This octagonal-shaped pagoda is roughly 50 m (164 ft) tall, with elaborate ornamental carvings, thirteen tiers of eaves, and a small steeple. The Cishou Pagoda was built in 1576 during the
Ming dynasty (1368–1644), commissioned by Empress Dowager Li during the reign of the
Wanli Emperor (1572–1620). The Cishou Pagoda was modelled upon a similar
pagoda at Tianning Temple outside Guang'anmen in Beijing. The style of eaves on the pagoda is similar to older
Liao dynasty and
Jin dynasty pagodas. Although the surrounding Cishou Temple has been destroyed, the original Ming pagoda of Cishou has remained unharmed except for noticeable weathering damage to the carved
reliefs on its exterior facade. The brick base of the pagoda is shaped as a
sumeru pedestal and is decorated with relief carvings of the
Buddha,
lotus petals, and other designs. The upper portion of the pagoda features carved designs of
Chinese musical instruments such as the
guqin. Stylistic
dougong supports—commonly found in
wooden Chinese architecture—are carved in between the eaves of the pagoda. ==Transport==