By the Ming and Qing dynasties new styles had been developed for pagodas, particularly small tomb pagodas. The spherical pagoda was one of them. Spherical pagodas evolved from pavilion-style pagodas as the main body was rounded and other parts became spherical or polygonal. The pent roofs of these pagodas, however, are seldom round. The Spherical Pagoda in Kaiyuan Temple is one example.
The stone pagoda's square stone base supports an octagonal Sumeru pedestal. Another round, lotus-shaped Sumeru pedestal on top of the octagonal one serves as the base for the spherical main body of the pagoda. The pagoda's octagonal pent roofs are crowned by a five-tired steeple. The entire pagoda is some four meters high.
