Aotou Pagoda

Aotou Pagoda

Aotou Pagoda is a cultural relic protection unit of Guangdong Province.

Aotou Pagoda is located in Tajiao Village, Hefeng Village Committee, Taihe Town, Qingxin County, Qingyuan City.

Aotou Pagoda stands 29.7 meters tall with nine stories, featuring an octagonal pavilion-style structure with each side measuring 3.4 meters wide. It covers a built-up area of 55.8 square meters and is constructed of brick. The eaves consist of five parallel rows of dog-tooth bricks, with floral patterns molded beneath. The second story is inscribed with the four characters “高占鳌头” (High Achiever)

It was first built in the 13th year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1585), initiated by Zhong Yutian, the Tongpan of Yongzhou.

Over 420 years, Aotou Pagoda has undergone multiple restorations. For example, in the 11th year of the Shunzhi era of the Qing Dynasty (1654), it was renovated under the organization of Chen Zhi, the Qingyuan Divisional Defender. After being destroyed by a fire in the 32nd year of the Kangxi era (1693), it was restored by Magistrate Zhang Xiangqian.

In the 7th year of the Yongzheng era (1729), Aotou Pagoda was destroyed by a hurricane and was subsequently restored four years later by Magistrate Xia Zongjin. Later, it was rebuilt twice—in the 20th year of the Daoguang era (1840) and the 1st year of the Tongzhi era (1862)—due to damage from warfare.

The restored Aotou Pagoda finally regained its original appearance. It stands as the spiritual pillar of the people of Qingyuan and a sacred site for numerous scholars in pursuit of academic success. Despite repeated damage and repairs, it has stood firm and unwavering, exuding enduring grandeur.

In 2010, it was designated as part of the sixth batch of Cultural Relics Protection Units of Guangdong Province by the People’s Government of Guangdong Province.

Location of the Attraction

West Bank of Feishuikou, Qingcheng District, Qingyuan City, Guangdong Province

Taihe Town: Taihe Town is the seat of the government of Qingxin County, adjacent to downtown Qingyuan. It administers 11 village committees, 131 natural villages, 5 community neighborhood committees, with a permanent population of 69,000 and a floating population of about 70,000. The town covers a total area of 86 square kilometers. In 2005, its total social output value reached 4.966 billion yuan, including 104 million yuan from agriculture, 4.179 billion yuan from industry, and 683 million yuan from the tertiary sector. The ratio among these three sectors is 2.3:84:13.7. The town collected 20.1962 million yuan in industrial and commercial taxes, and its local fiscal revenue was... More details on Taihe Town++

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Cultural Relics Protection Units of Guangdong Province