Ancient Fang Cave Mountain Pagoda

Ancient Fang Cave Mountain Pagoda

Cave Mountain Pagoda is a cultural relic protection unit of Zhejiang Province.

Cave Mountain Pagoda is located on Cave Mountain by the White Sand Stream in the northeast of Guofang Village, Bailongqiao Town, Wucheng District, Jinhua City. It derives its name from the mountain and stands over 20 meters tall.

Cave Mountain Pagoda can be described as a “resilient pagoda” that has endured much and survived great adversity. Since the Ming Dynasty, it has withstood over 400 years of wind, rain, and erosion. During the Anti-Japanese War, a projectile flew across the White Sand Stream from the opposite bank—shrapnel hit the pagoda, blasting a large hole with a diameter of several dozen centimeters. Since then, the pagoda has gradually leaned and partially cracked, but it still stands firm.

Local legends add an amusing twist. It is said that Cave Mountain, by the White Sand Stream, resembles an upside-down catfish when viewed from above. Legend has it that for every egg laid by an upside-down catfish, an official is born. Too many officials emerged from Guofang, alarming the emperor. The emperor then ordered the construction of the pagoda on Cave Mountain—like driving a golden fork into the catfish’s head, preventing it from swimming upstream. Ever since, fewer officials have come from the area. Another tale says the locals of Guofang offended the prefectural governor, who then built the pagoda to “spear the catfish like a harpoon.”

Legends are just legends, often distorted through retelling. Still, the true reason for building Cave Mountain Pagoda—and who built it—remains a mystery.

Originally, there was a small pagoda-like spire at the top, and each floor of the pagoda had flying eaves adorned with copper bells. When the breeze blew, the tinkling sound was crisp and pleasant. Unfortunately, these features no longer exist.

Over the years, exposed to sun and rain, the ancient pagoda has gradually been eroded by time. The white lime on its surface has peeled off in patches, exposing the grey bricks beneath.

The summit of Cave Mountain is dotted with burial mounds. Cave Mountain Pagoda stands alone at the mountaintop, accompanied only by an abandoned Guan Yu Temple that has been deserted for many years. Both the pagoda and the temple are in a state of disrepair.

The top of Cave Mountain Pagoda is damaged. In the blasted hollow, a large hornet’s nest is a startling sight. Embedded in the stone lintel of the pagoda’s ground-level arched doorway is a stone plaque inscribed with four characters: “耸壑昂霄” (Soaring Over Ravines, Reaching the Clouds).

The interior of the pagoda is hollow, containing only a ladder. Looking up from the bottom, the seven-story structure is visible. The inner walls feature recessed niches where statues of Buddhas were once placed—now all are empty. A stone tablet labeled “Municipal Cultural Relic Protection Unit,” leaning against the pagoda’s base, was erected 20 years ago.

In 2017, it was included in the seventh batch of provincial-level cultural relics protection units in Zhejiang Province.

Guofang Village: Guofang Village…… More details about Guofang Village++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Cultural Relics Protection Units in Zhejiang Province