Dragon Claw Pagoda

　　    Dragon Claw Pagoda, also known as the White Pagoda, is situated on Yuyin Mountain, 80 meters north of Tatu Village in Xiwaizhen, Dazhou City. It faces the Zhou River to the east and features a stone arched gateway leading down the mountain to the west. The site covers an area of approximately 1,500 square meters. The pagoda is characterized by its white body and black eaves, built from brick and stone in a nine-story pavilion-style octagonal spire design. The finial is cast in wrought iron, and the pagoda itself takes the form of an octagonal cone that tapers upward with each level. Each floor has offset arched windows. The eaves slightly curl upwards with very short overhangs, constructed from six layers of blue bricks. The southern, western, and northern sides of the ground floor feature arched niches, while the eastern side has an arched doorway leading into the interior. Inside, each level contains wooden floors and staircases with railings, spiraling up to the top. The summit is crowned with a domed roof. The base of the pagoda is an octagonal plinth, 0.25 meters high with a circumference of 28 meters, and the total height of the structure is 30 meters. According to cultural relics authorities, the pagoda was built during the Tang Dynasty and exhibits distinct Tang architectural features. The 1747 revised edition of the "Dazhou Annals · Geographic Maps" already included an illustration of Dragon Claw Mountain. Inscriptions on the pagoda bricks and ink markings on the beams of the eighth floor indicate that the pagoda underwent renovations and reconstructions in 1813 (the 18th year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty) and 1888 (the 14th year of the Guangxu reign). In May 1991, it was designated as a Provincial-Level Cultural Relics Protection Unit of Sichuan Province.

　　

　　     Dragon Claw Mountain stands solitary and steep beside the river, its shape likened to “a dragon stretching out its claws.” Below the mountain lies a deep pool known as Dragon Claw Pool. Gazing down into the pool, one sees shimmering green waters and boats dotting the surface — a truly captivating sight. An ancient poet once wrote: “The jade seal by the river guards the shore, / Its reflection casts a mystical aura. / A stretch of clear waves cradles the moon’s soul, / Thousand-fathom waves glint like dragon scales.” The renowned literary figure Guo Moruo visited Dragon Claw Mountain in 1937. From there, he looked toward Phoenix Mountain and was moved to write: “How winding is Phoenix Mountain’s ridge, / As Dragon Claw reaches skyward with a bridge.” This poetic verse celebrates the beauty of the landscape. In 1968, the Daxian Municipal People’s Government allocated special funds to repair the rotten wooden staircases from the first to the ninth floors. The pagoda was officially opened to tourists in 1989. In 1994, commissioned by the Xiwaizhen People’s Government of Dachuan City, Dachuan Hongsheng Tourism Co., Ltd. exclusively invested in the restoration and reconstruction of the Chaoyang Temple on Dragon Claw Mountain. To date, structures such as the Guanyin Hall and the Jieyin Hall have been completed, along with supporting facilities including a vegetarian dining hall, a snack bar, and a teahouse. The temple now enjoys thriving incense offerings, attracting pilgrims from nearly 20 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions across China. It also receives visitors from countries such as the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Singapore, with annual visitor numbers exceeding 100,000.