Pagoda is the general English term for a tiered tower with multiple eaves, often religious in purpose, common in China, Korea, and other parts of Asia. Pagodas are usually found in association with Temples (often Buddhist) and are believed to offer protection to the temple. As lightning generally strikes the highest structure in a vicinity, this may have played a role in their perception as spiritually charged places. By attracting the lightning they also protect the temple.
It is believed that the original pagoda design originated among the Newars of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Since then it has been transferred across Asia, becoming taking endemic forms of its design and structure in each region.
Many pagodas are Buddhist stupa, but the Daqin Pagoda in China was actually built by early Christians.
The earliest example in the Oxford English Dictionary of the use of the word pagoda in English is from 1634. According to Alain Rey's Dictionnaire historique de la langue française (rev. ed. 1995), the word first appeared in French as pagode in 1545, meaning 'temple of an Eastern religion' and deriving from a Portuguese word dated from 1516. The derivation is uncertain. Possible roots are the Dravidian pagodi or pagavadi, a name of Kali derived from the Sanskrit bhagavati, 'goddess,' and the Persian butkada, 'temple'.
In the 18th century, Chinoiserie, a style based on Chinese and other Far East designs became popular in Europe, introduced by the burgeoning trade and travel routes. An example of this is the pagoda in Kew Gardens, England, which was completed in 1762 as a gift for Princess Augusta, the mother of George III. In an unexpcted twist, a "pagod" became the English name in the luxury trade for a porcelain figure of a Chinese seated god.
Some famous pagodas
- An Quang Pagoda , a meeting place for Vietnamese Buddhist leaders in Saigon, and site of the Institute for Dharma Propagation.
- Miruksa Temple Pagoda at Iksan of Chollabuk-do province in the Republic of Korea, a Paekche pagoda mid 5th century.
- Jade Chop Pagoda in the Three Gorges region of the Chang Jiang (Yangtze) river.
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- Toji, the tallest wooden structure in Japan.
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