Guidong Wenfeng Pagoda

Guidong Wenfeng Pagoda

Guidong Wenfeng Pagoda is a cultural heritage site protected by Hunan Province and a UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage site.

Guidong Wenfeng Pagoda is located on Santai Mountain, a scenic, pleasant, and fresh-air destination.

An ancient poem from Guidong sings: "As if the heavens send green hither, at dawn the southeast mist clears; myriad valleys rush to divide five ridges, one peak stands out among the three terraces."

The "three terraces" in the poem refer to Santai Mountain. A single peak rises, extending over the eastern, central, and western terraces, hence the name Santai (Three Terraces) Mountain. The three terraces are both prominent and interconnected, stretching continuously.

The eastern terrace is crowned with the ancient Wenfeng Pagoda. The central terrace houses a stone statue of Hu Yunyi, a modern philologist, where the former Guidong Lianxi Academy and the county high school once stood. The western terrace was leveled into a slope during WWII to build a "guidance airstrip" for the American "Flying Tigers" under the Lend-Lease program. The western terrace disappeared, becoming a WWII relic.

Only two terraces remain, making Santai Mountain seem misnamed—yet a new terrace was developed in modern times beneath the eastern terrace’s pagoda, along with a Heroes’ Memorial and cemetery.

Pagodas are ancient structures. Guidong has a long history of building towers, with the earliest constructed during the Ming Dynasty also on Santai Mountain. Eroded by time, that tower collapsed. On a day in the 17th year of the Daoguang era (1837), two local gentry, Hu Xihuan and Huang Youzai, initiated its reconstruction—resulting in the Wenfeng Pagoda we see today.

Why is it called Wenfeng Pagoda?

Legend ties its name to the Lianxi Academy. The Song Dynasty neo-Confucian scholar Zhou Dunyi once lectured in Guidong. Later, the grateful locals built the Lianxi Academy on the central terrace of Santai Mountain, spreading culture and nurturing talent.

Upon completing the reconstructed tower, what name should it bear? Someone suggested naming it "Wenfeng" (Literary Wind) since it stood just 100 meters from the academy. To transform Guidong’s poverty, they argued, they must foster scholarly winds—educate first, then prosper. The name was embraced. Over time, "Wenfeng" (wind) phonetically shifted to "Wenfeng" (peak), becoming the current name.

Typically, pagodas consist of a base, body, and finial (top ornament), varying in form and style.

By material, pagodas include brick, stone, iron, copper, glazed, reinforced concrete, and wooden structures. Guidong Wenfeng Pagoda is built entirely of granite—each long, hand-chiseled slab meticulously fitted by artisans. Structurally, it’s a stone pagoda.

By levels, pagodas nationwide range from one to thirteen stories. Count them: Guidong Wenfeng Pagoda has seven.

By shape, pagodas appear square, cylindrical, hexagonal, octagonal, dodecagonal, etc.

Covering 38 square meters, Guidong Wenfeng Pagoda has a base diameter of 7.15 meters and stands 19.5 meters tall. Its design is elegant: from afar, its conical silhouette appears slender and refined; up close, it’s square outside, round inside—with an inner solid cylinder. Outer and inner walls connect seamlessly. The eight thick, evenly curved facades create an octagonal form, topped with a carved gourd. The pagoda’s robust base tapers gracefully, offering striking aesthetic appeal.

By internal structure, pagodas are hollow or solid.

Guidong Wenfeng Pagoda has four hollow levels; floors five to seven are solid. The first level’s seven sides feature false doors, except the west entrance, whose lintel bears a 1837 stone plaque inscribed with "Xiuzhi Nanli" (Elegant South of the Fire Star). Inside, a spiral staircase with 40 steps leads to the fourth floor. Levels two to four have corridors between inner and outer walls, each with a circular platform and small east/west/north/south doors, while other sides feature decorative false doors.

Pagodas originated in India as Buddhist structures. Introduced to China during the Eastern Han, they evolved into localized forms: blessing towers, gratitude towers, merit towers, demon-suppressing towers, tomb towers, longevity towers... Guidong Wenfeng Pagoda is a blessing tower.

Beyond blessings, it’s a scenic tourist tower. Flower beds, osmanthus fragrance, and shaded trees surround it. From its summit, you can gaze over the county’s picturesque landscape and distant mountains.

Wenfeng Pagoda embodies the wisdom and diligence of Guidong’s ancestors, shining with ancient cultural brilliance.

Many visitors ask: Does Wenfeng Pagoda have legends or stories?

Yes. Every pagoda has tales behind it.

Legend says during the Cultural Revolution, all foreign and ancient culture was deemed "feudal, capitalist, or revisionist" and slated for destruction. Wenfeng Pagoda, linked to feudalism, was marked for demolition. One bold voice declared, "Let whoever blows it up be the village chief." A troublemaker volunteered.

As he hauled explosives up Santai Mountain, fear struck—he worried falling debris would demolish the houses below. Thus, Wenfeng Pagoda survived.

Legends aside, another story is true.

Folklore says a pilot lies buried near the pagoda. Determined peace advocates in Guidong researched relentlessly, attracting U.S. experts. In May 2005, Sino-American collaboration solved a 61-year mystery.

Thanks to heroic pilot Robert, Santai Mountain and Wenfeng Pagoda gained international fame, connecting to Moore County, North Carolina. A "Flying Tigers" memorial was erected at the pagoda, symbolizing Sino-American peace and friendship. Robert’s hometown, Moore County, became sister counties with Guidong. The TV series *A Flying Tiger* was filmed here. On January 24, 2011, Hunan Province designated Wenfeng Pagoda a provincial cultural relic.

In recent years, the Gui Dong County Party Committee and County Government have implemented a lighting project. When night falls, standing in the county town, you can easily see the night lights radiating in all directions from the Wenfeng Pagoda, dazzling and magnificent, making it a beautiful highlight of the mountainous city of Gui Dong.

Author: Chen Junwen

Further reading:

·Ninth Batch of Hunan Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units