Decorative Lamps :: 11" Asian Pagoda Lamp

All things have a story...

The pagoda is a unique architectural structure that is mostly associated with the Chinese and evolved from the “stupa” in India. The stupa was originally used in religious structures, such as tombs and temples, and housed sacred writings and relics. The popularity of the stupa spread across Asia, from China to Japan and all the way down to the countries of southeast Asia. These structures became known as pagodas, and their architectural design often reflected the age and location of where they were built.

During the earliest period of pagodas, their bases were either square or circular shaped. Later, the Chinese, in particular, began to create octagonal based pagodas. One such structure is the Liaodi Pagoda of the Kaiyuan Monastery in Hebei province. It was finished in the year 1055 AD and is the highest Chinese pagoda of the pre-modern age, standing at 275 feet tall. Many of the most beautiful pagodas in Asia can be found in Buddhist monasteries, such as that of White Horse Temple in China or Yoingming Temple in Luoyang. Many early pagodas were built for Buddhist temples and they were grand in style and look. Perhaps this is due to sacred objects and writings being stored inside them, and so they were made to appear as striking and majestic in style as possible.

Many Asian pagodas were painted a spectacular gold color. In addition, many-storied pagodas were a sign of wealth and power, and rich nobles had pagodas constructed on their estates to show off their considerable authority and position. The Chinese pagoda can be broken down into three main parts. The base of the pagoda usually supported the top half but sometimes had underground chambers and tombs in it. The main part or body of the pagoda was often used to keep statues of the Buddha. The top portion of the pagoda looked just like the original stupas from India and sometimes had ornate designs sculpted or painted on them.

Early on, the pagoda functioned as the main part of the Buddhist temple. Later they began to stand free form, outside of temples. Today, the pagoda is an essential part of the landscape in China, Japan, Thailand and other Asian countries. The tall, many storied pagodas often seen in Asian artwork are as beautiful as they are mysterious. While modern Western architecture with its grandiose skyscrapers has established its place in Asia’s growing and bustling modern cities, the Asian pagoda can always be found a short distance away, usually in a Buddhist temple or alone in the lush countryside.