Yutai Mountain Stone Pagoda

Yutai Mountain Stone Pagoda

The Yutai Mountain Stone Pagoda is a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.

The Yutai Mountain Stone Pagoda, a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level, is located on the mountainside of Yutai Mountain to the north of Baoning Town in Langzhong City. It is a bowl-covered Lamaist stupa. The pagoda stands 8.6 meters tall and is divided into three parts: the base, the body, and the finial. The base is square and carved with a Sumeru pedestal in the shape of a four-petal plum blossom. The body is a long, cylindrical structure that is larger at the top and smaller at the bottom, with an inner carving of a Buddha sitting cross-legged on a lotus pedestal. Above it sits the finial, which includes eight stone-carved figures of muscular individuals holding up the upper section. The finial itself is a hexagonal column with a Buddha figure on each of its six sides. The top of the pagoda is adorned with a round stone decorated with flame-like patterns. The stonework of the pagoda is exquisitely carved and is largely well-preserved, aside from some localized weathering. There is no definitive record of when the Yutai Mountain Stone Pagoda was built, but based on its architectural features, it is believed to have been constructed during the Tang Dynasty. The human figures, decorations, and structure of the pagoda bear distinct characteristics of the Tang Dynasty style, making it an important resource for the study of stone-built pagoda structures.

Twenty years ago, a British architect visited Langzhong for research and spent a significant amount of time observing the stone pagoda. He discovered a surprising phenomenon: no matter from which angle you look at the pagoda, it appears to be “slanted.” This unique visual effect caused a sensation in both the cultural relics and architecture communities.

Protection Zone: The boundary extends 50 meters outward from the edges of the pagoda base to the east and west, reaches the edge of the platform where the pagoda stands to the south, and extends to the edge of the upper platform to the north.

Construction Control Zone: Bounded by the protection zone, extending east to the road of the Tengwang Pavilion scenic area, south to the road of the lower platform of the pagoda within the scenic area, west to the edge of the platform where the pagoda is located, and north to the inner slope foot of the upper terrace.

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level