Hepo Pagoda

Hepo Pagoda

Hepo Pagoda is a cultural heritage site protected at the county level in Jiexi County.

Hepo Pagoda is located on the banks of the Hengjiang River in the northwest suburbs of Hepo Town, Jiexi County, Jieyang City. It is a county-level cultural heritage site.

The pagoda was built during the Jiaqing era of the Qing Dynasty (1805). It is an octagonal seven-story structure, (partially ruined) standing 28 meters tall, and is entirely constructed from blue bricks. The edges between each story are adorned with exquisitely crafted brickwork patterns. The pagoda’s entrance faces north, upstream, and is inscribed with the four large stone characters “清河砥柱” (Pillar of the Clear River). Nearby, it is also engraved with “Built in the spring month of the Yi-Chou year of the Jiaqing era of the Qing Dynasty.” Each level has a door opening, with the ceilings of these openings inlaid with stone carvings bearing inscriptions such as “Thousand Autumns Watch,” “Cloud Road,” “Heavenly Path,” and “East Sea.” The topmost level features a pagoda corridor. Originally, there was a gray gourd-shaped finial at the pagoda’s summit, piercing straight into the sky. It was struck and destroyed by lightning in the late Qing Dynasty, losing its spire, which then accumulated dust and became overgrown with bird’s-nest ferns. The branches and leaves intertwined densely, lush and green. The pagoda spire has since been restored.

Hepo Ancient Pagoda is the first ancient structure visible upon entering the Hepo Basin. Together with the Jade Peak Mountain (also known as Dàmiào Mountain) to the southwest, the two complement each other and serve as symbols of the mountain-city of Hepo. This pagoda was originally built as a water-controlling pagoda, situated to the east of a river bend and surrounded by water on three sides. Its construction aimed to constrict the river mouth and subdue water spirits, serving as the “Pillar of the Clear River.” However, due to the winding nature of the river, resembling a twisted intestine, during heavy rains, the ancient pagoda would often be submerged in muddy waters. In 1970, the river bend in Hepo was straightened. The pagoda moved from the east bank to the west bank, giving the impression that it had flown across the river, turning the ancient structure into something of a spiritual entity, locally referred to as the “Flying Pagoda.” Due to the shifting waters and altered landscape, the river now flows straight as an arrow, rushing downward with crystal-clear water. The pagoda’s reflection in the water has made it truly live up to its name as the “Pillar of the Clear River.”

Originally, each level of the pagoda was paved with stone slabs, and each floor had one stone table and four stone chairs. These were later demolished, leaving the pagoda hollow. However, the double-layered walls remain, with internal stone stairs leading to the doorways of each level. The topmost level features a corridor offering panoramic views. A contemporary poet wrote: “The ancient pagoda’s shadow blurs in the slanting sun, / As sunset hues reflect between the waters. / Countless rays of rosy light dye the sea of clouds, / While clusters of slender bamboos rise by the water’s edge.” Another poem reads: “A painted screen of green bamboos lines the long dike, / A vast expanse of fertile fields piles up in brocade. / The Pillar of the Clear River soars to the heavens, / But most wondrous is the pagoda that flew across the river.”

The pagoda was designated as a cultural heritage site by the People’s Government of Jiexi County in 1984.

Location of the Attraction

Hepo Pagoda, Hepo Pagoda Road, Xidi, Jiexi County, Jieyang City, Guangdong Province

Baota Community: Baota Community is located in the center of Jiexi County’s urban area. The community has 4,313 households and a population of 8,674, with no cultivated land area. Most of the community’s labor force is engaged in the tertiary industry. The community neighborhood committee consists of three officials, and the community Party branch has 33 members. The famous scenic spot, Hepo Ancient Pagoda, is located within this jurisdiction. … Baota Community Detailed Information++