AI used to help preserve China's oldest wooden pagoda

In Yingxian, the Sakyamuni Pagoda, also known as the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, has been the most prominent landmark for generations, but over the years the pagoda has developed a slight lean.

Zhao Yushan, a 63-year-old carpenter in Yingxian, was so taken aback when he first saw the tower as a teenager that he has since dedicated most of his life to replicating it. He's made numerous scale versions of the pagoda using only the traditional methods of construction, and is currently working on an 8-meter-tall replica.

The pagoda is an octagonal structure comprising nine stories, with five visible from the outside and four concealed within. The Buddhist statues on each story and the paintings adorning the inner walls of the first floor are all creations from the Liao Dynasty.

"We local people believe the pagoda was built by Lu Ban (China's legendary master carpenter of the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC). The work is beyond manpower," said a Yingxian resident surnamed Li.

He said that as the pagoda's lean has increased over the past few years, the need for restoration has become more urgent.