Puzhao Temple Pagoda in Puzhou, Yongji, Shanxi (Ming Dynasty, National Protection Level 8)

Puzhao Temple refers to a temple building near the ruins of the ancient city of Puzhou in Yongji City, Shanxi Province, China. It gained fame because of the play "Romance of the Western Chamber." The earliest written record of Puzhao Temple dates back to the Sui Dynasty, with some saying it was built during the reign of Empress Wu Zetian of the Tang Dynasty. However, the exact construction date is unknown. Originally named Xiyongqing Courtyard, it was a Buddhist Chan monastery. The legendary novel "Huizhen Ji" (also known as "The Story of the Mandarin Ducks") by Tang poet Yuan Zhen clearly records it. The love story of "Hongniang tying the red thread under the moon, and Zhang Sheng cleverly meeting Cui Yingying" in Wang Shifu's Yuan Dynasty play "The Romance of the Western Chamber" took place inside Puzhao Temple. Legend has it that during the Five Dynasties period, the Hedong military governor rebelled, and Liu Zhiyuan of the Later Han sent Guo Wei to suppress the rebellion. After besieging Puzhou for over a year, the people suffered greatly. Guo Wei consulted the temple monks, who said, "If the general shows kindness, the city will be conquered!" Guo Wei immediately broke an arrow as a vow, and the next day the city was taken, saving the people. Since then, the temple was renamed Puzhao Temple. The temple buildings of Puzhao Temple are roughly distributed along three axes. From front to back, the buildings on the west axis include the large bell tower, pagoda courtyard corridor, Yingying Pagoda, and the Mahavira Hall; on the central axis are the Hall of Heavenly Kings, Bodhisattva Cave, Amitabha Hall, Arhat Hall, Ten Kings Hall, and Sutra Library; on the east axis are the front gate, monks' quarters, Withered Tree Hall, Dharma Hall, Dining Hall, and Incense Kitchen. Inside the Mahavira Hall are three stone Buddhas, all standing statues. The Shakyamuni Buddha statue is 3.9 meters tall. These were unearthed underground 33 meters behind the pagoda during the restoration of Puzhao Temple in the 1980s. Judging by their artistic style, these statues date back to the Northern and Southern Dynasties period. On the west axis of Puzhao Temple stands a simple and elegant square brick pagoda with dense eaves, originally named the Relic Pagoda. Because the story of Zhang Sheng and Cui Yingying from "Romance of the Western Chamber" took place under this pagoda, it is popularly known as the "Yingying Pagoda." The pagoda was rebuilt in the 43rd year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1564). It is 39.5 meters tall with thirteen stories. This pagoda is famous for its unique structure and exquisite craftsmanship, producing a special echo effect known as the "Puzhao Toad Sound," making it one of China's four great echo buildings and a world-renowned strange pagoda. Echo buildings are considered masterpieces in Chinese cultural gardens. However, only four such ancient masterpieces remain nationwide: the Echo Wall of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, the Yingying Pagoda of Puzhao Temple in Yongji, Shanxi, the Baolun Temple Pagoda in Sanmenxia, Henan, and the "Stone Steps Qin Sound" of the Great Buddha Temple in Tongnan County, Sichuan. Locally, this echo is called the "Puzhao Toad Sound" and is one of the eight ancient scenic spots of Yongji. In 1920, the temple was destroyed by fire, leaving only the foundation, the stone archway in front of the temple, the Three Great Masters Cave, and the Relic Pagoda. The current main buildings of Puzhao Temple were restored after 1986.