The White Pagoda of Jixian

　　The White Pagoda is situated at the southwest corner of Jixian County, 300 meters directly south of the Dule Temple. It was first constructed during the Liao Dynasty and was formerly called the Yuyang Prefecture Pagoda. It was renovated during both the Ming and Qing dynasties. During the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty, the Guanyin Temple was built in front of the pagoda. The pagoda is white in color, hence it is also known as the Guanyin Temple White Pagoda.

　　The pagoda has an octagonal floor plan and consists of a tall Sumeru pedestal with raised edges, an octagonal double-eaved pavilion-style tower body, a large stupa, and a thirteen-tiered finial at the top. The pagoda stands 30.6 meters tall and is built from brick and stone. Inside the pagoda’s entrance are finely carved relief sculptures of dancers and musicians, vividly rendered and serving as important examples for the study of Liao Dynasty music and dance. The southern side of the pagoda features a doorway with an inner Buddhist shrine; the eight corners of the pagoda are adorned with small double-layered towers. The lower part of the pagoda resembles a closely-eaved pagoda style, while the upper section is built in the shape of an inverted alms bowl, making it one of the uniquely shaped Liao Dynasty pagodas in China. It has long been praised with the saying: “A golden peak hangs the moon over the western sky; a jade pillar lifts the northern frontier clouds.”