Guilin Tower Hill

Guilin Tower Hill

Guilin Tower Hill is a cultural tourism attraction.

Guilin Attraction — Tower Hill is located on the east bank of the Li River and the west bank of the Little East River, facing Cathay Mountain across the river. It stands 194 meters above sea level, with a relative height of 44 meters and covers an area of 2.75 hectares. Tower Hill and Cathay Mountain were once part of the same mountain massif one million years ago. Later, due to tectonic uplift and a drop in groundwater levels, the massif was split into two separate peaks. It is another masterpiece of Guilin’s landscape.

Tower Hill lies to the east of Cathay Mountain. As far back as one million years ago, the two mountains were originally one. Tectonic movements separated them. Today, the Little East River flows gently between them heading south, like a ribbon still binding the two together. The rising morning sun casts golden rays over Cathay Mountain, Tower Hill, and Elephant Trunk Hill, creating the poetic scene of “Three Mountains at Dawn,” infusing the day with boundless vitality.

From a distance, Tower Hill resembles a giant warship sailing up the river, hence its nickname “Warship Hill.” Upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that the hill is actually divided into two parts: a massive stone pillar rises from the ground, separated from the cliff by a crack, as if cleaved in two by an axe. As Xu Xiake described: “The vertical stone splits downward, reaching the mountain’s base, standing tall and alone. This mountain is uniquely known for its thin, crisp layers resembling a sparrow's wings, hence called Lotus Leaf Hill.” Later, when a pagoda was built atop the hill, it became known as Tower Hill.

The brick pagoda on Tower Hill was built in the late Ming Dynasty, likely shortly after Xu Xiake’s visit to Guilin, i.e., after 1637. It is a seven-story, hexagonal, solid brick pagoda standing 13.3 meters high. The structure tapers to a cone shape, topped with a gourd-shaped finial, giving it an elegant and graceful appearance. The northern face features Buddha statues and is known as the Longevity Buddha Pagoda. Viewed from afar, it resembles a screen or a ship sailing on the river. The hillside is covered with maple trees, offering a breathtaking view of “Tower Hill Red Leaves” in autumn.

Longevity Buddha Pagoda — The Longevity Buddha Pagoda is one of the four famous pagodas among Guilin’s attractions. It is situated on Tower Hill, which stands 194 meters above sea level (with a relative height of 44 meters) on the west bank of the Little East River, facing Cathay Mountain across the river. This six-story, hexagonal, solid, pavilion-style Buddhist pagoda is built from green bricks and lime mortar, standing 13.3 meters tall. Up close, a stone next to Tower Hill appears to have split from the peak down to the ground, as if masterfully hewn by divine craftsmanship. Xu Xiake’s “Guangxi Travel Diary” describes it as “seeming to join and split apart, standing tall side by side, remarkable for its thin, delicate form.”

Guilin’s landscapes are richly diverse, and the ancient pagodas built by our predecessors add striking highlights to this beautiful scenery. The lowest level of the Longevity Buddha Pagoda is 1.56 meters high, with each side measuring 2.95 meters, decreasing slightly with each ascending level. The stories are separated by five layers of raised brick lines. The pagoda’s design is somewhat similar to that of the Two Rivers Brick Pagoda. The Longevity Buddha Pagoda is a six-story, hexagonal, hollow, pavilion-style Buddhist pagoda, while the Two Rivers Brick Pagoda is an eight-story, octagonal, hollow, pavilion-style literary pagoda. The second level of the Longevity Buddha Pagoda features an inset blue stone plaque carved with the words “Namo Amitayus Buddha” (Homage to the Buddha of Infinite Life), though the pattern has become blurred and hard to discern. The top is domed, crowned with a gourd-shaped finial, representing a typical Chinese hexagonal-style pagoda.

Tower Hill boasts a magical and majestic shape, with lush forests of maple and cypress at its base. In late autumn, the red maples and purple cypresses contrast beautifully with the murmuring streams, creating a picturesque harmony of green mountains and clear waters — the poetic scene known as “Tower Hill Red Leaves.” Inspired by this view, someone composed a verse: “Green fades away, a lone pavilion hears wild geese cry in the cold, the grass smoke of Zizhou, Tower Hill’s red leaves. The river stretches endlessly, snowflakes fly, the ancient southern streams play music clear. Music clear, fishing lights cast faint shadows, a waning crescent moon.”

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