Hui Feng Pagoda

Hui Feng Pagoda is located at the summit of He Ling Mountain in Xinmo Village, Luxu Town, Binyang County, approximately 5 kilometers from the county seat. It is also known as He Ling Pagoda, and due to its proximity to Da Mo Village, it is sometimes called Da Mo Pagoda. Together with Xiu Feng Pagoda in Daqiao Town, they are referred to as the two great ancient pagodas of Binyang County. Hui Feng Pagoda is a seven-story brick pagoda constructed with blue bricks. In the second year of the Guangxu reign during the Qing Dynasty (1876)...

Hui Feng Pagoda

Hui Feng Pagoda

Hui Feng Pagoda is situated at the summit of He Ling Mountain in Xinmo Village, Luxu Town, Binyang County, about 5 kilometers from the county town. It is commonly known as He Ling Pagoda, and because it is close to Da Mo Village, it is also referred to as Da Mo Pagoda. Along with Xiu Feng Pagoda in Daqiao Town, it is recognized as one of the two major ancient pagodas of Binyang County.

Hui Feng Pagoda is a seven-story pagoda built with blue bricks. In the second year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty (1876), it was initiated by Magistrate Ye Maosong and has stood for over 120 years. The pagoda stands 23.3 meters tall with a base diameter of 4 meters, shaped like an octagonal pyramid that soars into the sky. Each layer of the pagoda features eaves that slightly protrude and curl upwards, giving it an elegant, classical appearance. The undersides of the eaves are adorned with various patterns. At the top of the pagoda, each of the eight eave corners is hung with a bronze bell, which chimes melodiously in the wind. The three large Chinese characters “Hui Feng Ta” (Hui Feng Pagoda) were inscribed on the pagoda’s gate by Zhang Zhongwu of Nanhai from the Qing Dynasty. On either side of the gate are stone carvings by Magistrate Ye Maosong, who oversaw the pagoda’s completion: “Its refined aura pierces the clouds, stirring even the stars in the heavens; its auspicious light shines upon the sun, ushering in successive generations of statesmen and generals.” In the 13th year of the Republic of China (1924), one corner of the pagoda’s top was struck and damaged by lightning. Later, with funding allocated by County Magistrates Lu Zhihuang and Zhu Fanxi, the damage was repaired, restoring the pagoda to its original form.

Numerous legends surround the construction of Hui Feng Pagoda. One popular tale says that Binyang had a flourishing culture and produced many talented individuals, fostering an environment where scholars thrived. Officials who came to govern Binyang often found themselves impeached and forced to resign within a year or two. On one occasion, an official from out of town, aiming to govern effectively and secure his position, consulted a feng shui master. The master observed that the southern peak of Nanshan Mountain, which jutted sharply upward like a writing brush, was the reason why Binyang had so many studious youths, a strong academic culture, and numerous talents. The locals’ sharp intellect led them to successfully impeach officials, so the official believed this to be true. He then ordered workers to flatten the peak of Nanshan. To balance the flattened Nanshan with another peak, he had a pagoda built atop He Ling Mountain to anchor the area—ensuring that outside officials could stay long-term. Though the validity of this tale cannot be confirmed, the name “Hui Feng Pagoda” is indeed linked to nurturing talent. Its name means “to turn back the adverse winds and revive literary spirit.” At the time, feng shui experts believed: “Based on the geography of the region, the returning dragon looks back to its origin, facing south from a north position. The front Nanshan Mountain, known as the 'Sun Peak Illuminating the Heavens,' and the rear great river, called the 'Small Moon Curving Around,' create a horizontal layout with a vacant front and full back. However, there is a lack of complementary peaks from the west to the south. Though the area enjoys open and flat surroundings on all sides, it was still necessary to build a pagoda in the Yǐn-Jiǎ direction to compensate and achieve harmony.” In other words, Binyang’s geographical layout was seen as incomplete and required human intervention to perfect it. Magistrate Ye Maosong adopted this view and raised funds to build the pagoda atop He Ling Mountain to enhance the local feng shui. In 1924, when the pagoda’s top was damaged by lightning, Magistrate Lu Zhihuang of Binyang funded its repair. He later wrote “Record of the Repair of Hui Feng Pagoda,” stating: “In the eastern part of our county lies He Ling. The waters from the southwest all converge here. Our predecessors specially built this towering pagoda atop the ridge to subdue it, naming it Hui Feng Pagoda, symbolizing the intention to turn back adversity and revive literary spirit... Although theories of feng shui may be hard to verify, the land indeed nurtures heroes, as history proves. We hope that in the future, as brilliance and talent flourish, these individuals will become pillars of the nation and bring glory to our county. Alas, the flaws of heaven and earth often require human effort to mend—how much more so for a structure like this pagoda!” The couplet inscribed by Magistrate Ye Maosong on the pagoda gate and the poem by local scholar Meng Enheng—“Now the heavens’ omission is restored, and each generation has virtuous talent to solidify the foundation”—also reflect the purpose behind building the pagoda.

Folklore surrounding the pagoda’s construction suggests that flattening Nanshan Mountain was akin to cutting off the people’s pen—their cultural tool. This at least shows that the people hoped for cultural advancement and a continuous emergence of talent. The pagoda’s name, along with Magistrate Ye Maosong’s couplet, also reveals the local officials’ aspirations to “revive literary spirit” and “see generals and ministers rise in succession.” Both officials and commoners shared the same hopes, though their interpretations differed vastly. Why? Was it due to superstitious beliefs? Beyond this, the towering pagoda, as a witness to history, might reveal the deeper reasons behind it.

Hui Feng Pagoda is not only grand in architecture but also blessed with beautiful scenery. The area around the pagoda is an open space covered with lush green grass. A little further away, dense forests and bamboo thrive, while various unnamed wildflowers fill the air with their intoxicating fragrance. Precisely because of this, the pagoda attracts many visitors from outside the county, inspiring poets and scholars to compose poems and essays. Meng Enheng, a local scholar, once wrote the following verse after visiting the pagoda: “A pillar holds firm amid turbulent seas; from afar, the stupa commands majestic dignity. Its bold momentum resembles a calligrapher’s brush; swaying flower branches dip into emerald pools. All-around, cloud-kissed mountains serve as painting scrolls; half the river’s wind and moon inspire verses at the pagoda. Now heaven’s gap is mended, and each generation raises talent to strengthen the nation’s foundation.”

Since its construction, Hui Feng Pagoda has endured the trials of time, suffering from weathering and gradual decay. In 1924, a corner of the pagoda collapsed due to a lightning strike. County Magistrates Lu Zhihuang and Zhu Fanxi, responding to the wishes of local elders and residents, allocated funds for restoration. After several months of repairs, the pagoda regained its original appearance. In 1944, during the second Japanese invasion of Binyang, the invaders built a bunker and established a stronghold inside the pagoda to control the Yongning-Liuzhou Highway. This caused damage to the pagoda’s gate. Over time, human destruction worsened. In 1987, the county government allocated 7,000 yuan for restoration, bringing the pagoda back to its original state.