Xinhua Wenchang Pagoda

Xinhua Wenchang Pagoda

The Xinhua Wenchang Pagoda is a cultural relic protection unit of Hunan Province.

The Wenchang Pagoda is located on the campus of Xinhua No. 5 Middle School in Yangxi Town, Xinhua County. It is registered as the Yangxi Wenchang Pavilion under municipal protection and as the Wenchang Pagoda under provincial protection. In fact, the inscription “Wenchang Pavilion” on the building is quite clear.

The pagoda was originally built in the 49th year of the Qianlong reign (1784) and renovated in the 14th year of the Guangxu reign (1888). It has a courtyard-style layout, covering an area of 520 square meters, with a brick-and-wood structure. Facing south and backed by the north, its central section is a three-story pavilion-style tower with eight sides. Wind bells hang on the upper part, and there's a clustered spire topped with a colorful finial. On the first floor of the tower, the front gate faces south while the rear gate opens to the north leading into the central courtyard. The lintel above the gate features the exquisitely carved characters “Huilan” (meaning “turning waves”). Flanking the gate are a couplet that reads: “The radiance of sun and moon shines upon sacred teachings; the spiritual essence of mountains and rivers fosters human culture,” which fully conveys the original intention behind the pagoda’s construction. Within the courtyard, four stone tablets are mounted on the surrounding walls, mainly recording how local gentry founded the Sanxiang Community School, held literary gatherings and lectures, and undertook the pagoda’s restoration.

The pagoda was listed as part of the eighth batch of cultural relic protection units of Hunan Province in 2006.

Yangxi Town: Located in the southwestern part of Xinhua County, Yangxi Town is 15 kilometers from the county seat. Provincial Highway 1808 runs through the town, giving it a superior geographical location and convenient transportation. It covers a total area of 132.8 square kilometers, with 28,000 mu of arable land. The town administers four management areas, 61 villages, 3 neighborhood committees, and 676 villager groups, with a total population of 71,000. In 1996, it was designated as a comprehensive reform pilot town for rural small towns in the province. Yangxi Town is rich in natural resources: the coal mine in Baitang Management Area has an annual output of 30,000 tons; the bamboo and timber resources in Cangxi Management Area are abundant, and its “Yulan Slices” (a type of processed bamboo shoot) have a long production history and are popular throughout the country... More details about Yangxi Town ++

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Hunan Province