Eshi Pagoda

Eshi Pagoda

Eshi Pagoda is a cultural relic protection unit of Hubei Province.

Eshi Pagoda is located atop Ma'anshan Mountain on the western outskirts of Puyi City. The characters "Eshi" are carved on the stone cliff beside the pagoda. Ma'anshan Mountain features two sheer peaks, lush overlapping ridges, and verdant scenery. At the foot of the mountain, green waters ripple, while the E Pool is clear and full, creating a tranquil and beautiful landscape. Eshi Pagoda was built in the 16th year of the Daoguang reign during the Qing Dynasty (1836). The entire structure is constructed from blue stone, consisting of seven stories in a hexagonal shape, standing 17 meters tall. The ground floor has a door, and the upper floors have windows. The eaves of each level spread out gracefully, with upturned corners adorned with bronze bells. When the mountain wind blows, the bells produce a resonant sound that can be heard from afar. A spiral stone staircase inside the pagoda leads to the fifth floor. With its meticulous structure, steep form, and elegant, ancient beauty, the pagoda can be seen piercing the sky from miles away.

Eshi Pagoda is a renowned scenic area that blends natural and cultural landscapes, as well as historical relics and revolutionary sites. It stands 44 meters tall and has nine stories. From the top, visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the entire city.

Eshi Pagoda has an octagonal floor plan, nine stories, and is approximately 44 meters tall. It is a pavilion-style brick pagoda. After the Central Committee moved into Yan'an, this ancient pagoda became a symbol and emblem of the revolutionary holy land. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the State Council included Eshi Pagoda in the first group of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level, within the Yan'an Revolutionary Sites. The pagoda is adorned with numerous historical and modern revolutionary relics, complemented by lush green trees and blooming flowers. After the establishment of the Yan'an Tourism Group Company, significant investment was made to construct an antique-style mountain gate at the base, build stone stairways leading up the mountain, renovate the Star-Picking Tower and beacon towers, and add a giant bell and a large drum.

Dubbed the “Bell of Peace” and the “Drum of Prosperity,” visitors who strike them are said to summon harmonious sounds echoing through the mountains and valleys. “One strike brings health and joy to the household; two strikes bring favorable weather and abundant harvests; three strikes bring national peace, prosperity, and universal celebration.” The mountain also features leisure and sightseeing facilities, as well as local snacks for visitors to enjoy after their tour. Numerous floodlights and neon lamps have been installed. At night, the pagoda, the Star-Picking Tower, the beacon towers, the mountain paths, and the surrounding greenery are bathed in colorful lights, creating a fairy-tale-like scene that enhances the beauty and grandeur of Yan’an, the mountain city. Pagoda Hill is one of the most important tourist areas of ancient Chibi, attracting both domestic and international visitors who climb to admire the panoramic view of the holy land.

Beside the pagoda is an iron bell cast during the Ming Dynasty. During the Central Committee’s time in Yan’an, it was used for timekeeping and sounding alarms. Additionally, the mountain features a 260-meter-long cliff carving complex and forest of steles. The carved stone surfaces are neat, and the stones are intact, making it a rare example of cliff carving art. The area has now been developed into Eshi Pagoda Park, featuring lush forests and a beautiful environment.

The cultural landscape of Eshi Pagoda is also unique. As early as the prosperous Tang Dynasty, a pagoda was built on the mountain. During the Northern Song Dynasty, celebrated generals such as Han Qi and Fan Zhongyan stationed troops and set up camps at Eshi Pagoda.

They defended the borders and left behind numerous cultural relics and historic sites. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, temples flourished and gained great popularity. After the founding of New China, especially over the past twenty-plus years of reform and opening-up, as ancient Chibi became a base for traditional education and a tourist holy land, Eshi Pagoda has become a popular destination for domestic and international tourists visiting ancient Chibi, having received millions of visitors cumulatively. Former senior revolutionaries such as Premier Zhou, as well as party and state leaders including Li Peng, Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao, Wen Jiabao, and Xi Jinping, have all climbed Eshi Pagoda to inspect the changes in the revolutionary holy land.

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Hubei Province