Huichong Pagoda

The Huichong Zen Master Pagoda is located within the pagoda forest of Lingyan Temple in Changqing District, Jinan City, Shandong Province. This pagoda is the earliest one in the pagoda forest of Lingyan Temple, built during the Tianbao period of the Tang Dynasty (742-755 AD), with a history of over 1200 years. It is the tomb pagoda of the eminent Tang Dynasty monk, Zen Master Huichong of Lingyan Temple. Zen Master Huichong was a great abbot of Lingyan Temple during the Tang Dynasty and lived for over 100 years. He made outstanding contributions to the construction and development of Lingyan Temple, and his achievements were on par with those of Master Langgong Fading. Therefore, his tomb pagoda is extraordinary. The pagoda is entirely made of stone, pavilion-style, single-story, and resembles the Four-Gate Pagoda. It is a square eaves pagoda, 5.3 meters high. The base of the pagoda is five layers, built with stones of varying thickness, forming a square shape. The body of the pagoda is also square, 3.75 meters wide and 3.12 meters high, with arched doors on all four sides. Only the south side has a real door, while the others are half-covered false doors. The door frames on the left and right are built with 'Xiaohun' patterns, with a flame-shaped semicircular arch on top, and a beast face carved at the top. The arch feet are carved with elliptical spiral patterns. Inside the half-covered false doors, a person is carved, half of the body outside the door. The door is decorated with door nails and carvings of lion heads, musical performers, flying deities, and warriors, reflecting the artistic style of the flourishing Tang period. The small chamber inside the pagoda is also square, 2.20 meters in length and width, with a pyramidal roof. The eaves of the pagoda top extend out in two layers, with stone slabs stacked layer by layer, gradually receding inward, and the top is adorned with a finial composed of a tray, an inverted lotus, and a jewel. This pagoda shares the same style as the Zen Master Jingzang Pagoda in Dengfeng, Henan, and the Master Minghui Pagoda in Pingshun, Shanxi. It is ancient and elegant, with a simple structure, exquisite carvings, and high architectural artistic value.