 Following the reign of the Han dynasty , ( 202 BC – 220 AD ) , the idea of the Buddhist stupa entered Chinese culture , as a means to house and protect scriptural sutras . During the Southern and Northern Dynasties period , the distinctive Chinese pagoda was developed , its predecessors being the tall watch towers and towering residential apartments of the Han dynasty ( as inferred from models in Han @-@ era tombs ) . During the Sui ( 581 – 618 ) and Tang ( 618 – 907 ) periods , Chinese pagodas were developed from purely wooden structures to use articulated stone and brick , which could more easily survive fires caused by lightning or arson and were less susceptible to decay . The earliest brick pagoda that remains extant is the Songyue Pagoda , built in 523 , and a typical example of a Tang @-@ era stone pagoda is the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda , constructed in 652 . Although Buddhist influences on China waned after the late Tang period , numerous Buddhist pagoda towers were built during the Song dynasty . Tall Chinese pagodas were often built in the countryside rather than within a city 's walls , largely to avoid competition with the cosmic @-@ imperial authority embodied in the cities ' drum- and gate @-@ towers . The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda , built in a city ward of what was southeastern Chang 'an , is among the exceptions . 
 Following the reign of the Han dynasty , ( 202 BC – 220 AD ) , the idea of the Buddhist stupa entered Chinese culture , as a means to house and protect scriptural sutras . During the Southern and Northern Dynasties period , the distinctive Chinese pagoda was developed , its predecessors being the tall watch towers and towering residential apartments of the Han dynasty ( as inferred from models in Han @-@ era tombs ) . During the Sui ( 581 – 618 ) and Tang ( 618 – 907 ) periods , Chinese pagodas <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>were</mark></a> developed from purely wooden structures to use articulated stone and brick , which could more easily survive fires caused by lightning or arson and <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>were</mark></a> less susceptible to decay . The earliest brick pagoda <a href='null_relcl' title='3'><mark>that</mark></a><a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>remains</mark></a> extant <a href='drop_aux' title='5'><mark>is</mark></a>the Songyue Pagoda , built in 523 , and a typical example of a Tang @-@ era stone pagoda <a href='drop_aux' title='6'><mark>is</mark></a>the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda , constructed in 652 . Although Buddhist influences on China waned after the late Tang period , numerous Buddhist pagoda towers <a href='uninflect' title='7'><mark>were</mark></a> built during the Song dynasty . Tall Chinese pagodas <a href='uninflect' title='8'><mark>were</mark></a> often built in the countryside rather than within a city <a href='null_genetive' title='9'><mark>'s</mark></a>walls , largely to avoid competition with the cosmic @-@ imperial authority embodied in the cities <a href='null_genetive' title='10'><mark>'</mark></a>drum- and gate @-@ towers . The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda , built in a city ward of what was southeastern Chang <a href='null_genetive' title='11'><mark>'</mark></a>n , is among the exceptions . 
Following da reign of the Han dynasty , ( 202 BC – 220 AD ) , tdaidea of thdauddhist stupa entered Chinese culture , as a means to krib and protect scriptural sutras . durin the Southern and Northern Dynasties period , the distinctive Chinese pagoda was developed , its predecessors being the tall watch towers and towering residential apartments of the Han dynasty ( as inferred from models in Han @-@ era tombs ) . Ddurinthe Sui ( 581 – 618 ) and Tang ( 618 – 907 ) periods , Chinese pagodas was developed from purely wooden structures to use articulated stone and brick , which could more easily survive fires caused by lightning or arson and was less susceptible to decay . The earliest brick pagoda remain extant the Songyue Pagoda , built in 523 , and a typical example of a Tang @-@ era stone pagoda thedagass Wild Goose Pagoda , constructed in 652 . Although Buddhist influences on China waned after the late Tang period , numerous Buddhist pagoda towers was built dudurinhe Song dynasty . Tall Chinese pagodas was often built in the countryside rather den within a city  walls , largely to avoid competition with the cosmic @-@ imperial authority embodied in the cities  drum- and gate @-@ towers . Thebigasst Wild Goose Pagoda , built in a city ward of wht was southeastern Chang  n , is among the daeptions .