evidence of the domination of wooden pagoda construction. The famous [[Tang dynasty]] poet, [[Du Mu]], once wrote:
{{Poem quote|480 Buddhist temples of the Southern Dynasties,
uncountable towers and pagodas stand in the misty rain.{{clarify|date=May 2024|reason=How is this evidence of wooden construction?}}}}

The oldest standing fully wooden pagoda in China today is the [[Pagoda of Fugong Temple]] in Ying County, [[Shanxi]], built in the 11th century during the Song/[[Liao dynasty]] (see [[Architecture of the Song dynasty|Song architecture]]).

===Transition to brick and stone===
[[Image:ChinaTrip2005-110.jpg|thumb|upright|right|The brick-constructed [[Giant Wild Goose Pagoda]], built by 652 and rebuilt in 704, during the [[Tang dynasty]].]]
During the [[Northern Wei dynasty|Northern Wei]] and [[Sui dynasty|Sui]] dynasties (386–618) experiments began with the construction of brick and stone pagodas. Even at the end of the Sui, however, wood was still the most common material. For example, [[Emperor Wen of Sui China|Emperor Wen]] of the [[Sui dynasty]] (reigned 581–604) once issued a decree for all counties and prefectures to build pagodas to a set of standard designs, however since they were all built of wood none have survived. Only the [[Songyue Pagoda]] has survived, a circular-based pagoda built out of brick in 523 AD.

====Brick====
The earliest extant brick pagoda is the {{convert|40|m|adj=on}} tall [[Songyue Pagoda]] in Dengfeng Country, [[Henan]].<ref name="steinhardt 383">Steinhardt, 383.</ref> This curved, circle-based pagoda was built in 523 during the [[Northern Wei dynasty]], and has survived for 15 centuries.<ref name="steinhardt 383"/> Much like the later pagodas found during the following Tang dynasty, this temple featured tiers of eaves encircling its frame, as well as a [[spire]] crowning the top. Its walls are {{convert|2.5|m}} thick, with a ground floor diameter of {{convert|10.6|m}}. Another early brick pagoda is the [[Sui dynasty]] [[Guoqing Temple|Guoqing Pagoda]] built in 597.

====Stone====
The earliest large-scale stone pagoda is a [[Four Gates Pagoda]] at [[Licheng District, Jinan|Licheng]], Shandong, built in 611 during the [[Sui dynasty]]. Like the Songyue Pagoda, it also features a spire at its top, and is built in the pavilion style.

====Brick and stone====
One of the earliest brick and stone pagodas was a three-storey construction built in the (first) [[Jin dynasty (266–420)]], by [[Wang Jun (Jin dynasty)|Wang Jun]] of [[Xiangyang District, Xiangfan|Xiangyang]]. However, it is now destroyed.

Brick and stone went on to dominate [[Tang dynasty|Tang]], [[Song dynasty|Song]], [[Liao dynasty|Liao]] and [[Jin dynasty, 1115–1234|Jin]] dynasty pagoda construction. An example is the [[Giant Wild Goose Pagoda]] (652 AD), built during the early Tang dynasty. The [[Porcelain Tower of Nanjing|Porcelain Pagoda of Nanjing]] has been one of the most famous brick and stone pagoda in China throughout history.
The Zhou dynasty started making the ancient pagodas about 3,500 years ago.
{{clear}}

==De-emphasis over time==
[[Image:Shanghai-jade-buddha-temple.jpg|right|thumb|[[Jade Buddha Temple]] in Shanghai follows the Song dynasty multi-courtyard design, and does not feature a pagoda. The main hall is at the center.]]
Pagodas, in keeping with the tradition of the [[White Horse Temple]], were generally placed in the center of temples until the [[Sui dynasty|Sui]] and [[Tang dynasty|Tang]] dynasties. During the Tang, the importance of the main hall was elevated and the pagoda was moved beside the hall, or out of the temple compound altogether. In the early Tang, [[Daoxuan]] wrote a ''[[Standard Design for Buddhist Temple Construction]]'' in which the main hall replaced the pagoda as the center of the temple.

The design of temples was also influenced by the use of traditional Chinese residences as shrines, after they were philanthropically donated by the wealthy or the pious. In such pre-configured spaces, building a central pagoda might not have been either desirable or possible.

