East of Taqian Village, Beizhen City, Jinzhou City
Recommended sightseeing time:
1 hour
This low-key city in Liaoning is home to a rare pair of twin towers.
😎 The twin towers of Chongxing Temple in Beizhen, Liaoning, are definitely an underrated treasure.
🧐 Their history can be traced back to the late Liao Dynasty. The Khitan people established the Liao Dynasty, valued Yiwulü Mountain, and carried out large-scale construction here, which led to the development of today's Beizhen. Although legend has it that the twin towers were built by Emperor Tianzuo of Liao in memory of his parents, there is little historical evidence to support this. However, it is certain that they are closely related to the prosperity of Buddhism and the political situation during the Liao Dynasty, and are an important witness to the Liao Dynasty.
🌟 The architectural style is unique. The twin towers are octagonal, thirteen-story solid brick towers with dense eaves, facing each other from east to west.
- The tower base is solid, and the Sumeru pedestal is exquisitely carved with lions, warriors, lotus petals, and more.
- The tower body has eight sides, with solemn seated Buddhas, beautiful attendants, gorgeous canopies, and lively flying apsaras in the niches. The brick carvings are the pinnacle of Liao Dynasty architectural art.
📷 The twin towers have many highlights:
Tower top:
The treasure bottle, treasure bead, and lotus pedestal are complete and exquisite.
Tower eaves:
The octagonal thirteen-story tower is decorated with divine beasts and wind chimes.
Tower body:
The Buddha statues, attendants, and flying apsaras in the niches are vivid and lifelike.
Tower base:
The Sumeru pedestal is decorated with arhats, warriors, musicians, flying dragons, lions, phoenixes, auspicious clouds, treasure bottles, lotus flowers, and more, with charming details.
✨ Twin towers are rare among ancient towers in China, with fewer than ten examples. The twin towers of Chongxing Temple are a typical example of Liao Dynasty twin towers and are of great significance for the study of Liao Dynasty architecture and religious culture.
🎇 The twin towers are well-preserved and located in front of Chongxing Temple in the northeast corner of Beizhen City. Nearby historical sites such as Beizhen Temple and Guangning City are also worth visiting.
🎫 Tickets are only CNY 5.
🚌 Transportation is also convenient. You can take bus 2 or 5 from Guangning Ancient City to get there directly, and then walk for 20 minutes. Here, you can feel the strong historical charm. 😜
I only know two Khitans
One is Xiao Feng, who can perform the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms
The other is Empress Dowager Xiao Chuo
Under the rule of Empress Dowager Xiao, the Liao Dynasty was at its peak of power, firmly ranking in the top 10 'powerful women' in Chinese history. The Twin Pagodas of Chongxing Temple in Beizhen, Liaoning, are said to be the place where Empress Dowager Xiao offered Buddhist relics. Don't be fooled by the obscurity of the small city of Beizhen; these Twin Pagodas of Chongxing Temple from the Liao period are ranked first among China's four great twin pagodas. The pagodas are not only well-preserved but also feature exquisitely fine bas-reliefs, showing that the aesthetic appreciation of the Khitans was indeed on point...
🧑🏻💻China's Four Great Twin Pagodas
👯♀️ Twin Pagodas of Chongxing Temple, Beizhen, Liaoning
👯♀️ Twin Pagodas of Kaiyuan Temple, Quanzhou, Fujian
👯♀️ Twin Pagodas of Bai Temple Mouth, Yinchuan, Ningxia
👯♀️ Twin Pagodas of Yongzuo Temple, Taiyuan, Shanxi
📸Highlights of Beizhen Twin Pagodas
✅Pagoda top: Complete with precious vase, jewel, and lotus base
✅Pagoda eaves: Octagonal thirteen-layered dense eaves with mythical beasts and wind chimes
✅Pagoda body: Each side has a Buddha niche, housing Buddha statues + attendants + flying apsaras
✅Pagoda base: The Sumeru base features arhats + weight-bearing warriors + musicians + flying dragons + male lions + phoenixes + auspicious clouds + precious vases + lotuses...
Since Empress Dowager Xiao offered Buddhist relics,
there must be treasures in the underground palace of the Twin Pagodas of Chongxing Temple in Beizhen⁉️