Archaeologists in China reveal remarkable architecture that allowed Song dynasty pagoda to stand for over 1,000 years
- Tower next to Dongta Temple in eastern China was particularly beautiful, became local tourist attraction
- Originally built during Sui dynasty (581-618), rebuilt in Northern Song dynasty (960-1127)
For more than 1,000 years, a remarkable pagoda stood in Jiaxing in the north of Zhejiang province in eastern China that has become a popular tourist destination thanks to its ancient architecture and urban canal system.
The Dongta Temple area would come to represent the best of Song dynasty (960–1279) architecture, and the pièce de résistance was a beautiful tower that rose elegantly above the nearby creek.
The pagoda stood for over 1,000 years but was destroyed in the 1960s. It is unclear if the demolition came before or after the start of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976).
In mid-May, a group of archaeologists who excavated the site in September last year detailed how they believed the tower had survived for so long.
The researchers were tipped off that the tower’s foundation may have been preserved when “archaeological elements” were discovered amid the wreckage of demolished houses in the nearby area.
When the archaeologists investigated the area, they found the ruins of the Dongta Temple area. Last year, they were able to piece together what local media referred to as “ a marvel of ancient engineering”.
