Tree-Enveloped Pagoda Scenic Area

　　People often say vines entwine trees, but have you ever heard of a tree embracing a pagoda? Yet in Luxi City, there exists an incredible wonder of a tree coiling around a pagoda.

　　The Tree-Enveloped Pagoda is located in the middle section of Mangshi Pedestrian Street. This pagoda has a history of over 200 years. Since it was built on the former site of Jiele Village, it is called “Guangmu Jiele” in Dai language, which translates to “Iron City Pagoda” in Chinese. Constructed in the mid-18th century during the tenure of the 15th Tusi (local chieftain) of Mangshi, Phang Zuofan (1741–1770), it was built to commemorate a victorious battle. According to *A Brief History of the Dai People*, in the spring of 1767, the Konbaung Dynasty of Burma, backed by British and French colonial forces, brought the flames of invasion to Dehong. Witness Zhou Yu wrote in *Diary of the Expedition to Burma*: “Since the military campaign began, the fields of Mangshi have lain fallow… Zhefang borders Burma and has been ravaged by bandits, leaving it even more desolate.” Wang Chang’s *Expedition to Burma Summary* also stated: “The tusi, local leaders, and ethnic people, by the thousands, were all displaced, some following the army camps, others seeking refuge with their respective tusi.” In the 32nd year of Qianlong’s reign (1767), the Qing court specially appointed Governor-General of Yunnan and Guizhou, Gong Mingrui, as general to lead troops in recapturing Mangshi, Zhefang, and Wanding, and to advance directly on Ava. By the 33rd year of Qianlong (1768), the Qing army triumphantly returned to Wanding. Therefore, the pagoda is believed to have been built around 1769. During the tenure of the 19th Tusi, Phang Cheng’en (1826–1849), the pagoda was renovated in hopes of having a child. This brick-and-stone structure features an octagonal base, a bell-shaped spire resembling a string of beads, and stands about ten meters tall. Later, Jiele Village was destroyed in warfare, its residents fled and never returned, leaving the stupa unattended. About a hundred years ago, a banyan tree sprouted from a crevice in the pagoda. Through years of wind and rain, the tree’s sprawling roots gradually wrapped around and enveloped the pagoda, forming the Tree-Enveloped Pagoda wonder we see today.

　　The Tree-Enveloped Pagoda is also regarded by the Dai people as the “Pagoda of Love.” Legend has it that during the Qing Dynasty, when the emperor held a beauty selection across the land, the chieftain’s domain also received the imperial decree. After careful selection, a young maiden named Hanlun from Jiele Village was chosen. Hanlun, just sixteen, was as pure as a clear spring and as beautiful as a flower. But she already had a lover with whom she had pledged eternal love. His name was Yantun, a brave warrior from Mangxing Village. The two met during the Water-Splashing Festival and became engaged through a traditional satchel-throwing game. When Hanlun was selected, she was distraught and quickly wrote a letter on a banyan leaf, asking a parrot to deliver it to Yantun, who was stationed at the frontier. Upon receiving the leaf-letter, Yantun rode his elephant through the night back to his hometown. When he arrived at Jiele Village, the villagers were holding a funeral for Hanlun, who had drowned in a lotus pond. Following tradition, her companions had dressed her up like a bride for her wedding and adorned her coffin with all kinds of flowers. Overcome with grief, Yantun drew his sword and took his own life. Deeply moved by their steadfast love, the villagers buried them together in a shared grave and, breaking with convention, built a love pagoda over it. The parrot, now without its owners, flew daily to the top of the pagoda and cried. It carried a banyan seed and dropped it into a crevice in the pagoda. Over time, the seed took root and sprouted, slowly growing into a tree — thus creating the wondrous sight of the Tree-Enveloped Pagoda.

　　In 1985, the pagoda was renovated, with four mythical beast statues “Gaduo” and four smaller stupas added to the base. The inner shrine houses Buddha statues, and railings were installed for protection. Today, the towering tree envelops the pagoda, with its thick aerial roots tightly hugging the structure. At first glance, it appears as if the tree embraces the pagoda, the pagoda cradles the tree, forming a seamless unity — a rare natural spectacle. This wonder leaves many visitors in awe and has been listed as one of Yunnan Province’s cultural and historical sites.