Ancient Pagoda Historical and Cultural Park

Ancient Pagoda Historical and Cultural Park

Ancient Pagoda Historical and Cultural Park is a cultural tourism attraction.

Jinzhou Ancient Pagoda Historical and Cultural Park, commonly known as Ancient Pagoda Park, is located in the southwest corner of Guta District, Jinzhou City. It was one of the 39 major beautification projects closely related to citizens' lives planned by the municipal Party committee and government in 2000. Construction began on September 19, 1999, and was completed on July 1, 2000, covering a total area of 12 hectares.

The park centers around the thousand-year-old majestic Liao Dynasty pagoda as its highest point, themed around the region’s history and local customs, and takes the ancient architectural complex of Da Guangji Temple as a borrowed scenic element. It combines traditional Chinese and modern garden design techniques, capturing the charm of ancient culture, showcasing a modern aesthetic, embodying the harmony of heaven, earth, and humanity, and integrating ancient and modern historical and cultural elements. During construction, emphasis was placed on reflecting both the historical and cultural essence of Jinzhou and the concept of modern garden scenery, making it a leisure and entertainment venue rich in the regional culture and local flavor of western Liaoning.

Ancient Pagoda Park primarily uses plants for landscaping, supplemented by architectural elements. The terrain features varied elevations, and the environment offers winding, secluded paths. The park is divided into seven main functional areas: the Guangji Temple Sightseeing Area, Ancient Pagoda Musical Fountain Square, Senior Citizens’ Activity Area, Plant Greenhouse Viewing Area, Quiet Leisure Area, Children’s Activity Area, and Petrified Wood Forest Area.

The garden design style of Ancient Pagoda Historical and Cultural Park inherits the essence of traditional Chinese garden design, employs modern landscape architecture techniques, and draws on successful experiences from European and American gardens. It fully expresses the characteristics of the times and the local flavor of western Liaoning. The thousand-year-old pagoda and modern garden are integrated into one, blending historical culture with modern civilization. With its unique garden style, it has become another renowned tourist attraction in Jinzhou and even Liaoning Province, especially notable for its Petrified Wood Forest, which is truly distinctive.

The Guangji Temple Sightseeing Area consists of attractions such as Da Guangji Temple, Tianhou Palace, Zhaongzhong Shrine, Jinzhou Museum, and the square in front of the pagoda. The Ancient Pagoda Musical Fountain Square covers an area of 1,836 square meters and is composed of the ancient pagoda, musical fountain, and shaded plaza.

The square is divided into three parts. The Senior Citizens’ Activity Area is built with landscape elements suitable for the recreational activities of the elderly, featuring popular appreciation and entertainment programs enjoyed by seniors. The Plant Greenhouse Viewing Area was created to allow people to enjoy evergreen southern plants during the winter, addressing Jinzhou’s seasonal characteristics of short plant growth periods and long periods of withered yellow foliage. The Quiet Leisure Area consists of the main west gate square and the Five Elements Square. The Children’s Activity Area is designed with romantic landscaping techniques, including a set of children’s walls and a Five Elements Square representing metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. The Petrified Wood Forest Area covers 5,000 square meters and uses the region’s specialty—petrified wood from western Liaoning—as its main material. Various modeling techniques are employed to create a “man-made yet naturally formed” stone forest landscape.

Ancient Pagoda Historical and Cultural Park carries a thousand years of cultural heritage, embodies the majestic spirit of the Liaoshen Campaign, and blends the scenic beauty of northern China with the elegance of the south. The Sui Dynasty temple and Liao Dynasty pagoda, along with green tiles and cloud-like walls, complement each other, making it a culturally rich and highly visit-worthy humanistic landmark in western Liaoning.