So the pagoda began as a shrine which held a holy relic. 因此佛塔最初是 保存佛舍利的圣坛 That original pagoda at the white horse temple is gone, 白马寺原来的佛塔已毁 but just a few miles away nestled against one of China's five holy mountains, 但几里外座落于五岳之一山间 lies the oldest surviving pagoda in China.有座中国现存最古老的佛塔
The Songyue pagoda was built in 523 AD, 嵩岳塔建于西元523年 and retains the original Indian shape of a stupa. 仍保有印度 堵波的风格
Close by is the Shaolin temple - birthplace of Zen Buddhism and more famously, Kung Fu. 不远处是禅宗发源地的少林寺但其武术更驰名
Successive Abbots of the order were buried here behind the temple - 历代住持尸骨埋在寺后 at the famous forest of pagodas. 成为著名的塔林
The oldest one here is 1 400 years old, 此地最古的塔建于1400年前 with the newest one erected just a few years ago. 最新的则几年前才兴建
This Indian form of stupa eventually mixed with the native Chinese watchtower 印度的堵波最后 和中国传统了望塔楼相融合 to form the distinctive Chinese style pagoda 形成独特的中国式宝塔 that is so symbolic of China's landscapes. 为中国山水的重要象征
Soon pagodas incorporated many classic Chinese architectural elements like post and beam construction, and duo gong brackets. 宝塔很快也采用了中国古典 建筑的梁柱与斗拱结构
Later pagodas copied these design features in stone and brick to carefully mimic the classical wooden structures. 后来以石或砖造的宝塔 也模仿古典木造建筑的构造
The largest and most imposing of these is perhaps the most famous pagoda in all of China... 中国最巨大宏伟也是最著名的塔 the wild goose pagoda. 雁塔 This pagoda was originally built in wood in the year 704 at the specific request of the monk X uanzong, 这座塔原为木造在西元704年应玄奘要求所建 hero of the famous Monkey King legend 'Journey to the West'. 玄奘为著名的美猴王传奇 “西游记”的主人翁
It was built to house the sacred Buddhist texts which he had brought back from India. 建塔是为收藏 其自印度取回的佛经 Though originally wooden, it was later rebuilt in brick and stone. 原为木造，后以砖石重建
