The Stone Pagoda of Dasheng Temple

The stone pagoda stands south of Dasheng Temple in Zhangzhuang Village, Liji Town, Xiayi County. It was unearthed by local villagers while digging earth in January 2001.

It is a small single-storey stone pagoda with a current height of 240 centimetres, entirely carved and stacked from bluestone. The whole tower rests on an irregular stone slab. Its foundation is a double-layer Sumeru base with an octagonal waist carved with lotus and other decorative patterns. Three tiers of upward-facing stone lotus petals on the base support the tower body. The main shaft is drum-shaped, capped with a hexagonal roof with upturned eaves.

The pagoda bears a total of 68 carved characters, including inscriptions: "Dasheng Courtyard, Jicun Village, Changren Township, Xiayi County, Guide Prefecture", "The Pagoda for Monk Judge Master Hongjiao", the names of more than ten monks including Master Mingjian, abbot of Dasheng Courtyard who erected the pagoda, "Erected on the first day of the tenth lunar month in the first year of Dade reign", and the craftsmen "Stonemasons Zhang Lin and Shi Kuan".

In addition, 34 centimetres to the south of the pagoda lies a broken stone stele dated to the 14th year of the Dading reign of the Jin Dynasty (1174 AD), which records donations for the renovation of Dasheng Temple.

The pagoda is now designated a Provincial Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit of Henan Province