South Pagoda

South Pagoda

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

The South Pagoda is located in Wudu Town and was built in the 23rd year of the Daoguang reign (1843) during the Qing Dynasty. Its architectural style is that of a Lamaist stupa. It was named "South Pagoda" (南雁塔) to evoke the meaning of "Nangong Jia Di, Yanta Timing" (南宫甲第，雁塔题名), which refers to the honor of having one’s name inscribed on the pagoda after achieving scholarly success. Facing north, the pagoda stands 25 meters tall, is hollow inside, and constructed entirely of stone. It consists of three parts: the base, the body, and the spire. The base has a diameter of 7 meters and is hexagonal, with each side measuring 2.8 meters wide and 4.5 meters high. The body is bottle-shaped, gradually widening from 3 meters above the base until the midsection, where it narrows again. Each of the four sides of the midsection features a small plum blossom-shaped niche. The top is covered by a hexagonal overhanging stone roof, forming a spire-like pointed top. A few small iron wind bells still remain on the overhang. In addition to exhibiting typical Lamaist stupa features, the pagoda also incorporates craftsmanship and techniques from southern Chinese pagodas, such as the extensive use of local stone materials and the upward-curving wing corners on the rooftop — a style common in southern China. Pagodas of this type are extremely rare in Jiangyou and even across southern China, giving it significant historical value. During the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake, the South Pagoda suffered severe damage, with parts of the body collapsing. Emergency restoration work has since been completed.

Protected area: A zone extending 30 meters outward from the outer edge of the South Pagoda’s base.

Construction control zone: A zone extending 30 meters outward from the protected area.

Further reading:

· Eighth Batch of Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units