The nine storied pagoda had nine bays on each side with the

middle three opened as do ors and the rest six as w indows. A

circle of flat seat railing were set at the periphery of each floor

which could be used for sightseeing. Doors were painted with

vermilion paint and decorated with five rows of golden nails and

a monster heads hold a golden ring in mouth as door-knocker .

The top of the pagoda were fixed to the four corners of the roo f

eaves of the ninth floor with four iron chains. The vase shaped

spire which could hold 25 Dan ( 1 Dan is about 100 litre) grains

was set on a huge overlapping gold plate. Stone jar shaped gold

bells were hanging on the cornice of end eaves on each of the

nine stories, jingling to a few kilometers away with wind.Classical

sources had various records of the pagoda’ s height. In the

Luo-yang qielan ji (A Record of Buddhist Monasteries in

Luoyang) by Yang Xuan-zhi, the pagoda’ s main body raised 90

Zhangs ( 1 Zhang is about 3.3 meters), and the spire was about

10 Zhangs, so the total height was about over 100 Zhangs (over

272 meters). Li D ao-yuan documented in his S hui-jing zhu

(Commentary on the Water Classic), the pagoda was 49 Zhangs

without the spire, while Wei Shou’ s Wei shu recorded a height of

‘over 40 Zhangs.’

After careful research, nowadays scholars believed that the

saying of " Luo-yang qie-lan ji (A Record of Buddhist Monasteries

in Luoyang)" was over exaggerated, while records in the

Shui-jing zhu (Commentary on the Water Classic) and Wei-shu

(Historical Records of the Wei) were more reliable, suggested

the pagoda was about 150 meters high. This was a miracle

wooden structures considering the pagoda’ s construction date

back to 1000 years ago. E ven among those stone vaulted bell

towers of European Gothic churches which were built between

12-14 centuries, only eight surpass the height of 150 meters. I n

comparison to the tallest one, the German Church of Ulmer,

which had a height of 161 meters, the wooden Yong-ning pagoda

was not inferior in any respect. Even following the m odern

construction standard, the towe r still was a super hi gh-rise

building that was comparable to modern skyscrapers around the

world.

The temple was surrounded by walls. The southern gate tower

had three stories in a height of 20 Zhangs, resembling the Duan

gate of imperial palaces with its arched gateway decorated with variegated murals. Both the western and the eastern gates

had a two-storied structure, while the northern gate was a

black lintelstyle shaped in memorial gate. Outsi de of each

gate there grew locust trees dotted with green streams. the

main hall was located to the north of the pagoda, and adopted

exactly the regulation of the Hall of Supreme in the imperial

palace. Within the main hall, consecrated a Buddha statue tall

in 1.8 Zhangs as well as another ten golden, two jade Buddha

statues, and three embroidered, five golden silk woven

Buddha statues, all of them renowned at the time for their

excellent workmanship. There were ov er 1000 monastic

rooms surrounded by fragrant grassland and forests of

elegant pines, cypresses, and bamboos. The official of

Zhongshusheng(Chancery), Chang Jing, once dedicated in an

hymn for the Yong-ning temple, praising its unprecedented

splendor even over the Sumeru Hall and Tushita Heaven in

Buddhist scriptures.

The most striking view still would be the nine-storied pagoda.

As tall as touching the cloud, it became the most remarkable

landmark of Luo-yang. It was even could be seen over 100 li

(1 Li is about 0.5k m) from the c apital city. Standing on the

tower, everywhere of the imperial palace was within ones panoramic

view. Thus the court even issued special regulations

that forbid the ordinaries to climb the pagoda.

It was recorded that Patriarch Bodhi Dharma once visited the

pagoda, with his palms clasped and chanted “namo” , he said

that even during his trips to numerous kingdoms in his over

150 years life, he had never seen any building in such a

splendor. Not any Buddhist temples or pagodas were com -

pared to this one’s gorgeous look. It was beyond any imagination

on the mundane.

Revolt

Although the Empress Dowager Hu seized the power and

administrated the kingdom in good order, although she was

good at poem and archery, as a young widow, her private life

was indecent. She forced her brother-in-law,Yuan-yi, king of

Qing-he, as her lovers. The affair even spread out of the court.

