Dragon Claw Pagoda

Dragon Claw Pagoda

The Dragon Claw Pagoda is a cultural relic protection unit of Sichuan Province.

The Dragon Claw Pagoda, also known as the White Pagoda, is located on Yuyin Mountain, approximately 80 meters north of Tatuo Village in Xiwa Subdistrict, Dazhou City. It faces the Zhou River to the east and has a stone arched gateway leading down the mountain from the western pass. The site covers an area of about 1,500 square meters. The pagoda features a white structure with black eaves, built of brick and stone. It is a nine-story octagonal pavilion-style pagoda with a pointed steeple. The finial is made of cast iron, and the pagoda body is shaped like an octagonal pyramid, tapering gradually with each level. Each level has offset arched windows. The eaves rise slightly and project minimally, constructed from six layers of blue bricks. The south, west, and north sides of the ground floor open with arched niche doors. The east side features an arched doorway that leads inside the pagoda. Inside, each level contains a wooden floor and wooden stair railings, allowing visitors to spiral upward all the way to the top. The summit is covered with a domed ceiling. The base of the pagoda is an octagonal plinth, standing 0.25 meters high with a circumference of 28 meters. The total height of the pagoda is 30 meters. According to cultural relics authorities, the pagoda was built during the Tang Dynasty and bears distinct Tang architectural styles. An enlarged illustration in the 1747 (Qianlong 12th year) edition of the Dazhou Annals · Geographic Map depicts the Dragon Claw Mountain. Inscriptions on the pagoda bricks and ink marks on the beams of the eighth level indicate that the pagoda underwent repairs and renovations in 1813 (Jiaqing 18th year of the Qing Dynasty) and again in 1888 (Guangxu 14th year of the Qing Dynasty). In May 1991, it was listed as a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit of Sichuan Province.

Dragon Claw Mountain stands alone, towering dramatically along the riverbank—"as if a dragon were stretching out its claws." At the foot is a deep pool known as Dragon Claw Pool. Looking down into this pool, you’ll see rippling blue waters and countless boats moving busily, creating a captivating scene. Ancient poets once wrote: "Before the river, the jade seal settles by the shore, its reflection of the mountain shape both wondrous and divine. A sweep of clear waves sinks the soul of the moon, waves of azure billow like dragon scales." The renowned literary figure Guo Moruo climbed Dragon Claw Mountain in 1937, gazed afar at Phoenix Mountain, and inscribed his sentiments with poetic flair: “How serpentine is Phoenix Mountain, while the Dragon Claw reaches toward the sky,” praising this splendid landscape. In 1968, the People’s Government of Daxian City allocated special funds to repair the rotten wooden stairs from the first to the ninth floors. In 1989, it officially opened to tourists. In 1994, entrusted by the People’s Government of Xiwa Subdistrict, Dachuan City, the Dachuan Hongsheng Tourism Co., Ltd. exclusively invested in the restoration and reconstruction of the Chaoyang Temple on Dragon Claw Mountain. It has now completed halls such as the Guanyin Hall and the Jieyin Hall, with auxiliary facilities including the Vegetarian Dining Hall, the Specialty Snack Bar, and the Teahouse also successively established. The site currently attracts thriving numbers of worshippers from nearly twenty provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions. It also welcomes tourists from the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and other countries, with annual visitor traffic exceeding 100,000 people.

Protection boundary: A 15-meter extension around the base of the pagoda. Total area: 300 square meters.

Construction control zone: bordered by the edge of the natural rock formations of Dragon Claw Mountain. Total area: 6,500 square meters.

Fengxi Subdistrict: Xiwa Subdistrict was established in the first year of the Republic of China (1912). It borders the urban center to the east, Heshi Town of Daxian County to the south, Fuxing Town to the west, and the Lotus Lake Tourist Scenic Area to the north, located just 2 kilometers from the new municipal center of Dazhou City. The Daba Highway, Airport Road, as well as key roads extending east-west, north-south, and through downtown Chaoyang intersect here. The Chengyu, Dacheng, and Dawan railways also run through the area. The land throughout the subdistrict is fertile, mostly hilly, with a subtropical humid monsoon climate characterized by four distinct seasons and an average annual temperature of about 17 degrees Celsius. The subdistrict currently administers 8 administrative villages, 50 villager groups, and a total population of 18,000, including 11,800 agricultural residents... More detailed information on Fengxi Subdistrict++