Finally, the world’s tallest man and the world’s tallest pagoda can be found in the same place. Tuesday, hundreds of monks gathered at the site of the Tianning Pagoda in the east China city of Changzhou to inaugurate what Chinese officials are calling the tallest pagoda in the world. While the Chinese penis insecurity jokes are simply too easy and somewhat cruel, I will just discuss the characteristics of the pagoda itself and refrain from making any claims about why the Chinese like building structures so tall. So, the pagoda is 510 feet long and there is a large spherical bell that sits on top. When the bulbous tip of the pagoda is made to vibrate, it emits a sound that can be heard anywhere within a three-mile radius, according to Xinhua. Interestingly, the pagoda hasn’t always been so big. Throughout history the pagoda has gone down frequently only to come back up bigger and stronger. Xinhua reported that the Tianning Pagoda has been brought down and erected again five times in the last 1,350 years. China’s Buddhists hope that the opening of the Tianning Pagoda will bring new life to their religion in China and represent the glory they feel is owed to Buddha. Nearly a thousand Buddhists attended the ceremony Tuesday, though it is unclear, in a nation of supressed religious activity, whether these were followers or mere onlookers. China’s monks, looking for a Buddhist revival in China, certainly hope that those on-hand for the ceremony were devotees who will come more than just once.

•Xinhua: World’s Tallest Pagoda Inaugurated

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