Shi'nan Shiyi Pagoda

“A single writing brush planted in the west of the city, soaring high and sharp as if touching the sky. Back when Meng Tian opened up Xiang Commandery, he never carried this amid his hectic military duties.” This is a poem about Shiyi Literary Pagoda by Feng Gaowan of the Qing Dynasty. Shiyi Literary Pagoda is located next to Xingye High School on the west side of Xingye County. Built during the Ming Dynasty, it is the most renowned ancient architecture in Xingye County. Today, Sh...

Shi'nan Shiyi Pagoda

Shi'nan Shiyi Pagoda

“A single writing brush planted in the west of the city, soaring high and sharp as if touching the sky. Back when Meng Tian opened up Xiang Commandery, he never carried this amid his hectic military duties.” This is a poem about Shiyi Literary Pagoda by Feng Gaowan of the Qing Dynasty.

Shiyi Literary Pagoda is located next to Xingye High School on the west side of Xingye County. Built during the Ming Dynasty, it is the most renowned ancient architecture in Xingye County.

Nowadays, Shiyi Literary Pagoda has become an iconic landmark of Xingye, and even more so, a symbolic architectural representation of tourism in the area.

Walk through the square, cross the small bridge, and follow the banks of the Shiyi River to the foot of Shiyi Mountain. Surrounded by thick shade, you'll instantly feel cooled down. The small rocky hill that abruptly rises from the flat land features jagged rocks, lush flowers, ancient towering trees, and a verdant, tranquil environment. Stone tables and benches are placed at both the mountain’s base and mid-slope for visitors to rest. Ascend the stone steps to reach the base of the ancient pagoda. Looking up at it, you’ll feel it resembles either a colossal cone piercing the clouds or a giant brush pointing to the sky as if painting. This ancient pagoda stands atop Shiyi Mountain — an octagonal, hollow, dense-eave brick structure with eight-sided doors, seven tiers, overlapping eaves, and a gourd-shaped finial tapering to a fine point. The interior of the pagoda is hollow; to climb it, you must ascend from the first tier via internal stairs to the second eave, then enter the second tier, continuing upward using wooden stairs. When viewing the scenery from the pagoda, you have to stand outside the eaves — without railings, only the brave dare climb. As the saying goes, the most splendid views lie atop perilous peaks. Even if you climb just three or four levels and lean against the tower to gaze into the distance, the panorama is delightful to the eye. If you make it to the top, the boundless views will be even more uplifting.

Looking down from the pagoda, Shiyi Literary Pagoda is surrounded by clear waters, backed by fertile fields, shaded by trees, and crowned with the sky and clouds — pure, lofty, and serene, truly a marvelous sight. To the east of the pagoda lies the lush green Shinan People’s Square. Beyond the square are streets filled with high-rises. A winding section of the Shiyi River meanders past between the square and Shiyi Mountain, with two rows of weeping willows gently swaying along its banks. To the west, at the foot of the mountain, there is a swimming pool and teahouse, beyond which stretch thousands of acres of fertile fields with waves of rice and sugarcane. In the distance, a branch of the Xingliu Expressway coils around the city like a silk ribbon. To the south are several uniquely designed new buildings of the newly constructed Xingye County Finance Bureau, and farther away stands the tallest building in Xingye County — the Administrative Office Center of the County Government — standing in distant contrast to the ancient pagoda. To the south, there is also an old Western-style black-tiled, white-walled house nestled close to Shiyi Mountain. It served as a medical research society during the Republican era and now houses the Xingye County Senior University. To the north lies Xingye High School, a key secondary school in Xingye County. Thanks to increased government investment in school construction in recent years, the campus of Xingye High School has taken on a completely renewed look, with neat lawns and flower beds, and a well-arranged mix of new and old buildings. The newly built red science and technology building, full of modern flair, presents a striking contrast and harmonious juxtaposition with the ancient pagoda. Currently, new sports facilities are under construction on the campus below the pagoda. I believe that once these new facilities are completed, they will further accentuate the beauty of Shiyi Literary Pagoda. In the early morning, if you visit the pagoda, watch the people exercising in the square, and listen to the resonant reading voices coming from Xingye High School, you’ll surely sense an even stronger cultural atmosphere here — the spirit of this ancient pagoda being inherited and promoted by the people of Xingye in the new era, passed down from generation to generation.

Historical records indicate that Shiyi Literary Pagoda was originally built during the Jingbao years of the Southern Song Dynasty, renovated in the 18th year of the Ming Chenghua era (1482), destroyed in the 17th year of the Qing Shunzhi era (1660), and rebuilt in the 12th year of the Qing Qianlong era (1747). The pagoda was constructed to worship the deity of the north. During the Qing Dynasty, the county government was located where Shinan No.1 Middle School stands today, with the pagoda positioned southwest of it. The reasons for its destruction and subsequent reconstruction are said to be related to feng shui — aimed at prospering literature and education, and fostering talent. Though superstitions are not to be taken literally, Xingye has indeed been a place that respects teachers and values education since ancient times, producing many talented individuals with a rich cultural foundation. This ancient pagoda has endured to this day, standing amidst modern architecture yet blending seamlessly with it. Its classic charm, coupled with its proximity to Xingye High School, serves as a daily inspiration and motivation for the students. May they diligently study for the rejuvenation of the nation, so that wave after wave of outstanding talents emerge from here to achieve great things. And may they, in turn, contribute to making this ancient towering “divine brush” — Shiyi Literary Pagoda — even more resplendent.