Tianfeng Pagoda

Tianfeng Pagoda

Tianfeng Pagoda is a cultural heritage protection unit of Fenghua District.

Tianfeng Pagoda, located in Tingshan Village, Xiwu Subdistrict, Fenghua City, was designated as part of the third batch of municipal-level cultural heritage protection units by the Fenghua Municipal People's Government in February 1987.

Tianfeng Pagoda, whose date of construction is unknown, is a single-story hexagonal stone pagoda standing 6.40 meters tall. It has no base and was built directly on a large boulder at the mountaintop. The pagoda’s base has a circumference of over 8 meters, and the pagoda body itself is 4.08 meters high, constructed from fifteen layers of sloping stone slabs. Each layer has six sides, with three stone blocks per side — the two side blocks are shared with adjacent sides, arranged in an orderly fashion. At the base of the pagoda, each sloping face is 1.40 meters wide, narrowing to just 0.53 meters at the top. The width at the top is nearly one-third that of the base, showing a significant tapering. The upper half of the pagoda is hollow, while the lower half is solid. The finial is 2.32 meters tall, with both the base and the body consisting of six-sided conical stone blocks, each with even narrower sides. The very top is a pointed stone cone, making each sloping face a long, narrow triangle that is wider at the bottom and pointed at the top. From a distance, the entire pagoda appears as a tall, narrow triangle, sharply pointing upward from the mountaintop.

The body of the finial is carved from a single piece of stone, with six sides, each featuring a seated human figure — one female and five males. The figure on the due east side is in high relief, depicting a broad-faced, large-eared figure seated on a lotus pedestal, while the others are in intaglio line carving. Due to years of weathering, the stone has eroded significantly, adding to its ancient appearance. The surrounding area is a vast plain, and although the mountain is not high and neither is the pagoda, it can still be seen from afar, giving the impression of rising above the mundane world.

According to the county annals, there were monasteries both in front of and behind the original pagoda, so it is likely that this pagoda served as a burial site for monks and nuns. Therefore, "Tianfeng" (Heavenly Peak) might actually be a misnomer for "Tianfen" (Heavenly Tomb).