Fairy pagoda

Fairy pagoda

Xiangu pagoda, located in yujiaxiahe community, Licang District, was built in 1923 to commemorate Yu Niang, who was donated by local neighbors. In August 2002, Licang District government announced that Xiangu pagoda is a key cultural relic protection unit in Licang District. In February 2005, Xiangu pagoda was listed as a cultural relic protection unit in Qingdao. In November 2012, a jar was excavated in the tower.

brief introduction

Xiangu pagoda is located in yujiaxiahe community, Licang District, Qingdao City, Shandong Province. It is about 5km away from the center of Licang District. National Highway 308 passes through the west side of it. The tower was built in 1923 to commemorate Yu girl, who was donated by local neighbors. In August 2002, Licang District government announced that Xiangu pagoda is a key cultural relic protection unit in Licang District. In February 2005, Xiangu pagoda was listed as a cultural relic protection unit in Qingdao.

Architectural features

The tower is 21.8 meters high, is an eight octagonal eaves building. It is a brick tower in imitation of wood. The outline of the pagoda is delicate, even and appropriate, with slight volume killing. The base of the pagoda is made of stone and is inlaid with inscriptions. The inscriptions record Yu Xiangu's life story, folklore and the cause and process of building the pagoda. At the bottom of the shrine, there is a statue of goddess, which is lifelike and lifelike. The body of the tower on the second floor is engraved with the four characters "zhenguixian trace" written by Wang Xun, the right Minister of the Ministry of justice in the late Qing Dynasty. The eaves are decorated with animal heads and hung with bells. Surrounded by courtyard walls and built-in flowers and trees, the tower is more beautiful and outstanding.

Historical evolution

Xiangu pagoda was built in 1923 to commemorate the chastity of the village. It was donated by local gentry and villagers.

According to Yu Xiangu TA Ming, Miss Yu, whose surname is Yu mingeng, has been kind-hearted since she was a child. "She is quiet and peaceful, and she is gentle and obedient. She is close to her heart." if she is a little longer, she will discuss marriage in private with her mother, saying that her son has no earthly fate in this life. If she is strong enough to marry, she will die immediately. " Parents don't listen. As the wedding day approached, "the fairy sat with her eyes closed day and night, and did not speak or eat, but drank a little water." then she stopped drinking. Two days later, she suddenly opened her eyes and said to her sister, "it's hard to repay her parents' kindness in this life." then she said, "she died at the age of 23. Three days later, he was buried according to Buddhist etiquette. Surprisingly, three days after the girl's death, she was still "soft and light, with a fresh face" and "surprised by her neighbors, she was called" fairy girl ". We got together and agreed to build a temple and a pagoda to commemorate "Yu Xiangu". However, his father believed in Confucianism and resisted this move. After many persuasions, it was finally built.

During the cultural revolution, the courtyard walls around the pagoda were destroyed, and the pagoda body was also damaged to a certain extent. In 2002, Licang District government started the cultural relic protection project, and the restoration and protection of Xiangu pagoda was included in the project. Experts from the Municipal Bureau of cultural relics and the cultural relic Department of our district jointly formulated a specific restoration plan. The restoration project was jointly invested by the district government and yujiaxiahe village. After nearly half a year of intensive construction, the restoration project was completed in December 2002.

Unearthed sitting jar

In November 2012, according to the clues provided by the citizens, the cultural relics management office of Licang District of Qingdao, together with the neighborhood committee of yujiaxiahe community of jiushui road sub district office of Licang District, excavated a "sitting VAT" under the foundation of a residential demolition house near xianguta. The cylinder is made of pottery. The surface of the cylinder is yellow glazed and octagonal. The top of the cylinder head is lost and damaged seriously. The cylinder is 75 cm high, with a maximum abdominal diameter of 90 cm, a diameter of 76 cm and a bottom diameter of 53 cm. The glaze of the cylinder block is yellow, crystal clear in color, exquisite in firing and design. The octahedral pattern is supported by the lotus pattern at the bottom and made by stacking technology. It has strong three-dimensional sense and exquisite modeling. The layout of the whole theme pattern is rigorous and regular, the shape is vivid, the lines are concise and fluent, and the implication is deep and easy to understand. The content of the pattern includes lion, elephant, Maitreya Buddha, Phoenix, eight immortals, lotus, pine tree, crane, flower and bird, "Buddha" and so on.

According to local residents, the urn was originally buried in the "underground palace" of the pagoda. During the cultural revolution, the contents of the urn were dug out, the top of the cylinder head was destroyed, and the urn was later buried under the foundation of one's own house, which has been preserved to this day. On the other hand, it is said that a "Pilgrim" of "Yu Xiangu" was buried in the jar. It is said that the pilgrim said that "Xian Gu" entrusted her with a dream before she died. After her death, she was buried in front of the tower to accompany "Xian Gu". According to her will and with the consent of her family, her family buried her in an urn coffin in front of the tower. During the cultural revolution, students from a school in Li village dug it out Later, it was collected and buried under its own foundation.

"Sitting VAT" is also known as monk coffin and urn coffin. In archaeology, it is called "urn coffin burial" or "urn burial". It is a popular burial form of Yangshao culture in the Yellow River Basin. At the same time, it is also popular in Jiangnan area of the Yangtze River Basin, Yunnan and Guangdong. Its history can be traced back to the new stone age about 7000 years ago. When we talk about pot burial now, it generally refers to a unique way for monks to "sit down". After the monk passed away, he sat in a special pottery pot and put charcoal, lime, spices and other items around the body for dehumidification and antisepsis. After sealing, he was buried together with the body. In Taoism, there are also Taoists in the "eclosion" after the use of tank burial form.

The discovery of "sitting VAT" in Xiangu pagoda provides valuable material basis for the study of historical pottery making, religious culture and local folk customs, and also has certain reference value for the study of early arts and crafts.

Other related

Address: jiushui road sub district office, yujiaxiahe community

Bus routes: take bus No.128 in Li village, get off at home and get off at the river; or take bus no.365 directly from downtown to MaoGong underground.

Address: Qianjin Road, Licheng Town, Zengcheng City, Guangdong Province

Longitude: 113.83743197557

Latitude: 23.286879676171