This week my daughter and I went to the Small Wild Goose Pagoda. The Buddhist pagoda was built during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). During the Tang and Song Dynasties (618-907 and 960-1279 AD) it was known as the Jianfu Temple Pagoda. The Pagoda was built to house Buddhist sutras a monk had brought from India.
The original pagoda was fifteen stories but because of storms and earthquakes it is currently thirteen stories.
In 1487 AD a violent earthquake occurred which caused a huge 1.1 foot crack down the middle of the pagoda. The crack was there until another earthquake occurred in 1521 AD. The two halves came back together and the crack disappeared, the people called this phenomenon the magical combination.
Restoration in 1949 revealed the Small Wild Goose Pagoda can withstand earthquakes because ancient craftsman built it's foundation on a hemisphere of packed earth, allowing it to be flexible during earthquakes.
The morning bell chime was built in 1192 AD and was rung every morning as a prayer for happiness.
The Pagoda also had a museum and cultural street. We really liked watching the shadow puppet show and puppet show.
Shadow puppet show
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