Manfeilong Pagoda

　　Manfeilong Pagoda was first built during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1636–1695) and is a renowned Theravada Buddhist structure in Xishuangbanna. The pagoda is made of brick and stone, and the complex consists of nine towers of varying sizes. The towers are white in color with golden tips, resembling bamboo shoots breaking through the earth—hence the name "Bamboo Shoot Pagoda." Lined up against the backdrop of rubber tree forests on the mountainside and set atop the flattened mountaintop, the green foliage and white towers create a spectacular sight. The base of the pagoda is an octagonal Sumeru pedestal over one meter high, with a circumference of 42.6 meters. Each of the eight corners of the pedestal features a niche, adorned with colorful cloud-patterned borders and housing Buddha statues. The main tower stands in the center, reaching a total height of 16.29 meters, tall and graceful, while the other eight smaller towers are arranged at the eight corners, each standing 9.1 meters tall. All nine towers are circular and solid, shaped like gourds, with white bodies featuring exquisite decorations and colorful paintings. At the top, on lotus petal bases, are gilded conical spires and finials, giving the appearance of a string of gourds. The design is majestic and rhythmic, considered a masterpiece among stone pagodas and a rare architectural gem in China.

　　Legend has it that Manfeilong Pagoda is one of the first three pagodas built after Buddhism was introduced to Xishuangbanna, but it is the only one in a cluster. It was constructed to enshrine the Buddha’s footprints. To this day, beneath the easternmost niche, there is another niche where a rock resembling a human footprint—believed to be that of Siddhartha Gautama—is preserved. (National Cultural Heritage Administration)