Yibin Black Tower

Yibin Black Tower

Yibin Black Tower is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Black Tower, also known as the Qixing Mountain Tower, was built during the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1522–1566) and is the counterpart to the East Mountain White Tower (the two towers face each other across the Yangtze River). It is located on one of the peaks of Qixing Mountain in Taba Village, Nanguang Town, in the southern suburbs of the city, about ten kilometers from downtown.

The body of the Black Tower is an eight-sided hollow, dense-eave, conical brick-and-stone structure. The base is a Sumeru pedestal, 1.7 meters high, with each side measuring 4.4 meters, and the total height is 30.7 meters. The tower is octagonal in shape, with its original top having long collapsed, leaving seven stories remaining. Inside the tower are hollow chambers with Buddha niches, many featuring relief carvings, and a spiral staircase winds upwards. The tower body tapers inward with each ascending level, and above the seventh-floor eaves lies a hidden uppermost section. The interior has solid pillars, with a niche chamber on each level. The top of the inner stairway is formed by corbelled brickwork creating a vaulted ceiling, and the steps wind around the solid central pillar from left to right up to the top, totaling 118 steps. The tower faces west, with a gate that is 2.2 meters high and 1.15 meters wide. The gateposts are round, with semicircular “dragon pillars” carved on both sides. The caisson ceiling on the ground floor is carved with “Two Dragons Fighting Over a Pearl.” The fourth-floor caisson features “A Pair of Phoenixes Facing the Sun,” and the seventh-floor caisson is adorned with a “Coiled Dragon” design. These carvings are exquisitely detailed and lifelike. The entire tower is constructed from iron-gray bricks and stones, without any painted finish. Having gone many years without repair or decoration, it appears dark from afar—hence the name “Black Tower.”

Address: Qixing Mountain, Taba Village, Nanguang Town, southern suburbs of Yibin City

Type: Historical Site

Recommended Visiting Time: About 1 hour

Opening Hours:

8:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Ticket Information:

Free admission.