Laibin Wenhuai Pagoda

Laibin Wenhuai Pagoda

Laibin Wenhuai Pagoda is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Wenhuai Pagoda is located on the north bank of the Hongshui River, approximately 100 meters south of Fui Village, Qianjiang Town, Xingbin District. Legend has it that it was rebuilt during the Ming Dynasty’s Wanli era (1573–1620) by the martial arts scholar Huang Wenhuai, hence the name Wenhuai Pagoda. It is designated as a county-level cultural heritage site. The pagoda is an octagonal, seven-story hollow brick structure with a flat base. It is 35 meters high, with an inner diameter of 2.72 meters and walls 3 meters thick. The structure narrows progressively from the ground floor upwards. The top is covered with an iron cauldron. Starting from the second floor, each level has a pair of wind vents facing north and south, while the other sides feature dummy doors for decoration. The ground floor has, in addition to the north-south wind vents, a wind vent on the west side, with the remaining five sides also being dummy doors. The ground-floor wind vents are 2.2 meters high and 0.84 meters wide. The base is constructed with large stone slabs, laid out in an octagonal shape, and is larger than the pagoda’s pedestal. Inside, there are Buddhist niches from the first to the sixth levels. The first level has five niches, and the levels above have six, but there are no stairs inside the pagoda for climbing. The body of the pagoda and the niches are richly adorned with carved dragons, phoenixes, flowers, and birds in vibrant colors, giving the pagoda a majestic and exquisite appearance. Legend has it that when building the pagoda, there were always 100 workers but only 99 people eating—there was always one extra worker at work and one fewer at meals. This extra person was said to be a fairy who descended from heaven to help build the pagoda, aiming to assist the people in achieving the timeless wish of bountiful harvests and prosperity. Upon completion, it was said that “the pagoda stands in Qianjiang, but its shadow falls in Guixian,” a hyperbolic saying reflecting its grandeur.

On October 7, 2019, Laibin Wenhuai Pagoda was included in the eighth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units