July of the First year of the Zheng-guang reign (520 CE), the

military officer Yuan Cha and the palace officer Liu Teng had

initiated a political rebel and controlled the court soon after.

They invited Emperor Xiao-ming to hold court in the Xian-yang

Palace, while imprisoned the Empress Dowager Hu in the

Northern Palace after they killed Yuan Yi. At the same time, the

Empress Dowager Hu’s nephews, Commander Hu Seng-jing

and the imperial guard Zhang Xhwqu, the Left Genreignl Xi

Kang-sheng wanted to save the Empress Dowager Hu, but

failed.

February of the Fourth year of the Zheng-guang reign (523), as

the died of Liu Teng, Empress Dowager Hu took the chance

and returned to the court with the help of Yuan Yong, king of

Gaoyang, she removed Yuan Cha from his position. She granted an amnesty right after, however, abandoned the court

administration and more indulgent in her private life. She became

more notorious after having an affair with her minion Zheng Yan.

Once in an imperial gathering, Hu Seng-jing complained tearfully

for her extravagant indulgence. Dowager Hu was irritated and

refused to see him since then. Living an extremely luxurious life,

Empress Dowager Hu frequently rewarded her minions with large

amount of treasures. It further boosted a corrupted living style

among the bigwigs, the whole country was out of order. The

ordinaries were living in poor and struggling in the end of the

world.

Northern Wei had assigned six forts on the northern frontier,

including Wo-ye, Huai-shuo, Wu-chuan, Fu-ming, and Rou-xuan

which were guarded by hereditary generals. Along with the

corruption in court and the deterioration of economy, life of

soldiers and civilians of the six forts became worse and worse,

finally burned out mass rebellions that followed by minority ethnic

groups in Guan-long and He-bei. Meanwhile Roulan invaded from

north and the Liang kingdom from the south. The state soon fell

into chaos.

In the Second year of the Xiao-chang reign (526 AD), Luo-yang

suffered a strong gale, with building roofs were blown away and

even huge trees were pull off. The precious vase shaped spire of

the Yong-ning tower were destroyed and fell into the earth more

than one Zhang. Although it liked an auspicious warning, the

Empress Dowager Hu did not consider it seriously, just let the

craftsmen made a new one and fixed back.

As the Emperor Xiao-ming grew up the young emperor wanted to

control the country himself. In addition, his hatred of his mother’s

indulgence further broadened the gap between them.

January the First year of the Wu-tai reign (528 AD) in the lunar

calendar, Emperor Xiao-ming’s concubine Pan born a daughter

but Empress Dowager Hu announced the baby as a prince and

held extravagant celebrations. Her purpose was to replace

Emperor Xiao-ming with the new ‘prince.’ Emperor Xiao-ming

issued a secret order to Er-zhu Rong, the chieftain of Qihu led his

army to the capital for protecting him and forcing the Empress

Dowager to abdicate.

Furious at the information, Empress Dowager poisoned the

Emperor Xiao-ming with the help of Zheng Yan and Xu He, and

enthroned the newly born infant. She then changed the imperial

order the day of enthronement, gave the crown to a two-year-old

boy, Yuan Zhao, a son of Lin-tao king, Yuan Bao-hui.

Noticed about Xiao-ming’s death, Er-zhu Rong proclaimed that

he’s going to revenge for Xiao-ming and sped up his march

towards the capital. Collaborated with Yuan Tian-mu, the

commander of Bing-zhou, they invited king Chang-le Yuan Zi-you

to Heyang as the new emperor. Er-zhu Rong’s army crossed the

yellow river at Mengjin, and defeated Empress Dowager Hu army

at Luoyang.

5 A massive annihilation

Er-zhu Rong’s army occupied Luo-yang immediately after the

battle. Empress Dowager Hu ordered all the concubines followed

her as nuns in the Yong-ning temple to save their lives.

