Dongtou Wanghai Tower

Dongtou Wanghai Tower

Dongtou Wanghai Tower is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Located in Dongtou County, Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, Dongtou Wanghai Tower is the most distinctive and scenic tourist attraction in Dongtou. Visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the area’s highlights from atop the tower, including the seven majestic bridges, the five islands standing in a row, the breathtaking sea and sky scenery, and the full expanse of the Dongtou Archipelago. It also complements the nearby "Lake in the Sea" scenic area.

Wanghai Tower is the iconic landmark of Dongtou, the foremost attraction in Dongtou tourism. With a long history and having survived many changes, it was first built 1,500 years ago during the Northern and Southern Dynasties. Around 426 AD, Yan Yanzhi, the Prefect of Yongjia, led his subordinates on an inspection tour of the Wenzhou coastline. He was deeply impressed by the beautiful landscape of Dongtou and specially built Wanghai Tower on the island as a place to admire the sea view during breaks. About 400 years later, the famous Tang Dynasty poet Zhang Youxin, serving as Prefect of Wenzhou, followed in Yan Yanzhi’s footsteps to Dongtou in search of Wanghai Tower. Unfortunately, the tower had been destroyed by then, so he wrote a poem expressing his lament. The poem roughly describes: “The blue sea encircles the emerald peaks — what a magnificent sight it is!” Alas, the pavilion built by the wise men of the previous dynasty could not be found, and before one’s eyes stretched only the endless surging waves!” This poem has been included in the Complete Tang Poems.

Built at the highest point of Dongtou Island, at an elevation of 227 meters, the entire Wanghai Tower scenic area covers 140.9 acres. The main tower occupies 2,700 square meters, featuring three visible floors and five hidden ones, standing 35.4 meters tall and facing south. The third and fifth floors have observation corridors. From the tower, visitors can take in the overall layout of Dongtou: to the south lie the Dongtou Fishing Port and Banping Mountain; to the east, the old and new urban areas; to the west, the seven cross-sea bridges; and to the north, the sea and surrounding islands.

The main structure of Wanghai Tower was designed by Mr. Chen Xingwen, the chief architect of the 29th reconstruction of Jiangxi’s Tengwang Pavilion. Modeled after traditional Qing-style architecture, the tower faces south, covers 700 square meters of land, has a built-up area of 2,700 square meters, features three visible and five hidden floors, and stands 35.4 meters high. The third and fifth floors are equipped with peripheral observation corridors. At the top of the tower sit four small pavilions, arranged like stars encircling the moon. The vertical plaque reading “Wanghai Tower” is a calligraphy masterpiece by the master Qi Gong. The horizontal plaque on the fifth floor, inscribed with “Jin Tang Yuan Yun” (Ancient Charm of the Jin and Tang Dynasties), features the handwriting of Zhao Puchu, symbolizing the temporal and cultural heritage of the tower’s long history. The third-floor horizontal plaque, “Hai Ri Tian Feng” (Sea Sun and Sky Wind), showcases the calligraphy of Sha Menghai, praising the tower from a spatial and natural perspective for capturing the wonders of mountains and sea, as well as the essence of sun and moon. Wanghai Tower is equipped with advanced landscape lighting. On summer nights, when the tower lights shine brightly, the scene is particularly enchanting. The tower is majestic and has been praised for having “three marvels and four superlatives.” The three marvels are: seen from the sea or the island, it offers an exceptional scenic view; climbing to the top provides a perfect vantage point to view the hundred islands; and the indoor exhibition halls serve as an excellent classroom for learning about marine knowledge. The four superlatives are: it is the highest-altitude tower built on an island in China’s southeast coastal region; its star-surrounding-moon architectural form boasts the most imposing aura; its plaques and couplets are inscribed by the most prestigious calligraphers; and it displays the richest collection of fishing village and folk artifacts.

The mountain gate of the Wanghai Tower scenic area is built in Qing-style architecture, adopting the design of a four-pillar, three-bay, three-story memorial archway with a hip-and-gable roof, standing 12.05 meters tall and 19.4 meters wide. The walls on both sides are screen walls decorated with bluestone reliefs depicting the scenery of the hundred islands. The plaque above the gate reads “Bai Dao Yi Wang” (A View of a Hundred Islands), calligraphy by the renowned artist and master craftsman Han Meilin. It implies that when you climb the tower for a tour, a hundred islands are all within sight. The character “Wang” (望, meaning “view”) also suggests a window — Wanghai Tower is a window into the history and culture of Dongtou, and a window to appreciate the landscape of the hundred islands. The couplet at the gate was written by Shen Peng, Vice Chairman of the Chinese Calligraphers Association: “A sea sets forth thousands of sails, the beauty overwhelming, all thanks to the sunrise lifted by the morning glow; four seasons adorn a hundred islands, the fine hours endless, leaving the bright moon waiting as the tide rises.”

The main gate couplet reads: “Looking up, the layered eaves embrace the moon, the railings stretch across — its aura swallowing three thousand miles of Wu and Yue; looking down, the divine sea surges with racing tides, the distant sky greets returning boats — its fame as the foremost tower in the southeast.” Looking up, the Wanghai Tower cradles the moon and spans the clouds, radiating extraordinary grandeur; looking down, the surging tides and returning sails outside the tower create a scene of infinite wonder. Truly: “Its aura swallows three thousand miles of Wu and Yue,” and “Its fame as the foremost tower in the southeast!” This couplet was composed by Ye Zitong, Secretary-General of the Chinese Couplet Society, and calligraphed by Li Duo, Vice Chairman of the Chinese Calligraphers Association and a calligrapher-general.

Address: No. 62, Xincheng Avenue, Dongtou District, Wenzhou City

Type: Historical Architecture

Rating: AAAA

Recommended Visiting Time: 1–2 hours

Phone: 0577-63472877