Workers in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang Province, have almost completed the reconstruction of a nationally famous 1,000-year-old pagoda.
The pagoda is expected to open to the public on September 25, the 78th anniversary of its collapse, local authorities announced.
The Leifeng Pagoda, first built in AD 976 on the south bank of the world famous West Lake, is almost a household name in China thanks to the popular folk tale, "The Legend of the White Snake," a touching love story about a snake girl and a young man.
The pagoda collapsed in 1924 after years of repeated lightning strikes, war damage and frequent theft of its bricks by superstitious people who believed the bricks had magic powers.
Reconstruction was undertaken because, in addition to its status as a literary icon, the pagoda has great archaeological value and is an ancient architectural masterpiece. Built in the Buddhist architectural style, the Leifeng Pagoda was said to have once housed the hair and skeletal remains of Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism.
For the local government, the reason for rebuilding lies in the restored pagoda's tourism potential. The Leifeng Pagoda was one of the top-10 sights around the West Lake and a must-see for tourists.
With a total cost of 150 million yuan (US$18 million), the rebuilding project started in May 2001. The rebuilt pagoda will strictly adhere to the style and appearance of the original one, and will be 70.7 metres, or five storeys high.
(China Daily August 8, 2002)
