China is a country which is also famous because of the many amazing historically, but also recent build, pagodas.
Everywhere in travel guides or in descriptions about the country is information to find about pagodas and their history.
A pagoda is the general term in many languages for a tiered tower with multiple eaves common in countries like Nepal, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Laos, and other parts of Asia. But they are also introduced in western countries.
Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most commonly Buddhist, and were often located in or near temples.
This term may refer to other religious structures in some countries. In Myanmar and Thailand, “pagoda” usually means the same as stupa or chatiya, while in Vietnam, “pagoda” is a more generic term referring to a place of worship.
The modern pagoda is, according to scientists, an evolution of the Ancient Indian stupa, a tomb-like structure where sacred relics could be kept safe and venerated.
The architectural structure of the stupa and the pagoda has spread across Asia, taking on many diverse forms as details specific to different regions are incorporated into the overall design.
The pagoda’s original purpose was to house relics and sacred writings. This purpose was popularized due to the efforts of Buddhist missionaries, pilgrims, rulers, and ordinary devotees to seek out, distribute, and extol Buddhist relics.
The twin pagoda's at Guilin