Fairy Lady Tower

Fairy Lady Tower

Fairy Lady Tower is located in Sanhe Town, Hefei City, and is one of the famous attractions of the historic Sanhe Ancient Town. In 1898 AD, it was officially established as a food industry venture named “Zhonghexiang” through a partnership investment by Shi Daosheng, Peng Zhongqiao, and Wang Liangzhi. The original site was the former location of the “Jing County Guild Hall” and has a history of over a hundred years. Shi Daosheng was known for his kind-hearted nature, generosity, and sincere honesty and integrity. Influenced by the Buddhist belief in “karmic reward for good deeds,” he maintained daily incense offerings, with his entire family paying reverence.

The head of the Jinjufeng, a major merchant in the Sanhe commercial scene, shared a great rapport with Shi Daosheng. Inspired by him, he gathered contributions from various businesses and raised a significant amount of funds to completely rebuild the “Fairy Lady Tower.” A golden statue was created, an incense altar was set up, bright candles were lit, and offering cakes were presented. Incense was burned morning and evening, and worshippers bowed in reverence at dawn and dusk. Mr. Jin Zhuzhai, a man of great wealth, was 47 years old at the time and had six sons but no daughters, which weighed heavily on his heart. On a Mid-Autumn night that year, he and his wife, dressed in plain clothes and with cleansed hands, burned incense and knelt in prayer, asking for the blessing of a daughter. By fortune’s grace and as a reward for their sincerity, the following year (1903), his wife gave birth to a daughter, whom they named “Qigu” (Seventh Aunt).

Since then, Fairy Lady Tower gained widespread fame. Devotees from Shu, Tong, and Lu counties, as well as from Lu’an, Hefei, and Wuhu, flocked to Sanhe Town in groups to pray to the Fairy Lady for blessings of fortune, longevity, and peace. Zhonghexiang flourished like never before, dominating the market across central Anhui, Chaohu, and towns along the Yangtze River. Today’s Fairy Lady Tower largely retains its original appearance, along with the stone stele inscribed with “Compassionate Heart, Saving the World,” erected in the 25th year of the Republic of China (1936).

Legend has it that in 1898, during the 25th year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty, a female Taoist priest who had attained enlightenment in the deep mountains of Jiangxi traveled downstream and arrived at Sanhe Ancient Town. She was warmly welcomed at the “Zhonghexiang” pastry shop. After she left, the shop staff reported seeing golden lights flickering in the backyard twice during the night. Suspecting a fire, they approached only to find no blaze—but instead, the silhouette of the female Taoist priest appearing as if materializing from nowhere. Realizing she was no ordinary person, the owner of Zhonghexiang set up a memorial tablet for the “Fairy Lady” in the backyard, where incense was offered and worshiped daily. From then on, business thrived, and prosperity followed. News of this spread quickly, drawing more and more worshippers—merchants praying for business success, travelers for safe journeys, and childless couples praying for offspring. What was once a private family ritual turned into a public act of reverence. To this day, Fairy Lady Tower continues to hold strong influence in the region. On the first and fifteenth days of each lunar month, the devout come in endless streams, and the incense never ceases.

The four large characters on the lintel of Fairy Lady Tower read “Qiú Zuò Dé Xīng” (求作德兴), which can also be read as “Xīng Dé Qiú Zuò” (兴德求作). These are the calligraphic works of the esteemed elder steward of Li Hongzhang. Each character was fired and carved from a single brick—known as brick carving—and has a history of over a hundred years. The phrase conveys the idea that to achieve great things in life, one must have a foundation of virtuous character. In other words, “First be a good person, then accomplish great deeds.” Inside Fairy Lady Tower, various halls enshrine deities from different traditions, including the Thousand-Armed Guanyin, Maitreya Buddha, and Sakyamuni Buddha, making it a world of Buddhism. Devotees of all kinds flock here continuously, bowing in deep reverence and worshiping with heartfelt piety, and the incense offerings remain abundant.

Within the courtyard of Fairy Lady Tower stands a “Mother-and-Son Tree,” commonly known as the Milk Tree. It is actually a paper mulberry tree and is over a hundred years old. It remains lush with branches and leaves, bearing red flowers and purple fruits, with four trunks growing closely together in an embrace. Legend says that a couple who had long been unable to conceive a child came to Fairy Lady Tower to pray for a son. One night, the Fairy Lady appeared in a dream and told the wife that she would become pregnant with twins. True to the dream, after ten months, she gave birth to twin baby boys. Later, both brothers achieved academic success and made notable accomplishments. Strangely enough, it is said that the four-trunked paper mulberry tree grew right where the twins were born. Locals believe this was a manifestation of the Fairy Lady’s divine power. The tree is now also called the Wish Tree, where people make beautiful wishes for the safety and health of their families.

Sanhe Town: Sanhe Town is located in central Anhui, in the southwestern part of Hefei, the provincial capital of Anhui Province. It is under the jurisdiction of Hefei and borders the cities of Chaohu and Lu’an. To the east, it faces Chaohu Lake, and is traversed by the Fengle River, Hangbu River, and Xiaonan River. It lies on the golden tourism route between the national 5A-level scenic spots of Huangshan and Jiuhua Mountain. The Hefei-Tongling Highway runs through the town, while the Beijing-Kowloon Railway and the Hefei-Tongling-Huangshan Expressway pass nearby, providing convenient transportation and excellent geographical advantages. The town covers an area of 70 square kilometers, governs 19 villages and 7 residential communities, and has a population of 72,000. The Sanhe Ancient Town scenic area itself spans 4.71 square kilometers and has a population of over 30,000. … Sanhe Town detailed information++