In the [[Song dynasty]] (960–1279), the [[Zen|Chan]] (Zen) sect developed a new 'seven part structure' for temples. The seven parts—the Buddha hall, dharma hall, monks' quarters, depository, gate, pure land hall and toilet facilities—completely exclude pagodas, and can be seen to represent the final triumph of the traditional Chinese palace/courtyard system over the original central-pagoda tradition established 1000 years earlier by the [[White Horse Temple]] in 67. Although they were built outside of the main temple itself, large pagodas in the tradition of the past were still built. This includes the two [[Ming dynasty]] pagodas of Famen Temple and the Chongwen Pagoda in [[Jingyang County|Jingyang]] of [[Shaanxi]].

A prominent, later example of converting a palace to a temple is Beijing's [[Yonghe Temple]], which was the residence of [[Yongzheng Emperor]] before he ascended the throne. It was donated for use as a lamasery after his death in 1735.
{{-}}

==Styles of eras==

===Han dynasty===
Examples of Han dynasty era tower architecture predating Buddhist influence and the full-fledged Chinese pagoda can be seen in the four pictures below. Michael Loewe writes that during the Han dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD) period, multi-storied towers were erected for religious purposes, as [[Observatory|astronomical observatories]], as [[watchtower]]s, or as ornate buildings that were believed to attract the favor of [[Chinese folk religion|spirits, deities, and immortals]].<ref>Loewe (1968), 133.</ref>
<gallery>
Image:Pottery tower 6.JPG|[[History of China|Ancient Chinese]] model of two residential towers, made of [[earthenware]] during the [[Han dynasty]], 2nd century BC to 2nd century AD, excavated by archaeologists in 1993.
File:Han Dynasty pottery tower2.JPG|Side view of a Han pottery tower model with a mid-floor balcony and a courtyard gatehouse flanked by smaller towers; the ''[[dougong]]'' support brackets are clearly visible.
File:Nswag, dinastia han occidentale, modellino funebre di una torre d'avvistamento 02.JPG|A Western-Han model of a watchtower with human figures on its balconies (including crossbowmen) and a gatehouse and courtyard on the first floor.
Image:Earthenware architecture models, Eastern Han Dynasty, 1.JPG|Among a large set of architectural models, three Eastern Han dynasty watchtowers stand in the rear of this display.
</gallery>

===Sui and Tang===
Pagodas built during the Sui and Tang dynasty usually had a square base, with a few exceptions such as the Daqin Pagoda:
<gallery>
Image:Four gates pagoda shandong 2006 09.jpg|[[Four Gates Pagoda]], built in 611
File:Da Qin Pagoda.jpg|The [[Daqin Pagoda]], built in 640
Image:Xi'anwildgoosepagoda2.JPG|The [[Small Wild Goose Pagoda]], built in 709
File:Fawang Temple Pagoda, Dengfeng.jpg|[[Fawang Temple]] Pagoda, built in early 8th century
File:Baoguangsi.jpg|Pagoda of the [[Baoguang Temple]], built between 862 and 888
</gallery>

===Dali kingdom===
<gallery>
Image:Threepagodas.jpg|The [[Three Pagodas]], 9th and 10th centuries
</gallery>

===Song, Liao, Jin, Yuan===
Pagodas of the Five Dynasties, Northern and Southern Song, Liao, Jin, and Yuan dynasties incorporated many new styles, with a greater emphasis on hexagonal and octagonal bases for pagodas:
<gallery>
File:Pagoda Yunyan Ta.jpg|The [[Huqiu Tower]], built in 961
File:Longhua Pagoda.JPG|[[Longhua Pagoda]], built in 977
File:苏州罗汉院双塔·航拍正立面.jpg|[[Twin Pagodas (Suzhou)|Luohanyuan Twin Pagodas]], built in 982
File:瑞光塔·苏州·（西向东）.jpg|[[Ruiguang Pagoda]], built in 1009
File:The Fugong Temple Wooden Pagoda.jpg|[[Pagoda of Fogong Temple]], built in 1056
File:Dingzhou Liaodi Pagoda 2.jpg|The [[Liaodi Pagoda]], built in 1055
File:Pagoda at Lingyan Si.jpg|[[Pizhi Pagoda]], built by 1063
File:Haotian pagoda.jpg|[[Haotian Pagoda]], built in 1103
File:Tianning Pagoda 1.JPG|[[Pagoda of Tianning Temple (Beijing)|Pagoda of Tianning Temple in Beijing]], 1120
File:北寺塔·蘇州·正面.jpg|[[Beisi Pagoda]], built in 1153
File:Chengling pagoda.JPG|The [[Zhengding#Chengling Pagoda|Chengling Pagoda]], built in 1189
File:Wuhan Wuying Ta 2012.11.21 10-44-59.jpg|[[Wuying Pagoda]], built in 1270
File:BailinTemple2.jpg|[[Pagoda of Bailin Temple]], built by 1330
File:Flower Pagoda dli dpa 000 16187 cor.jpg|Photographer unknown, "[https://library.nga.gov/permalink/01NGA_INST/1p5jkvq/alma991133773804896 Flower Pagoda Guangzhou]," n.d., [https://www.nga.gov/research/library/imagecollections.html Department of Image Collections, National Gallery of Art Library, Washington, DC] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140324082235/http://sacrumluce.sns.it/mv/html/ART/AUT_99CL00033300000/intro.html |date=24 March 2014 }}
</gallery>

