Everything about Zhengding totally explained
Zhengding is a
county in
Hebei Province approximately 260
kilometers south of
Beijing,
China. It is under the administration of nearby
Shijiazhuang City and has a population of 541,000. Zhengding has been an important religious center for more than 1,000 years, from - at least - the times of the
Sui Dynasty to the
Qing Dynasty. It is the founding place of a major school of
Zen Buddhism. However, most of the former religious building complexes have been severely damaged since, often leaving only isolated remains. A noteworthy exception is the
Longxing Monastery, where the historical building ensemble has been preserved almost intact. Furthermore, four famous
pagodas, each with its own architectural style, are still standing.
Geography and climate
Zhengding County ranges from 57.6 to 105.2
meters in elevation above sea level. It has a continental
monsoon climate with four distinct seasons. The year-round averages are 12.7°
C for the temperature, 62 percent for the humidity, 570
mm for the precipitation, and 2736
hours for the sunshine time. The frost-free period exceeds 200 days per year.
History
Archeological finds indicate that the area of Zhengding County has been settled since the early
Neolithic Period. During the
Spring and Autumn Period, the capital of the
Xianyu Kingdom was located in the area, since the year
256 (
Western Jin Dynasty), the
Changshan Prefecture was established in the County. In
923, during the
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, the prefecture was renamed
Zhengding Prefecture, which was later rearranged into the
Zhengding Prefecture and
Zhongshan County. Zhengding County was created during the
Qing Dynasty, in
1723. In
1949, the county was subordinated to
Shijiazhuang Prefecture and in
1986, it came under the jurisdiction of the City of Shijiazhuang.
Pagodas
Chengling Pagoda
The
Chengling Pagoda (
Chengling Ta) is built from gray bricks, it's also known as the
Grey Pagoda. It is located in the Village of Linji to the south of Zhengding and was formerly part of the Linji Temple. The Linji Temple was built during the times of the
Eastern Wei Dynasty in the year
540. During the
Tang Dynasty, it became the site where the monk
Linji Yixuan founded the Linji School, one of the five schools of Chinese
Chan Buddhism. Both, Linji Yixuan and the Linji School, derive their names from the village. The pagoda was first built in
867 to serve as a shrine for the mantle and alms bowl of Linji Yixuan. The original pagoda was ruined and replaced during the years
1161 to
1189 (
Jin Dynasty) by the present-day structure. The present pagoda stands on a substructure known as a
Sumeru Pedestal after the mythic
Mount Sumeru and has an octagonal cross-section. It has nine multi-eared storeys and a total height of 33 meters. Its pedestal is richly decorated. Because it's seen as one of the birthplaces of
Zen Buddhism, the Chengling Pagoda is favorite site for pilgrims and tourists from Japan.
Lingxiao Pagoda
The
Lingxiao Pagoda (
Lingxiao Ta), also known as the
Wooden Pagoda, is a wood-and-brick construction, which was formerly part of Tianning Monastery, located to the west of Longxing Monastery. It was recorded to have been first built in
860 during the Tang Dynasty, it has undergone many repairs and rebuildings since then. The architectural style of the present-day pagoda was created during the
Song Dynasty in
1045 and was left unchanged during later repairs. The pagoda has an octagonal floor plan, nine storeys, and a total height of 41 meters. The four lowest storeys are made from bricks decorated with wooden eaves. From the fifth storey upwards, the pagoda construction is entirely made of wood, constructed around a central pillar. While storey height continuously decreases from the bottom to the top of the pagoda, this decrease is particularly steep in the five upper wooden storeys. The pagoda carries a
cast iron spire at its top as well.
Xumi Pagoda
The
Xumi Pagoda (
Xumi Ta), named for the mythical
Mount Sumeru, also known as
Summer Pagoda is part of Kaiyuan Monastery which is located to the west of Zhengding. It was erected from stone and bricks and is at 48 meters the tallest pagoda in Zhengding. The pagoda has an austere geometric design with a square floor plan set on a stone
platform which is likewise square-shaped. Stones have also been used in the lower part of the first storey. The Xumi Pagoda was first built during the
Tang Dynasty,
636. Apart from a wooden ceiling over the first storey (of which no floorboards remain), the inside of the pagoda is hollow and there's no staircase either. Among the rather plain decorations on the outside are thirteen tiers of eaves as well as stone carvings of the Heavenly Kings at the corners of the stone platform. The pagoda is one of originally four fiducial buildings on the grounds of the Kaiyuan Monastery: Tianwang Hall in the front and Fachuan Hall (now in ruins) in the back, a bell tower (built in
540 during the
Eastern Wei Dynasty, renovated in
898 during the Tang Dynasty) in the east and the pagoda in the west. Today, the Monastery is largely destroyed and the Xumi pagoda stands surrounded by trees.
Hua Pagoda
The
Hua Pagoda (
Hua Ta, lit.:
Flower Pagoda, part of Guanghui Monastery, in the south of Zhengding) is a four-storey brick building with an unconventional shape and a total height of approximately 40 meters. While the lower three storeys have an octagonal floor plan, the fourth storey has a circular layout over which the walls taper towards the tip giving the storey a conical shape. On the outside, this storey is richly decorated with carvings of Buddhas, elephants, and aquatic animals. Another unusual feature of the Hua Pagoda or 4 small attached buildings, which are pagodas themselves and crowned with an egg-shaped tip. These were once lost but have recently been completely restored. The Hua Pagoda was first erected during the Tang Dynasty. The present-day structure dates back to a rebuilt during the time of the
Jin Dynasty.
Transportation
Zhengding has convenient railway and road connections, with the
Beijing-Canton Railway and
Beijing-Shenzhen Expressway running through the county.
Administrative Divisions
Zhengding County contains 12 towns and townships as well as 225 villages. The 7 towns are:
- Zhengding
- Zhufutun
- Xizhaotong
- Xin`an
- Ershilipu
- Xinchengpu
- Nancun
The 5 townships are:
Xipingle
Nanniu
Nanlou
Beizaoxian
QuyangqiaoFurther Information
Get more info on 'Zhengding'.
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