Wooden Pagoda Temple, originally named Wanshou Temple, is located at Xianfu South Street in Zhangye City. Wooden Pagoda stands in the town’s main square. It was first built in AD 528, but the present structure is a thorough reconstruction from 1926.
The temple has nine layers and 32.8 meters tall. The body is made of wood with pavilion-styled eaves. Each tier has a unique octagon structure, and in each angle has 8 dragonhead woodcarvings. The wood structure is also the wood element of the Five Elements Pagodas (five elements refers to gold, wood, water, fire, and earth).
Stepping into the temple, you will find that each floor owns cloisters, doors and lintels. There’s a feature which is different from other pagodas - no nail or rivet can be found anywhere in the building. At the rear of the pagoda, there’s a two-story building named Scripture Pavilion. If you climb to the top, you can see an overall view of city. At present, Zhangye Folk Customs Museum stands in the Wooden Pagoda Temple making it a much more complete building complex. There is a two-story Buddhist Classics Hall behind the Wooden Pogoda.
Wooden Pagoda’s architecture complex consists of the Buddhist Classics Hall, the Main Hall, the Side Hall and the Mountain Gate. As the oldest temple in the history record of Zhangye, Wooden Pagoda Temple deserves an extended visit if you are the fan of history and architecture.
Opening Hours: 08:00 - 12:00, 14:30-18:00
Recommended Time for a Visit: One Hour
Type: Culture
Location：Xianfu Street, Ganzhou District, Zhangye City, Gansu Province, China