Baofu Temple Pagoda, a fusion of Tang and Song dynasties' charm, gathers treasures and blessings

🧸 Shicheng is a small county under Ganzhou, located at the throat of Jiangxi, Fujian, and Guangdong, historically known as the thoroughfare between Fujian and Guangdong. The Qinjiang River runs through the town, and a covered bridge connects the two banks. On the west bank of the bridge is the famous Osmanthus House, where the young king of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was once imprisoned. On the east bank stands a majestic pagoda, the Baofu Temple Pagoda, listed as a national key cultural relic protection unit. ✔️ Upon arriving in Shicheng, one can immediately see the pagoda, standing prominently on the beautiful banks of the Qinjiang River. The next day, I drove to the pagoda and walked directly into the Baofu Temple behind it. Many believers gathered in the main hall, saying that the pagoda and the temple are separate. So I walked around to the back of the temple's main hall, and only then did I notice that the pagoda was enclosed by iron railings, with only one entrance and exit facing the Qinjiang River. A notice board hung at the entrance, indicating that there is a fee to visit the pagoda, 15 yuan, which is not expensive, but I saw no staff. ✔️ I thought that since it's already clear from the outside, if climbing the pagoda is not allowed, there's no point in going inside, so I decided to just take a look from the outside. Fortunately, there was an explanatory sign at the entrance, which gave us a deeper understanding of the pagoda. ✔️ It turns out that this is a pavilion-style Buddhist pagoda, built in the first year of Chongning of the Northern Song Dynasty (1102) and completed in the fourth year of Daguan (1110), funded by the high monk Daofu, Yingke, and the monks of Heyuan. Baofu Temple is actually Baofu Temple Pagoda, which is a temple pagoda, but now it is separated, and it feels like it would be more meaningful if it were together with the temple. ✔️ The pagoda has seven levels and six sides, embodying the idea that 'saving one life is more meritorious than building a seven-level pagoda.' The entire structure resembles a seven-section steel whip, not only retaining the legacy of the Tang Dynasty but also featuring the typical style of the Song Dynasty, which looks even more magnificent from a distance. ✔️ The name 'Baofu' has two meanings: one is wealth and blessings, and the other is homophonous with 'protection.' Ancient people paid attention to Feng Shui when building pagodas, and Buddhist pagodas were no exception. After the construction of this Buddhist pagoda, Shicheng enjoyed favorable weather, abundant harvests, and people believed it was the protection of the pagoda. ✔️ Walking along the covered bridge to the opposite bank of the Qinjiang River, standing on the bank and admiring the pagoda from a distance, with green mountains behind and clear water in front, plus the blue sky and white clouds, the beautiful reflection of the pagoda in the river is indeed a sight to behold. 📍 Address: Shicheng County, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 💰 Cost: Ticket price 15 yuan