===Ming and Qing===
Pagodas in the Ming and Qing dynasties generally inherited the styles of previous eras, although there were some minor variations:
<gallery>
File:六榕寺塔·六榕寺·廣州·（正南方）.jpg|The [[Temple of the Six Banyan Trees|Flower Pagoda of Liurong Temple]], built in 1373
Image:Jgbzt.jpg|The [[Zhenjue Temple]], built in 1473
Image:Cishou_Temple_Pagoda.JPG|The [[Pagoda of Cishou Temple]], built in 1576
Image:Great White Pagoda1.JPG|The [[Sarira Stupa of Tayuan Temple]], built in 1582
Image:Aerial View, Lotus Pagoda, Guangzhou Lotus Hill 20230225~3.jpg|The [[Lianhua Pagoda|Lianhua Pagoda of Lianhua Hills]], built in 1612
Image:Fragrant Hills-pagoda.JPG|The [[Fragrant Hills Pagoda]], built in 1780
File:Square Tower of Songjiang.jpg|The [[:zh:方塔園|Square Tower of Songjiang]], Shanghai, built in 1884
</gallery>

==Notable pagodas==
[[File:Taleju Temple 02.jpg|thumb|[[Taleju Temple, Kathmandu|Taleju Temple]], a 16th-century temple in [[Kathmandu Durbar Square]]]]
[[File:Changu Narayan Temple.png|thumb|[[Changu Narayan Temple]], Bhaktapur, Nepal]]
Tiered towers with multiple eaves:

