Guiping East Pagoda

Guiping East Pagoda

The Guiping East Pagoda is a cultural relic protection unit of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The East Pagoda, also known as the Deer Peak Pagoda or Dexing Pagoda, is located atop Deer Peak Mountain. It was first built during the Zhiping era of the Song Dynasty by Sun Qi, a successful imperial examination candidate who served as the supervisor of Guiyang, but later collapsed. It was rebuilt in the 10th year of the Jiajing reign (1531) of the Ming Dynasty and completed in the 1st year of the Wanli reign (1573).

The pagoda is made of brick and stone, has seven levels and eight sides, stands 30.18 meters tall, and the diameter of the first level is over 11 meters. Its interior is hollow, with stairs that allow visitors to walk up to the top. Each side of every level features either an arched doorway or a false archway, with short eaves extending between the levels. At the corners, stone brackets are embedded, resembling upward-curving eaves, and from each of these corners hangs a bronze bell. When the breeze blows, the bells tinkle melodiously. The top of the pagoda is adorned with a cast iron finial and a precious vase. Today, it forms part of the East Pagoda Park along with attractions such as the Deer Peak Temple, the Evening Glow at Deer Peak, Zhuoweng Rock, and the statue of Ouyang Hai. It is situated 4 kilometers east of downtown Guiping, on the banks of the Xun River, facing the Binsan Temple across the river. It was initially built during the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1573–1620) by County Magistrate Liu Wan’an, who managed to complete only two levels before his death. During the Chongzhen reign (1628–1644), Censor Li Zhongxiong and Prefect Ge Yuanzheng expanded it to nine levels.

Why did the ancients build the East Pagoda? There are three explanations. One is that because the pagoda is round at the base and pointed at the top, resembling a writing brush, it is referred to as the "Literary Brush." Being located by the Xun River, it symbolizes dipping the brush in the waters of the Xun River to compose splendid culture and poetry for Guiping. Another explanation is that Guiping is a land of bamboo rafts, surrounded by the Qian and Yu rivers which converge and flow eastward. These rafts were easily swept away by floods. The construction of the East Pagoda was likened to planting a bamboo pole to hold the rafts in place, preventing them from being washed away—reflecting people’s hopeful aspirations. A third explanation is the desire to achieve balance among four peaks. The entire Guiping area is filled with numerous mountain peaks: there are the Twin White Stone Peaks to the south, the Western Hills and Malie to the west, and the Zijingshan and Five Finger Mountains to the north. However, the east lacked a barrier or prominent peak. By constructing the East Pagoda, its spire reaches toward the sky, standing opposite the surrounding peaks to achieve harmony in all directions.

Many ancient pagodas built around the same time as the East Pagoda in Guangxi have long since collapsed and disappeared. Yet, despite enduring earthquakes, lightning strikes, and wind and rain erosion, the East Pagoda remains standing firm. What is the secret? It turns out the East Pagoda is exceptionally robust and solid. The entire structure uses a brick-and-wood design, with foundations built from foundation stones each weighing several hundred pounds, deeply laid into the bedrock—making the base extremely sturdy. The walls are thick and strong, with a base diameter of 12 meters and walls 4 meters thick. The pagoda is 50 meters tall, octagonal and hollow with a conical shape, featuring entrances on each side. Each level has ventilation holes, and the central filled archways of each level are painted with silver beads. The eight corners are adorned with copper-wire-strung wind chimes, and the pagoda’s tip is crowned with a copper gourd weighing over a thousand pounds, serving to protect against lightning strikes.

The water and mountain scenery surrounding the East Pagoda is naturally picturesque. In the distance, the pine waves and tea fragrance drift from the Western Hills; nearby, the Xun River resembles a jade-green ribbon encircling the pagoda. On the opposite bank, Binsan Mountain is lush and shaded, full of vitality. But the most captivating wonder is the “East Pagoda’s Reflected Waves,” one of the Eight Scenic Spots of Xunzhou. The most magical aspect of this view is how it changes with the seasons and varies from morning to evening. On clear winter and spring mornings, when the sun rises in the east, the pagoda’s shadow stretches across the Xun River, set against the gently flowing, layered waves. With its pointed top and round base, and the varying light on its eight angled sides, the slanted shadow reflects onto the dense shade of Binsan Mountain on the opposite bank. At this time, the sunlight is faintly red, the water silvery white, and the thick green foliage ripples in undulating patterns, naturally forming a colorful, pleated skirt that gathers and disperses, floating on the river—a truly spectacular sight. In summer, when the river swells dramatically, the upstream area of the pagoda is the Tonggu Rapids, where rocks make roaring sounds, whirlpools reverse, and surging waves echo for miles. The pagoda’s reflection in the Xun River is split into several segments, drifting on the water’s surface. At the highest points of the waves, the pagoda’s tip and the copper gourd can be faintly seen, the latter appearing and disappearing more often than not—creating a uniquely strange scene. In autumn, with mild winds and bright sunshine, the setting sun casts slanting rays on the East Pagoda, and its reflection shimmers on the Xun River as the waves rise and fall, presenting ever-changing patterns. At times, the pagoda’s reflection looks like a nine-section steel whip, broken and disjointed; other times, it resembles a curved bow, as if shooting at the moon.