Surrender to the aesthetics of the ancients - showcasing beauty in architecture

People have returned, but their hearts are still in Shanxi, forever surrendering to the aesthetics of the ancients.|||Retracing the path of Liang and Lin, this is Shuozhou in Yingxian County, an hour's drive from Datong, to see the first wooden pagoda in China - the Shakyamuni Pagoda of Fogong Temple, also known as the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda. Built in 1056, it is the tallest and oldest existing pure wooden structure in the world. It has withstood wars, artillery bombardments, and earthquakes, standing tall as a miracle! The Yingxian Wooden Pagoda is 67.31 meters high, with a base diameter of 30.27 meters. It is a pure wooden structure, with no nails used throughout the entire pagoda, relying entirely on a mortise and tenon system. The pagoda uses 70 types of dougong, totaling 480 pieces, making it the pinnacle of Chinese dougong architecture, known as the "Museum of Dougong in Ancient Chinese Architecture." Standing under the pagoda and looking up, the clusters of intricate and interwoven dougong resemble the blooming lotus of Buddha in the sky, earning it the name "Hundred-foot Lotus Bloom." Visiting the pagoda, the chirping and flying of hundreds of swallows around the wooden pagoda will leave a deep impression. The wooden pagoda is not infested with pests, and the swallows guard it. The dougong of the pagoda provides a habitat for the swallows, and in return, the swallows eat the insects in the wood, thus protecting the wooden pagoda. Because of the thousands of swallows, the pagoda can stand for a thousand years. Unfortunately, due to cultural relic protection, it is no longer possible to climb the pagoda. Inevitably, the wooden pagoda has begun to tilt, and perhaps one day in the future, it will collapse. This pagoda, built without a single iron nail and taking a hundred years to construct, standing for a thousand years, will no longer exist. So, take the opportunity to see it while you can. From Jinci Temple to the Yungang Grottoes to the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, along this journey, time has shown a special favor to the land of Shanxi, leaving behind many cultural treasures and ancient buildings. Even after doing a lot of homework through the Tsinghua University documentary series "A Millennium Garden to See Jinci," "A Millennium Grotto to See Yungang," and "A Millennium Pagoda to See Yingxian," standing under the ancient buildings in person is still deeply shocking. And this is just a part of the many national treasure ancient buildings in Shanxi. The other wonders await the next visit to Shanxi.