Yandun Mountain Pagoda (Fufeng Literary Pagoda)

Yandun Mountain Pagoda (Fufeng Literary Pagoda)

Yandun Mountain Pagoda (Fufeng Literary Pagoda) is a cultural relic protection unit of Guangdong Province.

Also known as Fufeng Literary Pagoda, Yandun Mountain Pagoda is located atop Yandun Mountain in the urban area of Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province. In ancient times, Yandun Mountain was one of the coastal defense outposts of the South China Sea, featuring a beacon tower that would emit smoke to warn of approaching pirates. After the establishment of Xiangshan County in the 22nd year of the Shaoxing era during the Southern Song Dynasty (1152), the region, being remote and economically underdeveloped, had a poor standard of living and was classified nationally as a "lower-tier county." How could this situation be improved? Some sought answers from the perspective of "feng shui." It was said that the local terrain originally resembled a "netting (i.e., fishing net) land," where Yandun Mountain and Ma Mountain on either side of the Qijiang River formed an open "divine net" tilted toward Yandun Mountain, causing "wealth" to simply leak away. In September of the 36th year of the Wanli era during the Ming Dynasty (1608), Cai Jishan, the magistrate of Xiangshan, accepted the proposal of local gentry and decided to construct a feng shui pagoda on Yandun Mountain, making its total height match that of Ma Mountain on Changzhou. This is the origin of the present-day Yandun Mountain Pagoda. Commonly called the "Flower Pagoda" among locals, it is a seven-story, octagonal pavilion-style brick pagoda. The pagoda features a flat terrace, with interlocking dentil and string courses forming the eaves, and a cast iron spire. Standing 24.5 meters tall, it was originally a hollow pagoda, but during renovations in 1952, the upper three stories were solidified. The bottle-shaped finial is made of iron. During further renovations in 1983, neon lights were installed on top, making it shine brilliantly at night—visible from afar at any time of day since then.

Also called Fufeng, Yandun Mountain resembles a giant brush writing poetry in the blue sky in the shape of its pagoda, hence it is also referred to as the "Literary Brush." Whether in the ancient "Eight Scenic Spots of Xiangshan" or the newly selected "Ten Scenic Spots of Zhongshan" in 1985 and 1998, the "Fufeng Literary Brush" has consistently stood out with undisputed public recognition, demonstrating its significant place in the hearts of the people of Zhongshan. In the past, a cannon was placed next to Yandun Mountain Pagoda, which was fired at noon every day by a designated government official. In an era before radio time signals, this served as a convenient timekeeping measure for residents before the advent of clocks and watches. This practice was abolished in the 1950s, and the cannon was subsequently removed.

Currently, the first to third floors of the pagoda are open to the public. Visitors can climb the steps, and upon reaching each floor, step out through the doorways onto the pagoda’s corridor to enjoy the surrounding beautiful landscapes, with the urban area of Zhongshan also fully visible.

On November 8, 2008, the General Office of the People's Government of Guangdong Province issued the "Notice on the Announcement of the Fifth Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units," listing Yandun Mountain Pagoda as a cultural relic protection unit of Guangdong Province.

Address: Yandun Mountain, Shiqi, Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province

Type: Historic Site

Recommended Visit Duration: About 1 hour

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units