2024年3月13日发(作者：)
Ying County Wooden Pagoda
Located in Yingxian County, Shanxi province in central China, it
was built completely with timbers, hence the name. The Wooden
Pagoda was first constructed in the second year of the Qingning
reign period (1056) of the Liao Dynasty. The Liao was a feudal
dynasty set up by Qidan ethnic group in north China from the 10th to
the 11th century. To consolidate its rule, the Liao rulers advocated
Buddhism and went in for large-scale construction of Buddhist
temples and pagodas in Shanxi and Hebei, including the Wooden
Pagoda in Yingxian County. The pagoda holds many Buddhist
statues and numerous murals of the Liao Dynasty, featuring bright
colors and vivid appearances, which are China’s artistic treasures.
In ancient China, it was the place where the rulers of the past
dynasties worshipped Buddha, as well as the Lookout Tower for
commanding and observing wars.
The octagonal Wooden Pagoda in Yingxian County is 67.13 meters
high, and the diameter of the first story is 30.27 meters. The
exterior of the pagoda is divided into five stories, but there are
actually nine stories in the interior, including four built-in stories.
According to estimation, the construction of the pagoda used more
than 3,500 cubic meters of timber, weighing about 3,000tons. The
Wooden Pagoda has withstood weather erosion, and many wars
and strong earthquakes for 950 years, but it stands towering like a
giant, with a slight leaning. It is a model of the Chinese ancient
wooden structures, a great wonder in the Chinese architecture
history, and a unique example in the world. (from Marvel of
china,207-208)
应县木塔：与比萨斜塔、巴黎铁塔齐名的古老木塔。
应县木塔又称佛宫释迦塔，为辽清宁二年（1056）建造，距今已有950年的历史， 是我国现存最古老、保存最好的木建筑。
塔身全部为木质结构，通体没有一钉一铁，全靠斗拱、柱梁镶嵌穿插吻合连接而成。塔身呈平面八角，六檐五层，夹有暗层四级，远处看去状如莲花盛开。塔建成300多年至元顺帝时，曾经历大地震7次，但岿然不动；20世纪，军阀混战时，木塔身中200余枚弹片也依然矗立不动。
木塔自建成后，历代名人挂匾题联。塔内现存明、青及民国、联54块。塔内每层都有塑像，头层释迦佛高大肃穆，顶部穹窿藻井给人以天高莫测的感觉。（来自《走遍山西》，P128,中国旅游出版社）
Terms and phrases:
Timberwork 木工作业(木结构)
Rammed earth construction 夯土结构
Structure and layout 结构和布局
Colored glaze roof 玻璃屋顶
Appliqué 贴花，贴花秀
Central axis 中轴线
Symmetrical 对称的
Civil construction 土木建筑，民用建筑
tile瓦片
vermilion 朱红， 朱砂
copper door knocker铜门把手
superstition 迷信
shrine圣地，圣坛，神圣场所
verandah 游廊，走廊
释迦木塔位于应县城内西北佛宫寺内，俗称应县木塔。建于辽清宁二年（公元1056年），金明昌六年（公元1195年）增修完毕。是我国现存最高最古的一座木构塔式建筑。为全国重点文物保护单位。( 朱艳，运城学院大外部)
Ying County Wooden Pagoda began to built in 1056 A.D. and
finished construction in 1195A.D.. It is the highest and oldest pure
timber tower structure now existent in China and a National Key
Cultural Relics Preservation Unit.
木塔建造在四米高的台基上，塔高67．31米，底层直径30．27米，呈平面八角形。第一层立面重檐，以上各层均为单檐，共五层六檐，各层间夹设暗层，实为九层。因底层为重檐并有回廊，故塔的外观为六层屋檐。各层均用内、外两圈木柱支撑，每层外有24根柱子，内有八根，木柱之间使用了许多斜撑、梁、枋和短柱，组成不同方向的
复梁式木架。有人计算，整个木塔共用红松木料3000立方，约2600多吨重，整体比例适当，建筑宏伟，艺术精巧，外形稳重庄严。
Built on a 4-meter base, the tower shows an octagonal structure
and it is 67.31 ms high and the diameter of the base floor is 30.27
ms. The tower looks like a six-storey building since the first floor
has double eaves. There are ,in fact, nine floors inside the tower
since there is an extra floor between the two storeys.(不清楚) Each
storey is supported from both the inner and outer circles. As for
each storey, there are 24 pillars outside and 8 pillars inside with
different wooden structures interlinking them. It is calculated that
the tower is over 2600 tons in weight and had used 3000 m2 of
timber totally. The building is well-proportioned, .magnificent and
exquisite as well.
