The White Tower in Miaoying Temple in Beijing

There is another kind of structure in China, similar to but higher than, towers in form: namely, the "pagoda"-type Buddhist commemorative or indicative buildings.

The prototype and the religious meaning of the pagoda were introduced into China from India. Its original function in India was a tomb wherein were buried the bones of Sakyamuni. After it was introduced to China, its meaning was expanded.

The practical functions of the pagoda are not subject to much.restriction. Its form is relatively free, and most are built with funds raised by believers or with financial aid from the state and localities. Believer soften spare no expense to.build pagodes in order to demonstrate their devotion. There are many structural methods for the pagoda, so they are of a very rich style, providing scope for artisans to freely display their imaginative power. The pagoda has become an important type of Chinese architectural art. Chinese monasteries, mainly of a tower-type and dense-eave style, are created in light of the prototype of Indian pagodas, and towers emerged in large quantities in China'sHan Dynasty.