Six Harmonies Pagoda
六和塔
The Six Harmonies Pagoda, situated by the Qiantang River, has been praised and eulogised for hundreds of years by poets and scribes.
According to historical documents, the Six Harmonies Pagoda was originally built in 970 during the Northern Song Dynasty by Qianhongchu, King of Wuyue. Legend has it that the pagoda was built primary as a flood defence. The pagoda is symbolic of the harmony in balanced polar opposites, such as heaven, earth, east, west, south and north. With nine storeys and standing 150 meters high, the pagoda has also served as a beacon, with a light shining from the top lighting up the night in order to guide the many vessels traversing the Qiantang River.
The pagoda has sustained significant damage during its 1000 year history, most significantly during a time of war in 1121, when it came close to being destroyed. Reconstruction work was begun in 1153 and finished in 1163. After renovation, the height of the pagoda was lowered, with only seven storeys-compared to the original nine.
The surviving pagoda is one of the tallest pagodas in southern China. It stands at 59.89 meters, with seven interior levels and thirteen exterior levels and is octagonal in shape. Winding stairways line the inside of the pagoda’s wall, and the walls of the pagoda are carved with various vivid shapes, such as human figures, flowers, birds, fish, insects and other decorative patterns. Tourists can walk around on the spacious balconies and appreciate the beautiful scenery.
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