Photo Gallery

Niushou Pagoda (8th century, heavily restored)

Niushou Hill is about 5 or 10 miles south of the city of Nanjing and is surrounded by farmland. The name means Ox Head Hill. A temple was first built near the summit of this hill during the Liang dynasty, shortly after Buddhism was first introduced to China. Apparently, this temple (like many others constructed during this era) had several niche caves with Buddhist images in them. Some of these caves survive a few hundred yards away from the surviving pagoda. In either 766 or 774, during the Tang dynasty, a large temple complex was built here by the Monk Farong at the order of the Tang emperor, Daizong. This temple was historically important as Farong established his own sect of Buddhism here, called the Niutou (ox head) sect. This temple was called Hongjuesi and it included a seven-story pagoda. The temple is long gone, but the pagoda, which was built primarily of brick, still survives and was renovated in the 1990’s. There was a temple on this site up through the end of the Qing dynasty, but the Taiping Rebellion, the Japanese occupation, and the Cultural Revolution have all combined to remove all its traces. The pagoda is octagonal on the inside and the stairs have been rebuilt so it is possible to climb to the top floor for an excellent view of the surrounding countryside if the air is clear.

The pagoda is heavily restored. All of the woodwork is new, though the superstructure is original.