Treasury of Stone Carving Art | The Diamond Throne Pagoda at Dazhenjue Temple

The Diamond Throne Pagoda at Dazhenjue Temple was built in the ninth year of the Chenghua period of the Ming Dynasty (1473), and is one of the few existing Diamond Throne Pagodas in China. It is also the earliest and most exquisitely carved Diamond Throne Pagoda in Chinese architecture. The lower part of the pagoda is a rectangular base, that is, the Diamond Throne. The body of the pagoda is carved with Buddha figures, each one unique. In the middle of the south and north sides, there is an arched door, and the lintel above the door is carved with the six implements of Buddha (namely, the Garuda, Naga girl, divine whale, auspicious qilin, child, and giant elephant). Among them, the lion, elephant, horse, peacock, and Garuda are the mounts of the five Buddhas: the lion is the mount of Vairocana; the elephant is the mount of Akshobhya; the peacock is the mount of Maitreya; the horse is the mount of Ratnasambhava; and the Garuda (Garuda) is the mount of Amoghasiddhi. They correspond to the five small pagodas above. The lower part of the side is also decorated with high-relief patterns such as the four great Vajras, Dharma wheel, Vajra pestle for subduing demons, vase, tablet, and the eight treasures of Buddhism. The upper part consists of five pagodas and a glazed canopy. Among the five pagodas, the central one is taller, with thirteen eaves and about eight meters high, topped with a copper bowl-shaped pagoda spire. The four corner pagodas are slightly lower than the central one, with eleven eaves and about seven meters high, and their spires are made of stone. The carvings of the five small pagodas are also concentrated on the base of the eaves and the first level of the pagoda body, with patterns matching the throne. Only in the middle of the southern side of the central small pagoda's base, there is a pair of Buddha's feet carved, signifying that the Buddha's footprints spread all over the world. The canopy is the upper exit of the pagoda, and the top of the canopy has a symbol of the royal monastery, the 'coiled dragon caisson ceiling,' but unfortunately, it is not allowed to climb the pagoda now, so it cannot be seen. In front of the pagoda, there are two ginkgo trees, which are very beautiful with their yellow leaves all over the sky in autumn. However, the greenery in spring and summer is also very pleasing to the eye. In addition to the pagoda, the courtyard also houses a large collection of steles for appreciation. ——Travel tips—— ▫️Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 09:00~16:30. ▫️Ticket price: 20 yuan per adult, 10 yuan per student. ▫️Visiting time: 1 hour. ▫️Transportation information: Take Beijing Subway Line 4 or Line 9 to the National Library Station Exit C, and walk 500 meters east along the riverbank. ▫️Tourism and protection level: National level 1.