Chongxi Pagoda

　　Chongxi Pagoda is situated on the eastern and western banks of the Xijiang River in Zhaoqing City. It was first built in September 1582 during the tenth year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty and completed in April of the thirteenth year. The pagoda was renovated after the establishment of the People’s Republic of China. Standing 57.5 meters tall, it features a brick-and-wood structure with an octagonal floor plan. Though it appears to have nine stories from the outside, it actually contains seventeen internal levels. Its interior employs a brick arch design that is both aesthetically pleasing and helps reduce the structural pressure on the pagoda. The stone carvings on the Sumeru pedestal at the base of the pagoda feature vivid statues and delicate patterns. This pagoda stands in distant view with the Xunfeng and Wenming Pagodas on the opposite bank, enhancing the scenic beauty of the area. The proportions of the pagoda’s exterior are well-balanced and harmonious. Each level is adorned with green glazed tiles along the eaves, and wind bells hang from the eave corners, producing bright and pleasant chimes. From the ground floor up to the fifth level inside the pagoda, there are Buddha niches that once housed clay Buddhist statues. Entering through the Qianqing Gate and ascending the spiral staircase, visitors can walk around each level and pause at the landings to enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. The pagoda spire is adorned with a bronze finial, an ornamental bead, and a purple copper gourd, all shining brilliantly. The pagoda underwent another comprehensive restoration in 1983. Zhao Puchu, a renowned calligrapher of the time, inscribed the plaque reading “Chongde Pagoda” (塔名应为“崇禧塔”，疑原文笔误) as well as the couplet: “Seven stars rise high above the North Star, a single pagoda towers into the southern sky.” In 1962, it was designated as a Guangdong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit.