Nanchong Kuige

Nanchong Kuige

Nanchong Kuige is a cultural relic protection unit of Sichuan Province.

Nanchong Kuige, also known as “Kuiguang Pavilion” or “Kuixing Tower,” is located in Guoshan Park in Nanchong City.

Nanchong Kuige was built in the 11th year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty (1806), initiated by Nanchong County Magistrate Wang Yanzheng. It is an octagonal, three-story brick, stone, and wooden structure, reaching a total height of 27 meters. The base of the pavilion is a Sumeru pedestal, 2 meters high, with sides 4.7 meters long and a diameter of 11 meters. The first floor, 5.6 meters high, houses a statue of Kuixing (the God of Literature) at its center. The main gate faces southwest and bears the couplet: “This hundred-foot jade tower gazes over the noble mansions of Guozhou; A single colorful brush pens the great literature of the Jia River,” with the horizontal inscription “Master of Civilization,” symbolizing “Kuixing pointing to the dipper.” The second floor, 4.4 meters high, is dedicated to worshipped deities. The third floor, standing 8 meters tall, served as the bell tower, where bells were rung three times daily—at morning, noon, and evening—to mark the time. The original bell has been lost, and the current large bronze bell was recast in the 17th year of the Republic of China (1928). At each corner of the floors are 24 copper bells that chime melodiously in the breeze. The roof is crowned with a gem-shaped finial, 1 meter high. Grand and majestic, Kuige is an architectural gem and is recognized as a cultural relic protection unit of Sichuan Province.

Protected area: The site extends 5 meters eastward, 7 meters westward, and 4 meters both southward and northward from the occupied area.