【Period】：Northern Song dynasty
【CAT】 ：Gold and Silver
【Size】 ：Height 120 cm, base side length 40cm
Excavated from the underground vault of the Changgan Temple, which was built in the 4th year of the Northern Song Dazhong Xiangfu period, at Baotading
This pagoda has a sandalwood body that is covered with a gold-gilt silver layer. The whole body of the pagoda is decorated with hundreds of multi-colored precious stones, including crystals, agates, glass, and lapis lazuli. Of all the King Ashoka’s Pagodas ever discovered in China, this one, looking magnificent with its shining golden light, boasts the largest size, the most exquisite production, and the most complicated craftsmanship. It is a single-story square pagoda, comprising a cover, a body, and a pedestal. At the center of the cover stands a pagoda spire. On the spire, which is capped with a flame-shaped treasure bead, there are five xiangluns and two gold-gilt silver rings. The four corners of the cover of the pagoda are decorated with patterns of flowers and plantain leaves. The square pagoda body, hollow inside, is integrally connected to the pedestal. Besides images of the Buddha and beautiful decorative patterns of garuda, lotus, honeysuckle and so on, the whole body of the pagoda is covered with patterns that tell the jatakas and the life stories of the Buddha. The 20 inscriptions chiseled on the body of the pagoda provide key historical data for us to learn about the building process of the Changgan Temple and the pagoda.