However, the Yong-ning temple could not protect her. Er zhurong

pretended to sacrifice the heaven, and gathered all officials at

Yuanziyou Palace on the South Bank of the Yellow River then

killed more than 2000 officers. In the same day, his cavalry

arrested Dowager Hu and the infant emperor Yuan Zhao, and

drown them into the torrent Yellow River. History named the day ‘Crisis on south side of the river.’ Including the Minister Yuan

Yong, king of Gao-yang, the Commander Yuan Qin, and Yuan

Lv, king of Yi-yang, the imperial family of Luo-yang and other

noble clans were since then exterminated. Er-zhu R ong

seized all the power and proclaimed himself as the Shi-zhong,

the Grand Genreignl, and king of Tai-yuan, even to covet the

throne. He ordered to made a golden statue of himself to predict

luck four times but all were failed. He suspended his plan

and greeted Yuan Zi-you as the new Emperor Xiao-zhuang,

he led his troops back to Jin-yang, but still remoted the king -

dom under his control.

In succeeding years, Er-zhu Rong achieved a peak of power

and became the Grand Minister after he conquer ed large

lands in He-bei and Guan-long, and defeated Chen Qing-zhi,

commander of the Ling kingdom.

In the Third year of the Yong-an reign (530 AD), Er-zhu Rong

went back to the capital, preparing for usurping the throne.

with help of other officials, Emperor Xiao-zhuang ambushed

traps in the Ming-guang H all before hand and slew Er-zhu

Rong with swords.

Er-zhu Rong’ s nephew Er-zhu Zhao and Er-zhu Du-lv, and

his cousin Er-zhu Shi-long led army swayed in Luo-yang. All

the palace guardians ran away. The Emperor Xiao-zhuang

was caught by cavalry and captured in the Yong-ning temple

and later escorted to Jin-yang, eventually was be killed in the

Wu-ji temple. After several meetings chiefs of the Er-zhu clan

enthroned Yuan Ye, king of Chang-guang as the new

emperor, then reset Yuan Gong, king of Guang-ling as the

e m p e r o r. E r - z h u Z h a o s e l f - c l a i m e d a s t h e c h i e f

commander,connived his troops killed princes, insulted concubines,

and burning, killing and looting recklessly. Luo-yang

was soon turned into a hell on earth. Later, followed the way

how Er-zhu Rong performed, Er-zhu Zhao ultimately returned

to Jin-yang for guard.

As the Er-zhu clan irritated resentment tremendously, Er-zhu

Rong’ s genreignl Gao Huan took the chance to rise power.

Gao initiated an expedition against the Er-zhu clan, and

enthroned Yuan Lang, king of An-ding. After taking fierce

battles, Gao Huan defeated the Er-zhus and soon occupied

Luo-yang. He enthroned Yuan Xiu, king of Ping-yang, known

as Xiao-wu, the last emperor of the Northern Wei. Both Yuan

Gong and Yuan Lang, were be killed. Gao Huan became the

new minister in control of the court but remained his stay in

Jin-yang.

Almost pirate of the history of Eastern Han’ s last decades,

Er-zhu Rong reminds people of Dong Zhuo, Er-zhu Zhao

resembles Li Jue and Guo Si, while Gao Huan relived as Cao

Cao. The several puppet emperors have the same destiny as

Liu Bian, the Emperor Shao of the Eastern Han, and Liu Xie,

the Emperor Xian, with their lives and deaths controlled in

others’ hands and ended up in a misreignble fate.

6 The Burning Down

Interested in martial arts, Yuan Xiu, the Emperor Xiao-wu was

known for some courage, and therefore was not willing to be

manipulated by Gao Huan. He secretly plans for a strike back,

however, it is bound to fall in view of the doomed destiny of the

Northern Wei.

In February of the Third Year of the Yong-xi reign (534 AD), the

Pagoda of the Yong-ning temple suddenly fell into fire unreasonable.

The fire started from the eight level, spread upwards and downwards in the dawn. The pagoda was swallowed by big

fires right after.

After inspecting the fire from the Ling-yun Terrace, Emperor

Xiao-wu dispatched Yuan B ao-ju, king of Nan-yang, and

Zhang-sun Zhi, chief of palace guards, to save the fire with

thousand soldiers. The fire was irreversible when they arrived,

soldiers could did nothing but left with mourning in deeply

sorrow. As fire was turning dark , thunder storm arrived with

snow. It was as if the heaven was seeing the pagoda off.

