- Great White Pagoda
The Great White Pagoda, or Sarira Stupa of Tayuan Temple, is a brick
stupa located atMount Wutai of Wutai County,Shanxi province,China .History
The stupa was constructed in July 1582 by Nepali sculptor Araniko, during the Wanli reign of the
Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), as recorded on a stone tablet there composed by the high ministerZhang Juzheng (1525–1582). [China.org.cn. [http://www.china.org.cn/english/TR-e/43067.htm Sarira Dagoba at Tayuan Temple in Wutai of Shanxi Province] . Retrieved on2008 -06-21 .]Architectural features
The Sarira Stupa, named after the
Sanskrit word "sarira " meaning 'Buddhist relic', sits on a square base with an archetypalsumeru pedestal. It is roughly 50 m (164 ft) tall, constructed of brick with alime coating on the outside that gives its white color. The main upper frame of the stupa is shaped as an inverted bowl. The canopy of the stupa sits atop a steeple with thirteen tiers. The canopy and bead crowning the top are all made of gilded copper. The canopy also supports 252 small bells.Notes
External links
* [http://www.china.org.cn/english/TR-e/43067.htm China.org.cn]
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