Leifeng Pagoda hangzhou zhejiang China: ancient architectural wonders and mysterious myths and legends

Wangjack
3 min readNov 6, 2023

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Leifeng pagoda

Leifeng Pagoda is an ancient tower standing beside the West Lake in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China. It is famous for its beautiful appearance and rich cultural connotation. Leifeng Pagoda is not only a masterpiece of ancient Chinese architecture, but also an important stage for traditional mythology.

What is The Origin and construction of Leifeng Pagoda

Leifeng pagoda in winter

The history of Leifeng Pagoda can be traced back to the Northern Song Dynasty and was built around 975 AD. It was built by Su Shi, a cultural celebrity and politician in the Northern Song Dynasty, to commemorate his friend and famous poet Su Che. Leifeng Pagoda was originally a wooden structure. After many repairs and reconstructions, the current tower is a masonry structure.The architectural style of Leifeng Pagoda combines the characteristics of the Tang and Song dynasties and is unique. The tower body is in the form of a multi-story pavilion, with a total of seven floors. Each floor has exquisite carvings and paintings, showing the exquisite craftsmanship and aesthetic value of traditional Chinese architecture.

Leifeng Pagoda

What are the fairy tales Of Leifeng Pagoda?

moon fall festival

Leifeng Pagoda is closely related to many legends and myths, the most famous of which is “The Legend of White Snake”. It is said that the lake at the bottom of the tower is one of the scenes in the legend of White Snake and Xu Xian. According to legend, in order to reunite with Xu Xian, White Snake once skillfully cast a spell near Leifeng Pagoda, attracting wind, rain, thunder and lightning, thus forming the name of Leifeng Pagoda. This story integrates Leifeng Pagoda into the romantic love legend and makes it more mysterious. Every year, countless tourists and culture enthusiasts come to Leifeng Pagoda to feel the romantic atmosphere brought by this legendary story.

Historical and cultural significance of Leifeng Pagoda

Leifeng Pagoda is not only a landmark building in Hangzhou, but also a precious heritage of ancient Chinese culture and art. It has witnessed historical changes and carries rich cultural connotations. The pagoda houses many ancient cultural relics and artworks, such as ancient stone carvings, Buddhist sculptures and celebrity inscriptions, providing people with the opportunity to have an in-depth understanding of ancient Chinese culture and art.
The existence of Leifeng Pagoda not only shows the charm of ancient Chinese architecture, but also inherits rich myths and legends. It is a treasure of Chinese culture and a tourist attraction that people yearn for. Whether you are a pursuer of architectural art or a lover of myths and legends, you can find spiritual sustenance and cultural nourishment in Leifeng Pagoda.

Date: 2023–11–6​

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