*[[Dâu Temple]], Bắc Ninh, Vietnam, built in 187
*[[Changu Narayan Temple]], Bhaktapur, Nepal, originally built in 4th century CE, rebuilt in 1702
*[[Pashupatinath Temple]], Kathmandu, Nepal, built in the 5th century
*[[Trấn Quốc Pagoda]], Hanoi, Vietnam, built in 545
*[[Songyue Pagoda]] on [[Mount Song]], Henan, China, built in 523
*[[Mireuksa]] at [[Iksan]], Korea, built in the early 7th century
*[[Bunhwangsa]] at [[Gyeongju]], Korea, built in 634
*[[Xumi Pagoda]] at [[Zhengding]], Hebei, China, built in 636
*[[Daqin Pagoda]] in China, built in 640
*[[Hwangnyongsa]] Wooden nine-story pagoda on [[Hwangnyongsa]], Gyeongju, Korea, built in 645
*[[Hōryū-ji#Pagoda|Pagoda at Hōryū-ji]], Ikaruga, Nara, Japan, built in the 7th century, one of the oldest wooden buildings in the world
*[[Giant Wild Goose Pagoda]], made of brick, built in [[Xi'an]], China in 704
*[[Small Wild Goose Pagoda]], built in [[Xi'an]], China in 709
*[[Seokgatap]] on [[Bulguksa]], Gyeongju, South Korea, built in 751, made of granite. In 1966, the [[The Great Dharani Sutra|Mugujeonggwang Great Dharani Sutra]], the oldest extant woodblock print, was found with several other treasures in the second story of this pagoda.
*[[Dabotap]] on [[Bulguksa]], Gyeongju, Korea, built in 751
*[[Tiger Hill Pagoda]], built in 961 outside of [[Suzhou, Jiangsu|Suzhou]], China
*[[Lingxiao Pagoda]] at [[Zhengding]], Hebei, China, built in 1045
*[[Iron Pagoda]] of [[Kaifeng]], built in 1049, during the [[Song dynasty]]
*[[Liaodi Pagoda]] of [[Dingzhou]], built in 1055 during the Song dynasty
*[[Pagoda of Fogong Temple]], built in 1056 in Ying County, [[Shanxi]], China
*[[Pizhi Pagoda]] of [[Lingyan Temple (Jinan)|Lingyan Temple]], Shandong, China, 11th century
*[[Beisi Pagoda]] at [[Suzhou, Jiangsu|Suzhou]], Jiangsu, China, built in 1162
*[[Liuhe Pagoda]] (Six Harmonies Pagoda) of [[Hangzhou]], Zhejiang, China, built in 1165 during the [[Song dynasty]]
*[[Ichijō-ji]], Kasai, Hyōgo, Japan, built in 1171
*[[Bình Sơn Pagoda]] of Vĩnh Khánh Temple, [[Vĩnh Phúc]], Vietnam, built in the [[Trần dynasty]] (about the 13th century)
*Phổ Minh pagoda of [[Phổ Minh Temple]], Vietnam, built in 1305
*[[Prashar Lake]] temple, dedicated to the [[Rishi]] Prashar, the patron of the [[Mandi district|Mandi region]] in India. The temple was constructed by Raja [[Ban Sen]] in the 14th century, with the rishi being present in the form of a [[Pindi (Hindu iconography)|pindi]] stone.
*[[Porcelain Tower of Nanjing|The Porcelain Tower of Nanjing]], built between 1402 and 1424, a wonder of the medieval world in [[Nanjing]], China.
*[[Tsui Sing Lau Pagoda]] in [[Ping Shan]], Hong Kong, built in 1486
*[[Bajrayogini Temple]], Kathmandu, Nepal, built in 16th century by [[Pratap Malla]]
*[[Taleju Temple, Kathmandu|Taleju Temple]], a temple in [[Kathmandu]], Nepal, built in 1564
*[[Gokarneshwor Mahadev temple]], Nepal, built in 1582
*[[Pazhou Pagoda]] on Whampoa (Huangpu) Island, [[Guangzhou]] (Canton), China, built in 1600
*Phước Duyên Pagoda of [[Thiên Mụ Temple]], in [[Huế]], Vietnam, built in 1844 on the order of the [[Thiệu Trị]] Emperor
*[[Palsangjeon]], a five-story pagoda at [[Beopjusa]], Korea built in 1605
*[[Tō-ji]], the tallest wooden structure in [[Kyoto]], Japan, built in 1644
*[[Nyatapola]] at [[Bhaktapur]], Kathmandu Valley built during 1701–1702
*The [[Great Pagoda, Kew Gardens|Great Pagoda]] at [[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew|Kew Gardens]], London, UK, built in 1762
*[[Pagoda (Reading, Pennsylvania)|Reading Pagoda]] of [[Reading, Pennsylvania]], built in 1908
*[[Kek Lok Si]]'s main pagoda in [[Penang]], Malaysia, exhibits a combination of Chinese, Burmese and [[Thai temple art and architecture|Thai]] Buddhist architecture, built in 1930
*Seven-storey Pagoda in [[Chinese Garden, Singapore|Chinese Garden]] at [[Jurong East]], Singapore, built in 1975
*[[Dragon and Tiger Pagodas]] in [[Kaohsiung]], Taiwan, built in 1976
*The pagoda of [[Japan Pavilion at Epcot]], Florida, built in 1982
*Pagoda of [[Tianning Temple (Changzhou)|Tianning Temple]], the tallest pagoda in the world since its completion in April 2007, stands at 153.7 m in height.
*[[Nepalese Peace Pagoda]] in [[Brisbane]], Australia built for the [[Expo 88|World Expo '88]]
*[[Vihara Buddhagaya Watugong|Pagoda Avalokitesvara]], Indonesia, tallest pagoda in Indonesia, stands at 45 meters, built in 2004.
*[[Sun and Moon Pagodas]] in [[Guilin]], Guangxi, China, twin pagodas on [[Shan Lake]], originally built in the 10th century and reconstructed using historical description on the original foundation in 2001

