Shibaozhai in Zhongxian County, Chongqing

(Photograph by China)

　　  Shibaozhai, a national cultural heritage site and a National 4A-level tourist attraction, is located on the northern bank of the Yangtze River between Zhongzhou Town in the county seat and Wanzhou City. It stands as an isolated peak rising abruptly from the ground, with sheer cliffs all around, resembling a jade seal. Legend has it that it is a colorful stone left behind by Nüwa when she mended the sky with stones, hence the name “Shi Bao” (Stone Treasure). At the end of the Ming Dynasty, the peasant leader Tan Hong rose in rebellion and used it as a stronghold, which is how it got the name Shibaozhai. Built during the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, over 400 years ago, the fortress-like tower was constructed along the mountain, with soaring upturned eaves, making it an extremely spectacular sight. It has 12 stories in total, standing 56 meters high. At the top of the fortress is the ancient Tianzi Palace, built against the rock face, with majestic architecture that forms a remarkable landscape. There are also a cultural relics exhibition room, the Duck Cave, and the Grain Flowing Cave among other features.

　　  Shibaozhai is world-renowned for its unique architecture and many fascinating legends. It is listed as one of the world’s eight most unusual buildings. Since opening to the public in 1979, it has received nearly 220,000 domestic and foreign visitors annually, earning praise from travelers as the “Pearl on the River.”

　　    The Shibaozhai pagoda is built against Yuyin Mountain, rising along the contours of the hill with soaring eaves, and features a highly unusual design. The entire structure consists of the fortress gate, the main body of the fortress, and the top pagoda (a stone shrine at the summit), totaling 12 stories and standing 56 meters tall, all constructed from wood. Originally built during the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, it was further developed and perfected during the Kangxi and Qianlong reigns of the Qing Dynasty. The original structure had nine stories, symbolizing the “Nine Heavens.” The top three stories were added during renovations in 1956. Shibaozhai is also one of the few remaining wooden structures in China and is known as one of the “world’s eight most unusual buildings.”

　　　　    The fortress gate is built from brick and stone, standing over 6 meters tall, with the three porcelain-embedded characters “Xiao Peng Lai” (Little Penglai) inscribed on it. On both the front and back of the gate, there are exquisitely detailed and lifelike reliefs such as “Five Dragons Holding Up the Sage” and “Nezha Causing Havoc in the Sea.”

　　　　    To climb from the fortress gate to the top, visitors must go through the layered pavilions and towers built along the mountainside. These pavilions were constructed during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty (1796–1820), stretching over 50 meters from bottom to top. They are connected by a winding spiral staircase. Each level of the stone walls features stone carvings, paintings, and inscriptions passed down through generations. From each window, visitors can gaze out at the magnificent Yangtze River. Legend has it that originally, the Shibaozhai only had a temple at the top, accessible via a small stone-carved path and an iron chain. Pilgrims had to rely on their own devotion and courage to brave the perilous cliffs. Later, a clever craftsman, inspired by watching an eagle circling and gradually ascending above Yuyin Mountain before finally flying over the peak, came up with the idea to build this magnificent structure using methods such as constructing towers against the mountain, extending outward with flying eaves, installing internal ladders, and using a spiral ramp to ascend.

　　　　    At the top, there is a 1,200-square-meter stone terrace at an elevation of 230 meters. Looking around, the endless expanse of water and sky instantly broadens one’s horizons. The ancient temple, built during the early Qing Dynasty, features a huge mural on the wall of the main hall depicting the story of Nüwa mending the sky. Below the painting is a peculiarly shaped rock that closely resembles Shibaozhai. In the rear hall of the temple, there is a stone hole, cup-sized, called the “Grain Flowing Cave.” Local legend says that after the temple was built on the mountain, this hole would release a certain amount of grain every day—just enough to feed the monks. Hence, it was named “Shi Bao” (Stone Treasure). Later, the monks, wanting more grain, secretly had the hole enlarged by a young monk, but afterward, no more grain came out. The greedy monks were duly punished.

　　　　    Inside the fortress, there are three sets of sculptural groups. One depicts the story of Ba Manzi cutting off his own head to save the city, another illustrates the Three Kingdoms tale of Zhang Fei releasing Yan Yan out of righteousness, and the third portrays the heroine Qin Liangyu. At the top of the fortress is an ancient temple called “Lanruo Hall.” At the foot of the fortress lies the quaint and elegant Shibao Street.

　　　　    Shibaozhai: A Marvel of Ingenious Architecture

　　　　    “A heavenly seal cast down by the southern sky in autumn, Twelve stories skillfully stacked and carved. The painted border seal cannot be taken away, Left behind to guard the land of Zhongzhou.”

　　　　    This poem by Zhou Beixi accurately captures the full splendor of Shibaozhai, known as one of the “world’s eight most unusual landscapes.”

　　　　    Located on the northern bank of the Yangtze River east of Zhongxian County, Chongqing. An isolated peak rises abruptly, with extraordinary rocks hanging in the air. Surrounded by cliffs on all sides, it resembles a jade seal, hence it is also called Yuyin Mountain. Streams flow around the mountain, and beneath the cover of verdant pines and bamboos, the fortress towers are built along the southern cliff face of the rocky mountain.

　　　　    The entire fortress is divided into two parts: the nine-story lower section at the mountain base and the three-story upper section at the mountaintop, arranged in a well-balanced layout. From a distance, the 12-tiered structure with its overlapping eaves appears unified and majestic, standing 50 meters tall. Each level of the pavilion features inscribed poems on the stone walls. The mountaintop is a flat stone terrace, home to the ancient Tianzi Palace, built during the Kangxi and Qianlong reigns, which is the highest point of the fortress. From the palace, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the rolling Yangtze River, the blue sky dotted with sailboats, and limitless scenery.

　　　　    Shibaozhai is the largest and most storied existing mortise-and-tenon wooden structure in China. After the Three Gorges Dam began storing water and generating electricity in 2003, the water level of the Yangtze River rose to the fortress gate, and a lake covering over 120 acres formed around the wooden fortress. Shibaozhai transformed from a mountain fortress into a “water fortress.”