Yunjin Pavilion Pagoda

Yunjin Pavilion Pagoda

Yunjin Pavilion Pagoda is a cultural relic protection unit of Guangzhou.

Hiding opposite the Panxi Restaurant on Longjin West Road is a small courtyard called “Yunjin Garden,” which houses an ancient pagoda known as the “Wen Tower.”

Guangzhou Wen Tower

The Wen Tower stands 13 meters tall and features a hexagonal pyramidal structure made of brick and wood, with each side of the base measuring 2.5 meters wide. It has two stories, and its northern-facing entrance is crowned with a stone plaque inscribed with “South Axis.” Above the windows on the second floor is another stone plaque engraved with “Yunjin Pavilion.” The base of the tower is built from stone, while the main body is constructed using large dark blue bricks from Dongguan. At the top of the pagoda’s spire sits a ceramic gourd reaching up to 2 meters in height.

Guangzhou Wen Tower

In the past, the area around the Wen Tower was dotted with rivers, lush lychee trees, and pleasure boats cruising the waterways. Today, it stands quietly amidst a bustling ten-li-long flower street. Although the exact year of the pagoda’s construction remains uncertain, elderly residents nearby say it was built during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. Its architectural style is said to be typical of Ming and Qing structures, much like that of the Renwei Temple.

Guangzhou Wen Tower

According to folklore, the Wen Tower is a sacred structure dedicated to Kui Xing (also known as the God of Literature), who governs the fate of scholars and their literary achievements. Kui Xing is depicted holding a writing brush, and those touched by its tip were believed to pass imperial examinations such as the Jinshi or Juren degrees. Therefore, the architectural form of the Wen Tower resembles an upward-pointing pen tip. In ancient times, there were two ideal paths to achieving greatness: “Scholars wield the brush to bring peace to the realm, warriors mount horses to stabilize the world.” Thus, the Wen Tower, which aids “scholars in wielding the brush,” also serves as a symbol of honor and dreams — a tower of glory for scholarly families and those who dedicate themselves to literature and calligraphy.

Guangzhou Wen Tower

Next to the pagoda lies the western branch of the Xiguan River. In the past, especially during the Dragon Boat Festival, both locals and visitors could enjoy thrilling dragon boat races performed with vigor and excitement by the villagers of Pantang near the Wen Tower...

The tower isn’t tall, nor is its architecture particularly ornate. Compared to the elaborate carvings of the Renwei Temple, it may seem unremarkable. But the more you look at it, the more its ancient charm becomes apparent — simplicity radiating with subtle vitality. As the writer Yi Mingzhu aptly put it: “Antiquity is a kind of sentimentality, an aesthetic realm refined through the long wash of time.”

The Wen Tower bears witness to the history of Liwan, a district that has indeed produced many scholars and refined individuals. Pantang has also become a birthplace of Lingnan cultural customs and a renowned tourist destination for experiencing the charm of Xiguan.

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of Guangzhou Cultural Relic Protection Units