Published : 2025-02-20
The Pagoda of Fogong Temple (佛宮寺) in Shuozhou, Shanxi Province, is the oldest and tallest wooden pavilion in China, and one of the Four Great Pagodas.
For thousands of years, the Pagoda has hardly been harmed by rodents or birds, but the masterminds behind it are a group of "guardian cats"?
Atop the Pagoda of Fogong Temple, you can see the famous "guardian cats," who, for generations, have protected the pagoda from being gnawed by mice and pecked by birds, which might cause structural damage.
When visitors come to see these lively and adorable guardian cats, they would greet them warmly and sometimes fight fiercely for attention, vividly acting out the internet joke of "beating up colleagues during work."
Recently, a company in Mainland China custom-made a large creative outdoor cat house for these guardian cats, modelled after the Pagoda of Fogong Temple.
It is three stories high, providing warmth in winter to the cats. If you have the chance to visit Shanxi, why not meet the guardian cats there!
Read more: How much do you know about the Forbidden City cats?
