Lingxiao Tower

　　The Lingxiao Tower, also known as the "Buddhist Pagoda" and commonly referred to as the "Scholar's Pen," was originally built on Shanzhi Ridge east of Maxikou, facing west. It was constructed in the late Qing Dynasty. In the autumn of the 23rd year of the Republic of China (1934), local gentry such as He Wu from the town proposed relocating the tower to Sharenping on the west bank of the river (now located south of the county town). Initially, Zhu Shenglong, a local resident, led the construction. After completing two floors, construction was halted due to Zhu’s illness and later continued by Pan Xiansheng from Longping and Liang Sanji from Luoding, Guangdong. The tower has five stories, faces north, and is a hexagonal brick-and-wood structure with walls 0.40 meters thick and a height of 14 meters. The bottom floor is 4 meters wide, with access to upper levels via a spiral staircase. On both sides of the arched doorway on the ground floor is a couplet in regular script: “A stone pillar reaching the sky spans the Horse Gorge, connecting the two regions of Guangdong; a watchtower along the shore guards the three towns, anchoring Longping.” This was composed and inscribed by local scholar Liang Caihong. On the north wall of the second floor is inscribed “Pillar of the Current,” written by He Wu, a Major General in the Nationalist Army. The third-floor window bears the inscription “Southern Sky’s Finest,” also by Liang Caihong, while “Transcending the Image” was handwritten by Li Tengda, a local resident. The tower earned its name from the character “Lingxiao” (Soaring Sky) inscribed at the top. In November 1985, the county government allocated funds for its renovation, and it is now a key cultural relic under local protection.

　　(No images available at present. Contributions welcome.)