塔身底层南北各开一门。二层以上周设平座栏杆，每层装有木质楼梯，游人逐级攀登，可达顶端。二至五层每层有四门，均设木隔扇，光线充足，出门凭栏远眺，恒岳如屏，桑干似带，尽收眼底，心旷神怡。塔内各层均塑佛像。第1层为释迦牟尼，）高11米，面目端庄，神态怡然，顶部有精美华丽的藻井，内槽墙壁上画有六幅如来佛像，门洞两侧壁上也绘有金刚、天王、弟子等，壁画色泽鲜艳，人物栩栩如生。二层坛座方形，上塑一佛二菩萨和二胁侍。三层坛座八角形，上塑四方佛。四层塑佛和阿难、Ananda 迦叶 Mahakasyapa、文殊文殊师利Manjusrikumārabhūta、普贤像。五层塑毗卢舍那如来佛和人
大菩萨。各佛像雕塑精细，各具情态，有较高的艺术价值。塔顶作八角攒尖式，上立铁刹，制作精美，与塔协调，更使木塔宏伟壮观。塔每层檐下装有风铃，微风吹动，叮咚作响，十分悦耳。
On the base floor there are two gates in the south and north
respectively. Railings are built around each storey above the
second storey. Wooden stairs are fixed on each floor for visitors to
ascend to the top. They are four doors every floor from the second
to the fifth where visitors are able to enjoy the fantastic views of
Mount Heng. Statues of Buddhas are erected in each storey. Inside
the first storey, an 11-meter-tall statue of Sakyamuni looks dignified
and contented. Exquisite caisson ceilings decorate the roof and six
portraits of buddhas are painted on the wall. On each of the walls of
the doorway, portraits of vajra, heavenly king and Buddha’s
disciples are painted vividly and colorfully. Inside the second storey,
statues of a Buddha, two Bodhisattvas and two attendants are
sculpted on a square pedestal. Inside the third storey, statue of a
Buddha of four directions is sculpted on an octagonal pedestal.
Inside the fourth storey, statues of Buddha, Ananda, Mahakasyapa,
Manjusri Bodhisattva and Samantabhadra are sculpted . Inside the
fifth storey, statues of Buddha and Bodhisattva are sculpted. All of
the statues, with various expressions, are exquisitely carved and
thus show a high artistic value. The crest of the pagoda,in an
octagonal structure, erects with an iron Bhddhist temple on it and
this iron temple is made in fine craftsmanship and matches
harmoniouslty with the pagoda. As for each eaves, there are small
bells tinkling with the breeze.
应县木塔Sakyamuni的设计，大胆继承了汉、唐以来富有民族特点的重楼形式，充分利用传统建筑技巧，广泛采用斗拱结构，全塔共用斗拱54种，每个斗拱都有一定的组合形式，有的将梁、坊、柱结成一个整体，每层都形成了一个八边形中空结构层。设计科学严密，构造完美，巧夺天工，是一座既有民族风格、民族特点，又符合宗教要求的建筑，在我国古代建筑艺术中可以说达到了最高水平，即使现在也有较高的研究价值。
The design of the wooden pagoda daringly inherited the
architectural styles with ethnic characteristics since the Han and
Tang Dynasties. The pagoda completely employs the traditional
architectural techniques, the corbel brackets, totaling 54 kinds of
the technique and each with a different combination form. The
whole pagoda is scientifically designed and perfectly constructed.
The pagoda, with superb craftsmanship, is a mixture of ethnic
styles and religious requirements. It had reached the summit of the
architectural art in ancient time and has a relatively high value for
research.
木塔自建成后，历代名人挂匾题联，寓意深刻，笔力遒劲，为木塔增色不少。其中：明成祖朱棣于永乐四年（公元1406年），率军北伐，驻宿应州，登城玩赏时亲题“峻极神功”；明武宗朱厚照正德三年（公元1508年）督大军在阳和（山西阳高县）、应州一带击败入塞的鞑靼小王子，登木塔宴请有功将官时，题“天下奇观”。塔内现存明、清及民国匾、联 54 块。对联也有上乘之作，如“拔地擎天四面云山拱一柱，乘风步月万家烟火接云霄”；“点检透云霞西望雁门丹 岫小，玲珑侵碧汉南瞻龙首翠峰低”。此外，与木塔齐名的是塔内发现了一批极为珍贵的辽代文物，尤其是辽刻彩印，填补了我国印刷史上的空白。文物中以经卷为数较多，有手抄本，有辽代木版印刷本，有的经卷长达30多米，实属国内罕见，为研究我国辽代政治、经济和文化提供了宝贵的实物资料
Many horizontal inscribed boards and inscribed couplets left by
celebrities in history add beauty to the pagoda. Besides, the
pagoda is also known for the precious cultural relics of the Liao
Dynasty ,especially the colour printing which fills the blank in
Chinese printing history. Sutras take the majority of the relics
including books copied by hand and books of Liao-dynasty
block-printed edition and some scriptures are as long as 30 meters,
which is rare in China. All these provide precious real objects for
studying the politics, economy and culture in the Liao Dynasty,
应县佛宫寺释迦木塔，历900多年的风雨侵蚀、地震战火，至今仍保存完好，除其塔基牢固，结构谨严外，历代不断维修也是重要原因，特别是中华人民共和国成立后，进行了系统的修缮和管理。1953成立了文物保管所，1974年至1981年，国家拨大量专款，调拨优质木材对木塔进行全面抢修，使这座当今世界上保护最完整、结构最奇巧，外形最壮观的古代高层木塔建筑焕然一新，巍然屹立。并以其悠久的历史、独特的艺术风格和高超的建筑技术，吸引着国内外游客。
Up till now, Ying County Wooden Pagoda has sustained over 900
years of erosion, earthquakes and wars and is presently preserved
in perfect condition. Then, what can account for this? In addition to
its solid foundation and well-knit structure, continuous maintenance
in history is a key reason. Especially after the founding of the
People’s Republic of China, systematic restoration and
management have been conducted. In 1953, a cultural relics
preservation station was established and from 1974-1981 special
funds had been allocated to assemble and transfer fine quality
timber to do thorough rush repairs and thus enabling the pagoda to
take a new look and attract visitors from both home and abroad
with its long history, unique architectural style and superb
craftsmanship.