[[Stupa]]s called "pagodas":
*[[Global Vipassana Pagoda]], the largest unsupported domed stone structure in the world
*[[Mingun Pahtodawgyi]], a monumental uncompleted stupa began by King [[Bodawpaya]] in 1790. If completed, it would be the largest in the world at 150 meters.
*[[Pha That Luang]], the holiest [[wat]], pagoda, and stupa in Laos, in [[Vientiane]]
*[[Phra Pathommachedi]] the highest pagoda or stupa in Thailand [[Nakhon Pathom]], Thailand
*[[Shwedagon Pagoda]], a {{Convert|98|m|ft|0|adj=on}} gilded pagoda and [[stupa]] located in [[Yangon]], Myanmar. It is the most sacred Buddhist pagoda for the Burmese with relics of the past four [[Buddhas]] enshrined within.
*[[Shwezigon Pagoda]] in [[Nyaung-U]], Myanmar. Completed during the reign of King [[Kyanzittha]] in 1102, it is a prototype of Burmese stupas.
*[[Uppatasanti Pagoda]], a 325-foot tall landmark in [[Naypyidaw]], Myanmar, built from 2006 to 2009, which houses a Buddha tooth relic

Places called "pagoda" but which are not tiered structures with multiple eaves:
*[[One Pillar Pagoda]]: [[Hanoi]], Vietnam, is an icon of [[Vietnamese culture]]. It was built in 1049, destroyed, and rebuilt in 1954.

Structures that evoke pagoda architecture:

*The [[Dragon House]] of Sanssouci Park, an eighteenth-century German attempt at imitating Chinese architecture
*The Panasonic Pagoda, or Pagoda Tower, at the [[Indianapolis Motor Speedway]]. This 13-story pagoda, used as the control tower for races such as the [[Indy 500]], has been transformed several times since it was first built in 1913.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indy500.com/content/History/Indianapolis_500_Traditions/16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501114531/http://www.indy500.com/content/History/Indianapolis_500_Traditions/16|url-status=dead|archive-date=1 May 2008|title=Indianapolis 500 Traditions :: Indianapolis 500|date=1 May 2008}}</ref>
*[[Jin Mao Tower]] in Shanghai, built between 1994 and 1999
*[[Petronas Towers]] in Kuala Lumpur, the [[List of tallest buildings in the world|tallest buildings in the world]] from 1998 to 2004
*[[Taipei 101]] in Taiwan, record setter for height (508&nbsp;m) in 2004 and currently (2021) the world's tenth tallest completed building

Structures not generally thought of as pagodas, but which have some pagoda-like characteristics:
*The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests at the [[Temple of Heaven]]
*[[Wongudan]] Altar in Korea

