Chenzhou Three Pagodas

　　Longyin Pagoda is situated on Donghe Zhangzhou in the eastern part of the county town, and was named after the dragon-like sound of the water nearby. Standing 42 meters high, it is the tallest and best-preserved stone pagoda existing in Hunan Province. In January 1996, it was listed as a Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit of Hunan Province. According to the 11th year of the Tongzhi reign in the Qing Dynasty’s “Yuanling County Annals” and an inscription from the 20th year of the Daoguang reign, Longyin Pagoda was built during the Ming Dynasty, with its seven-tiered structure completed in the 29th year of the Daoguang reign. The decorative elements under each tier of the pagoda vary uniquely, featuring stone bracket sets, Buddha statues, and more. It blends architectural styles from both the Ming and Qing dynasties while incorporating local characteristics of western Hunan, creating a distinctive architectural style. Inside the pagoda, a spiral staircase leads directly to the top. The structure is rigorously built, with exquisitely and elegantly decorated features, presenting a perfectly harmonious overall form that showcases a remarkably high level of scientific and artistic achievement.

　　Fengming Pagoda

　　Fengming Pagoda is located atop Xianglu Mountain on the southern bank of the Yuan River, east of the city. During the middle period of the Wanli reign in the Ming Dynasty, Mao Yunrang, the prefect of Chenzhou, initiated the construction of a seven-tiered pagoda. It was renovated again in the 30th year of the Daoguang reign (1850). The pagoda stands on an octagonal base, reaches a height of 25 meters, has a bottom diameter of 4 meters, and consists of seven tiers over eight sides. Its eaves are covered with tubular and flat tiles, with drip tiles at the rakes, and lime-plastered gourd-shaped treasure vases. The eave corners are slightly upturned. The main southern gate on the ground floor is a round arch, inscribed with a horizontal plaque reading “Fengming Pagoda.”

　　Luming Pagoda

　　Luming Pagoda stands atop Luming Mountain on the northern bank of the Yuan River, east of the county town. Its exact time of construction is unknown. An inscription on the Longyin Pagoda rebuilt in the 29th year of the Daoguang reign states: “The surplus funds from building Longyin Pagoda were used to renovate Luming Pagoda into a seven-tiered structure.” The 1871 “Yuanling County Annals” of the Qing Dynasty record: “Luming Pagoda, seven-tiered, with the upper half in ruins, has been repeatedly built and collapsed.”