Yunmen Pagoda

Yunmen Pagoda

Yunmen Pagoda is a cultural relic protection unit of Huangshan City.

Yunmen Pagoda is located at the southern foot of Bisshan Mountain in the northwestern suburbs of Yi County. Commonly known as Sandu Pagoda, it got its name because there was a Yunmen Study House nearby before the pagoda was built. Constructed in the 47th year of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty (1782), the pagoda has five stories and stands 36.4 meters tall, featuring a cylindrical pavilion-style structure with brick walls and wooden eaves. The pagoda’s layout inherits the hexagonal design of Song Dynasty pagodas, with a hexagonal base platform that has sides 5.2 meters long. Each side of the pagoda’s hexagonal body is 2.4 meters long, and the walls are 1.2 meters thick. The structure features brick-built bracket sets, upturned eaves, and carved brick ornaments under the eaves, while iron wind bells hang from the corners, producing a melodious tinkling sound when the breeze blows.

The pagoda’s finial is adorned with a precious bead top, beneath which are components including a guoguang (national light), canopy, spire, water-receiving plate, and重复体 (composite elements), totaling 6.4 meters in height, presenting a grand and majestic appearance. The inner walls of the pagoda are decorated with elegant and refined painted niches. The interior of the pagoda is hollow, with spiral staircases for climbing, each stair being 0.5 meters wide. Each level is fitted with windows and doors that allow both light and ventilation, as well as offering visitors scenic views. From the topmost level, one can gaze over Yi County — surrounded by mountains, with the Zhang River flowing like a silk ribbon, lush fields, and villages clustered closely together, creating a picturesque landscape of clear waters and green hills that is truly enchanting. The pagoda is structurally solid and exquisitely built, and it still stands firmly today, radiating an imposing grandeur.