<gallery widths="200" heights="200">
File:Iron Pagoda d.JPG|The [[Iron Pagoda]] of [[Kaifeng]], China, built in 1049
File:Five tier pagoda at Mt. Haguro 2006-10-29.jpg|Five-story pagoda of [[Mount Haguro]], Japan
File:Ichijoji Kasai13bs4272.jpg|Wooden three-story pagoda of [[Ichijō-ji]] in Japan, built in 1171
File:Nieuhof-Ambassade-vers-la-Chine-1665 0755.tif|Yingde pagoda, Qingyuan, Guangdong Province, China, from Johan Nieuhof (1618–1672); Jean-Baptiste Le Carpentier (1606 – c. 1670): L'ambassade de la Compagnie Orientale des Provinces Unies vers l'Empereur de la Chine, 1665
File:Chua Mot Cot.jpg|[[One Pillar Pagoda]], Hanoi, Vietnam
File:Zhengding Kaiyuan Temple 1.jpg|The nine-story [[Xumi Pagoda]], Hebei, China, built in 636
File:Nyatapola Temple.JPG|[[Nyatapola]] Temple located in [[Bhaktapur]], Nepal, built in 1701–1702
File:101.red-dusk.altonthompson.jpg|[[Taipei 101]] in [[Taipei]], Taiwan
File:Indy Pagoda.JPG|The Bombardier Pagoda at the [[Indianapolis Motor Speedway]]
File:Shwedagon-Pano.jpg|[[Shwedagon Pagoda]] located in [[Yangon]], Myanmar. The whole structure is coated with 60 tons of pure gold
File:Pagoda Mumbai 2009.jpg|Pagoda Mumbai
File:Buddha Tooth Relic Pagoda.JPG
File:Peace pagoda -Sri Lanka.jpg|Peace Pagoda - Sri Lanka
File:Sun and Moon Pagodas Guilin November 2017 HDR panorama.jpg|The Sun and Moon Pagodas lighted at night and reflected in Lake Shanhu in November 2017.
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Architecture of the Song dynasty]]
*[[Cetiya]]
*[[Chaitya]]
*[[Pyatthat]]
*[[Gopuram]]
*[[Kath kuni architecture|Kath-Kuni architecture]]
*[[Chinese architecture]]
*[[Gongbei (Islamic architecture)|Gongbei]] – Chinese Muslim mausoleum with pagoda-style architecture
*[[Japanese pagoda]]
*[[List of pagodas in Beijing]]
*[[Chaoyang North Tower]]
*[[Guanghui Temple Huatai Pagoda]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
*Benn, Charles (2002). ''China's Golden Age: Everyday Life in the Tang Dynasty''. Oxford: Oxford University Press. {{ISBN|0-19-517665-0}}.
*[[Timothy Brook (historian)|Brook, Timothy]]. (1998). ''[[The Confusions of Pleasure: Commerce and Culture in Ming China]]''. Berkeley: University of California Press. {{ISBN|0-520-22154-0}}
* Fazio, Michael W., Moffett, Marian and Wodehouse, Lawrence. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=HrzPlqLjR1MC A World History of Architecture]''. Published 2003. McGraw-Hill Professional. {{ISBN|0-07-141751-6}}.
*Fu, Xinian. (2002). "The Three Kingdoms, Western and Eastern Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties," in ''Chinese Architecture'', 61–90. Edited by Nancy S. Steinhardt. New Haven: Yale University Press. {{ISBN|0-300-09559-7}}.
* Govinda, A. B. ''Psycho-cosmic symbolism of the Buddhist stupa''. 1976, Emeryville, California. Dharma Publications.
*Hymes, Robert P. (1986). Statesmen and Gentlemen: The Elite of Fu-Chou, Chiang-Hsi, in Northern and Southern Sung. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. {{ISBN|0-521-30631-0}}.
*Kieschnick, John. ''The Impact of Buddhism on Chinese Material Culture''. Published 2003. Princeton University Press . {{ISBN|0-691-09676-7}}.
*Loewe, Michael. (1968). ''Everyday Life in Early Imperial China during the Han Period 202 BC–AD 220''. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd.; New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons.
*Steinhardt, Nancy Shatzman (1997). ''Liao Architecture''. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Pagodas|Pagodas in China}}
{{Portal bar|Architecture|Religion|Hinduism|Buddhism|Asia|India|China|Korea|Japan|Vietnam|Nepal}}
* [http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/ Oriental architecture.com]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110120210330/http://www.ruleworks.co.uk/Ayrshire/culzean-pagoda.asp Culzean Pagoda (Monkey House) – the only stone built pagoda in Britain]
* [http://www.economist.com/daily/columns/techview/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14156084&fsrc=nwl "Why so few Japanese pagodas have ever fallen down"] (''[[The Economist]]'')
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070929081006/http://www.donsmith.net.cn/Pagoda-Gallery/Pagoda-Gallery-Thumbnails.htm Chinese pagoda gallery (211 pics)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070121180106/http://www.nudieman.com/anrg/index.html The Bei-Hai (Beijing), The Flower Pagoda (Guangdong), The Great Gander Pagoda (Xian), The White Pagoda (Liaoyang)]
*[http://www.china.org.cn/english/TR-e/43208.htm The Songyue Pagoda at China.org.cn]
*[http://french.china.org.cn/english/features/43490.htm Structure of Pagodas, including the underground palace, base, body and steeple, at China.org.cn]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100130185156/http://www.pem.org/library/collections/offen The Herbert Offen Research Collection of the Phillips Library at the Peabody Essex Museum]

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{{Buddhism topics}}
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[[Category:Pagodas| ]]
[[Category:Stupas|*]]
[[Category:Buddhist buildings and structures]]
[[Category:Buddhist temples]]
[[Category:Towers]]
[[Category:Buddhist architecture]]
[[Category:Hindu buildings and structures]]
[[Category:Hindu temples]]
[[Category:Hindu architecture]]
[[Category:Indian architectural history]]
[[Category:Chinese architectural history]]
[[Category:Japanese architectural history]]
[[Category:Architecture in Korea]]
[[Category:Architecture in Vietnam]]
[[Category:Building types]]
[[Category:Architecture in Nepal]]
[[Category:Religious towers]]