妙光塔,位于無錫市南門外運河東岸,是南禪寺內一風景線,始建于北宋雍熙年間(984—987),由邑人朱承福捐資募建。宋徽宗崇寧三年(1104)賜塔名“妙光”。元明兩代屢有興廢,明正統十四年(1449)重建后,即為今塔。后歷經修繕。清咸豐、光緒年間遭火災,僅剩無頂荒塔。1926年,無錫實業家榮宗敬、榮德生和唐申伯出資重修,將塔屋檐、平臺及護欄改建為鋼筋混凝土結構。1980年無錫市人民政府撥款修復,清理出了埋藏地下多年的塔基臺座,恢復了底層環廊,對外開放。
妙光塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)為(wei)(wei)(wei)八角七(qi)層(ceng)樓閣式磚(zhuan)(zhuan)塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta),分為(wei)(wei)(wei)塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)基、塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)身和(he)(he)塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)頂(ding)三(san)個組員部分。塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)基臺座(zuo)直徑(jing)13.5米,塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)底層(ceng)直徑(jing)7.5米,環(huan)(huan)廊(lang)進深(shen)3米,塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)基臺座(zuo)高1.3米,塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)身高36米,逐層(ceng)收(shou)小,塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)頂(ding)6米,共高43.3米。塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)基為(wei)(wei)(wei)青石雕鑿的須(xu)彌座(zuo),束(shu)腰部分雕明(ming)(ming)(ming)代“頂(ding)花結帶”圖案紋(wen)飾(shi)。須(xu)彌座(zuo)牙(ya)腳為(wei)(wei)(wei)明(ming)(ming)(ming)代流(liu)行(xing)的“圭腳”,須(xu)彌座(zuo)下為(wei)(wei)(wei)一層(ceng)滿雕“不(bu)斷云(yun)”。紋(wen)飾(shi)的青石底座(zuo),雕刻精細,塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)底層(ceng)轉(zhuan)角均(jun)為(wei)(wei)(wei)磚(zhuan)(zhuan)砌倚柱。塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)心中空,每層(ceng)有(you)(you)(you)磚(zhuan)(zhuan)砌樓梯轉(zhuan)盤而上,建有(you)(you)(you)平臺環(huan)(huan)廊(lang)、護(hu)欄和(he)(he)屋檐(yan)。民國重(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)時(shi)已改為(wei)(wei)(wei)鋼筋水(shui)泥(ni)結構,塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)頂(ding)改為(wei)(wei)(wei)貼瓷水(shui)泥(ni)葫(hu)蘆。底層(ceng)外壁四門上有(you)(you)(you)10個小龕(kan),供有(you)(you)(you)小鐵(tie)佛7尊,又仿制3尊;底層(ceng)環(huan)(huan)廊(lang)內,保(bao)存有(you)(you)(you)明(ming)(ming)(ming)天順元年(nian)(1457)張思安撰、陳勉書的《南禪寺(si)重(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)記》碑(bei),碑(bei)首已殘損。還有(you)(you)(you)萬(wan)歷十(shi)四年(nian)(1586)錢景醇撰寫的《重(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)妙光塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)記》碑(bei)。1983年(nian)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)完(wan)工時(shi),又鐫《重(zhong)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)妙光塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)》碑(bei)一方。塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)前置有(you)(you)(you)修(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)(xiu)塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)時(shi)出(chu)土的明(ming)(ming)(ming)嘉靖十(shi)四年(nian)(1535)和(he)(he)萬(wan)歷十(shi)一年(nian)(1583)的石香爐各一只。
從明(ming)代永(yong)樂中(zhong)起,“南禪寶塔”就(jiu)被列為“錫(xi)(xi)山八景”之(zhi)一。1957年由無(wu)錫(xi)(xi)市(shi)人(ren)民(min)政府(fu)公布(bu)為市(shi)級文(wen)物保護單位。
妙光塔,始建(jian)于(yu)北宋雍熙年間(984-987),明代天(tian)順(shun)元年(1457)張思(si)安所撰《南禪寺重修(xiu)塔記》載(zai):“院之西有(you)溪(xi)曰(yue)梁(liang)溪(xi),溪(xi)之脈與惠山第二泉通,故(gu)老相傳云,昔有(you)巨蛟蜿蜒(yan)水中,每當天(tian)地晦暝輒光風(feng)雨噴腥(xing)濤,居(ju)民震怖,商賈懷憂。雍熙中,有(you)異(yi)僧駐錫于(yu)茲,諭于(yu)眾曰(yue),蒼龍(long)在耳,宜建(jian)浮屠以(yi)鎮之,則蛟自潛,居(ju)業安矣(yi)”。
塔立在南門羊(yang)腰灣(wan)運河交會處,由邑(yi)人朱承(cheng)福在寺(si)之(zhi)主軸線東側捐資募建七(qi)級(ji)浮屠(tu)。北宋崇寧三(san)(san)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1329),徽宗趙(zhao)佶將(jiang)南禪寺(si)塔命名為妙光(guang)塔。元(yuan)(yuan)朝(chao)(chao)天歷二年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1104)失(shi)火,寺(si)僧心月修(xiu)理。明永(yong)樂五年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1407)又(you)(you)失(shi)火,宣(xuan)德二年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1427),僧心月、一葦進(jin)行(xing)重修(xiu)。宣(xuan)德八(ba)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian),塔傾坍,一葦又(you)(you)于(yu)正(zheng)統(tong)(tong)(tong)元(yuan)(yuan)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)進(jin)行(xing)再修(xiu)建,正(zheng)統(tong)(tong)(tong)十(shi)(shi)四(si)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)才由他兩個徒弟獨峰、柏(bo)庭繼續修(xiu)成。現(xian)存的妙光(guang)塔,為明朝(chao)(chao)正(zheng)統(tong)(tong)(tong)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)間建筑,至(zhi)萬歷十(shi)(shi)四(si)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1586)進(jin)行(xing)過一次大修(xiu)。清朝(chao)(chao)康熙三(san)(san)十(shi)(shi)二年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)至(zhi)四(si)十(shi)(shi)二年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian),僧超澄、明裕(yu)又(you)(you)進(jin)行(xing)長(chang)達10年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)的修(xiu)葺,乾隆八(ba)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1743),住僧長(chang)慶又(you)(you)修(xiu)。道光(guang)八(ba)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)和十(shi)(shi)八(ba)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian),寺(si)僧妙庵、鑒海分別又(you)(you)修(xiu)兩次。咸豐十(shi)(shi)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)遭火災。光(guang)緒年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)間,塔頂又(you)(you)被燒(shao)壞。
1926年(nian),榮(rong)宗敬、榮(rong)德生出資1000元從元月初一開工(gong)至十月十五日竣工(gong),絕頂(ding)、復檐、回(hui)廊、鋪地都用(yong)水泥。1980、1992年(nian)市人民(min)政(zheng)府兩(liang)次對塔全面整修(xiu)(xiu),并清理出埋在(zai)地下(xia)的宋代青石須彌座(zuo),同時修(xiu)(xiu)復底層環廊。