Yanqing Pagoda, Songyang

 Yanquing Pagoda was built in 999AD (yes really!) using the dougong method. As far as I understand it is similar to one of the old Gaelic methods of construction using joints, crossbeams, wooden pegs and crucial weightbearing pillars to hold the whole building together. The Gaelic builders developed it because oak eroded iron pins and combined it with stonework; the Chinese developed it into a whole other art form, needless to say, such as this pagoda:

(If the Gaelic chieftains built pagodas or structures this tall they have escaped my notice?)

To say it is an exquisite piece of work would be condescending, it is beautiful. The afternoon we were there had hardly any people so the gardens and Confucian temple in the courtyard behind were an oasis of calm and quiet.

The Buddha statues in the inside niches are all new. The whole compound had fallen into disrepair and ruin in the last 40 years as old Confucian centres of learning, which this was, were no longer valued or used for their original purpose. More recently it has been restored using the traditional duogong skills. The temple at the back is empty, whatever furnishings it might have held long gone but the roof carvings are still lovely.

Apparently at temples the Buddhist monks would traditionally have kept peacocks, possibly for their likeness to the mythical phoenix (rising from the ashes, long life, healing, indestructibility and all that - thank you JK Rowling for the reminder) and there are both peacocks and phoenix carvings here:

There was also a temple drum in the compound; similar to the bell at Harbin, banging the drum is supposed to assure that prayers are answered, particularly prayers for prosperity and health, of course. We all had a go on the drum, it had a beautiful timbre which did not come through on the phone videos.

(videos won't upload just now)

A lovely peaceful interlude in a busy day.