Travels of Fah-Hian and Sung-Yun, Buddhist pilgrims : from China to India (400 A.D. and 518 A.D.) / translated from Chinese by Samuel Beal.

  • Faxian
Date:
1869
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Travels of Fah-Hian and Sung-Yun, Buddhist pilgrims : from China to India (400 A.D. and 518 A.D.) / translated from Chinese by Samuel Beal. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    [The record of To-Yung says it was 35 feet high.] Throughout the building he used ornamental wood; lie constructed stairs to lead to the top. The roof con- sisted of every kind of wood. Altogether there were thirteen stories; above which there was an. iron pillar, 3 feet high,1 with, thirteen gilded circlets. Altogether tlie height from the ground was 700 feet. [To-Yung says tlie iron pillar was 88-j%- feet (high), with fifteen encircling discs, and 63丁2万 changs from the ground (743 feet).] This meritorious work being finished, the dung pagoda, as at first, remained three paces south of the great tower. The Brahman, not be- lieving that it was really made of dung, dug a hole in it to see. Although, years have elapsed since these events, tliis tower has not corrupted; and although they have tried to fill up the hole with scented earth, they have not been able to do so. It is now enclosed with a protecting canopy. The Tsioh-li pagoda, since its erection, has been three times destroyed by light- ning, but the kings of the country have each, time restored it. The old men say, “ When this pagoda is finally destroyed by lightning, then the Law of Buddha also will perish •” The records of To-Yung says, u When the king had finished all the work ex- cept getting the iron pillar up to the top, lie found tliat lie could not raise this heavy weight. He pro- ceeded, therefore, to erect at the four corners a lofty 1 Most likely there is a mistake in the text, as the height of the iron pillar should be 30 feet.