Huawa Pagoda

Huawa Pagoda

Huawa Pagoda is a cultural relic protection unit of Hunan Province.

Huawa Pagoda

Built during the Song Dynasty. Located in Huawagang, Yiwan Township, Lixian County, Hunan Province, it is one of the oldest existing ancient pagodas in the province.

The pagoda has a slender body, a stable and solid structure, and was bonded with yellow sandy mud, making it very similar to the Cishi Pagoda in Yueyang. It is believed to be a Song Dynasty structure, and while the temple is now gone, the pagoda remains. It is a pavilion-style architecture, and apart from the base, it is mainly built with blue bricks, with an octagonal floor plan and seven solid stories. The pagoda stands 22 meters tall, with a base that is 2.5 meters high and 6.1 meters in diameter. An arched doorway is located on the true north side, 1.95 meters high, 0.9 meters wide, and 1.05 meters deep, featuring a domed caisson ceiling. The bottom diameter of the first story is 5.5 meters, and it is 3.2 meters high, with false arched doors on the north and south sides. The upper stories gradually decrease in size, with niches for Buddha statues beneath the eaves on each side of every level. The original Buddha statues have all been lost. The outer corners of the pagoda feature corner pillars, and the upturned eave corners are shaped like bird wings, adorned with swirling cloud patterns, topped with a spire. Judging from its shape, materials, and structure, this pagoda displays distinct characteristics of Song Dynasty architecture, making it a historic and ancient pagoda structure.

On October 10, 1983, the People's Government of Hunan Province designated it as a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit, with the serial number 84-27.

Source: Overview of Cultural Relics in Hunan