Puning Peifeng Pagoda

Puning Peifeng Pagoda

Puning Peifeng Pagoda is a cultural relic protection unit of Guangdong Province.

Located in Houkeng Village, Hongyang Town, Puning, it was historically part of Wuli Township and is thus commonly known as the "Wuli Pagoda." Built in the seventh year of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty (1742), it is a feng shui pagoda constructed from lime-soil mixture. The pagoda features unique internal spiral stone stairs leading to each level, with windows on each floor offering scenic views. Its eaves are built out using red bricks in corbelled fashion. The seventh floor houses a caisson ceiling, and the top is composed of a large gourd supported by three upward-facing lotus petals, which in turn hold up a small cast iron gourd weighing over a thousand jin—offering a distinctive design. The Peifeng Pagoda boasts an elegant and majestic appearance, standing tall for over two hundred years as one of the “Eight Scenic Spots of Puning,” known as the “Peifeng Treasure Pagoda.”

The pagoda has a total height of 36 meters, with seven stories and an octagonal plan. It is a hybrid brick-and-lime structure, with the main body constructed from rammed earth. Among pagodas in China, this is truly rare. The base measures 9.8 meters per side, with a pedestal 1.65 meters high, accessed by nine levels of steps. The pedestal is equipped with railings on both the upper and lower parts, and the railing columns are carved with a pair of stone wild geese and a pair of stone lions, all vividly rendered. The first level of the pagoda body has a bottom width of 3.9 meters and a perimeter of 31.2 meters, with the body itself rising 31.7 meters. The interior of each level is hollow. The wall of the first level is 2.55 meters thick, with each face measuring 1.5 meters per side. The pagoda gradually tapers toward the top, with each side of the seventh and highest level only 0.71 meters wide. There is only one entrance into the pagoda chamber from the base, facing west. The door is 1.3 meters wide and 2.77 meters high, with an arched top. The stone lintel of the door is inscribed with: “Seven tiers soar boldly into the sky, surrounded by a thousand peaks that magnify its grandeur.” The inner chamber contains spiral stone stairs totaling 120 steps that lead to each level. From the first and second floors upward, each level has four doors (or windows), arranged in a staggered pattern between adjacent levels—both aesthetically pleasing and allowing views outward in all directions from within. The eaves are built out using red bricks in a corbelled style. The topmost (seventh) level’s chamber contains a caisson ceiling, while the exterior is fitted with a corridor. Each corner of the corridor is adorned with a stone pillar, topped with tiles and lime-soil decorations featuring scrollwork, showcasing elegant and graceful design. The finial is a cast iron spire in the shape of a precious bottle atop a wheel.

Houkeng Village: Located at the northern end of Hongyang Town, at the intersection of Provincial Road 1930 and Mawu Line, Houkeng Village is 2 kilometers from the Hongyang town center. One of Puning’s “Eight Scenic Spots,” the “Peifeng Pagoda,” stands proudly in this village, which enjoys convenient transportation. The village currently has a population of 2,349 people, covers an area of 1.5 square kilometers, and includes 1,000 mu of cultivated land. As a plains area with a purely agricultural economy, villagers mainly engage in farming and cultivation, producing staples, vegetables, seedlings, and more. The village party branch currently has 34 members, and the village “two committees” consist of 5 cadres. The annual collective economic income is just over 30,000 yuan.

… More details about Houkeng Village ++

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units