Ao Tou Tower

Ao Tou Tower

Ao Tou Tower is a cultural tourism attraction.

Commonly known as the Flying Tower, Ao Tou Tower was built in the 13th year of the Wanli reign during the Ming Dynasty, located on the west bank of Feishuikou, 3 kilometers west of Qingcheng. The tower is a nine-story, octagonal pavilion-style structure made of brick, featuring five parallel rows of dog-toothed brick eaves adorned with carved patterns below, and the inscription “Gao Zhan Ao Tou” (Rising Above the Rest) on the second floor. The tower stands 29.7 meters tall, with each side measuring 3.4 meters, and has a construction area of 55.8 square meters. It served as an important regional landmark in Qingyuan at the time and was named one of the Eight Scenic Spots of Qingyuan during the Qing Dynasty.

In the 11th year of the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1654 AD), Chen Zhi, the regional administrator, oversaw its renovation; in the 32nd year of the Kangxi reign (1693 AD), it was destroyed by fire and later restored by County Magistrate Zhang Xiangqian; in the 7th year of the Yongzheng reign (1729 AD), it was ruined by a hurricane and repaired in the 11th year (1733 AD) by County Magistrate Xia Zongjin; in the 20th year of the Daoguang reign (1840 AD), gentry members Guo Zhirong, Xie Chun, Zhu Lai Zhang, and Lei Yingshi managed the project and funded repairs through public funds; in February of the 7th year of the Xianfeng reign (1857 AD), it was destroyed by “bandits,” and in the 1st year of the Tongzhi reign (1862 AD), gentry members Zhu Runfang, Lei Yingshi, and Ruan Biguang served as directors to restore it using public funds.