Yinchuan Haibao Pagoda (海宝塔) is located in northwest of Yinchuan City. It is the oldest Buddhism architecture of Ningxia Province, ranking as one of the key cultural relics protection units in China.
History
Haibao Pagoda is located in Haibaota Temple. It is said that the temple was once a lake. And the pagoda was in the island of this lake. In each 4th day of China lunar April, people would go from Yinchuan city and sail to northern direction to join the temple in the pagoda. Nowadays, with the municipal development, the Haibao pagoda is surrounded by residences.
The pagoda was originally called the Black Pagoda. Nothing is known about its construction time, though legend has it that the pagoda was rebuilt by the king of the Daxia Kingdom during China’s Northern and Southern Dynasties, but it was surely rebuilt during the reign of Emperor Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty.
About the pagoda
Facing to the east, Haibao Pagoda is the main place to hold large-scale buddhism activity. And Haibao Pagoda is the main architecture of Haibaota Temple. With nickname “Black Pagoda”, it is a square shape pagoda with nine floors and built by brick, in a height of 53.9 meters. Based on a square area, the basic is in a height of 5.7 meters and a width of 19.7 meters each side.
The body of the pagoda is also in square shape, And inside the pagoda, each floor is sperated by plank, and the wooden staris can lead you go to the top of the pagoda.
From the second storey up, there are three strips of molding on all sides to serve as a base for the arched doors and false niches. The interior of the pagoda is also cross-shaped and in the center of each floor is a square chamber. The pagoda tapers by fifteen to twenty centimeters from one storey to the next. All of these characters make Haibao Pagoda become a representative of Chinese ancient architecture.
As the symbol of Yinchuan City, the top of this pagoda offers a great view of Yinchuan. It is possible to see the Yellow River (Huanghe) away to the east, while to the west the majesty of Helan Moutain can be enjoyed. The view is comparable in beauty with any of the delicate scenery in South China.