Regardless of monastics or laymen, all people in the city came to

watch the fire, with their cries loud enough to shake the earth .

Three monks even immolated themselves into the fire to perform

sacrifice for the pagoda.

The fire had lasted for over three months, with smoke still

spreading out even one year later . From its completion to its

demolish, this pagoda lasts merely for fifteen years, yet

witnessed the last reign of the Northern Wei from its prosperity to

its complete collapse.

Someone from Dong-lai prefecture arrived at Luo-yang in May,

said that he once saw the pagoda in the sea, with rays of light s

shining over alike new one, but disappeared along in the air.

In July, Emperor Xiao-wu decided to break with Gao Huan. He

brought a large group of of ficials and nobles left Luo-yang

secretly, and fled to Chang’ an for protection of another warlord,

Yu-wen Tai. After heard the news, Gao Huan marched to

Luo-yang and stayed temporarily in the Yong-ning temple. He

dispatched army to catch Xiao-wu but failed. In October , Gao

Huan abolished Xiao-wu’ s title for his leave, and enthroned Yuan

Shan-jian, the eldest son of Qing-he king. Right after they moved

the capital to Ye city and dismantled palaces in Luo-yang for

delivered the materials to construct new palaces in Ye city.

In December, Yu-wen Tai killed the Emperor Xiao-wu with poison

in Chang’ an. Yuan Bao-ju, the king of Nan-yang, became the

new emperor. Northern Wei, which has once dominated the

north for over a hundred years officially split into two new political

groups, the Eastern Wei and the W estern Wei. History thus

turned to a brand new page. Underwent fights of the two new

Wei kingdoms, Luo-yang city was destroyed devastatingly.

In the Fifth year of the Wu-ding reign (547 AD) of Eastern Wei,

minister Yang Xuan-zhi went to Luo-yang for business. He saw

nothing but ruins of the once pr osperous metropolitan. The

Yong-ning temple left nothing but foundations and broken walls.

With great emotion, Yang Xuan-zhi devoted himself t o five

volumes works named Luo-yang qie-lan ji (A Records of the

Buddhist Monas teries in Luo-yang). He pondered on the

vicissitude of the lost kingdom by recording the construction and

devastation of Buddhist monasteries in Luo-yang. Elegantly

written and supported by accurate historical data, this book was

considered one of the three classic w orks of the N orthern

Dynasties, together with Li Dao-yuan’ s Shui-jing zhu

(Commentary on the W ater Classic) and Jia Si-xie’ s

Qi-min-yao-shu (The Manual of Important Arts for the People).

Yang Xuan-zhi sadly pointed out in his work that one of the key

factor for the rapid decline of the N orthern Wei was that the

imperial family and noble’ s excessive indulgence in Buddhist

activities, and their ignorance of the people’ s welfare. They

regardless the suffering of people but spent large amount of

money to construct monasteries and pagodas, the main halls of

which became even comparable to the E-pang Palace of the Qin

Dynasty, and pagodas of which were even taller than the

auspicious terraces of the remote ancient in the past. Rendered

the Pagoda of the Yong-ning temple in great details, the book

considered it as the highest symbol of the reign.

Yongning Temple Pagoda was not only the highest Pagoda in

the north and South Dynasties, but also probably the highest

Pagoda in Chinese history. Shiga pagoda of Yingxian county of

Fogong temple in Shanxi Province, was the only existing pure

wood ancient pagoda in China. It was built in the second year

of Qingning (1056AD) of Liao Dynasty, more than five hundred

years later than Yongning pagoda. The Yingxian wood tower

was magnificent and praised by later generations, but its 67.31

meter height was just less than half of Yongning pagoda.

From 1979 to 1981, the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese

Academy of Sciences excavated at Yong-ning temple and

found the pagoda’s foundation survived basic complete, even

with locations of column pits left clearly, enough to mutual

proof with the records in Luo-yang qie-lan ji (A Record of

Buddhist Monasteries in Luoyang)and Shui-jing zhu

(Commentary on the Water Classic). According to relevant

materials, several architectural historians tried to reappear the

original appearance of Yong-ning Pagoda after research, in

order to help us understanding the peerless beauty of this

miraculous pagoda of the past.