Nantong Wenfeng Pagoda

　　Wenfeng Pagoda is situated on the ancient Salt Transport River to the southeast of Nantong’s urban area, by the Hao River in the city’s southeast, and north of Wenfeng Park in the downtown area. Here stands a cluster of Ming and Qing dynasty structures with a uniquely charming garden landscape. Historically known as “Wufu Temple,” it is now called “Wenfeng Pagoda Courtyard,” serving as the location for the Nantong Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Nantong Painting and Calligraphy Academy, and an art gallery. Within the courtyard stands Wenfeng Pagoda, the grandest of Nantong’s Three Pagodas.

　　 Wenfeng Pagoda was first built in the 40th year of the Wanli reign during the Ming Dynasty (1618 AD). The pagoda features bronze tiles, white walls, and red pillars, designed in a pavilion-style imitation. It is a brick-and-wood structure with five levels and six sides, each level containing small rooms with one door and two windows on each facet, along with internal staircases and external railings. The upturned eaves and ridges are adorned with dragon heads, immortals, and mythical beasts, all crowned with golden chimes. The pagoda’s top features a spire that stands 10.33 meters high, with a inverted-bowl-shaped base holding a dew-collecting plate. The spire pole passes through seven stacked wheel-like discs, and the top is composed of a crescent moon, a round light, and a precious vase, all connected to the pagoda's peak with iron chains. This design lends the pagoda a dignified, magnificent, and towering presence. The body of the pagoda is made of bricks, with four hidden and four visible doors on each level, arranged alternately up and down. Its hexagonal spire is topped with a long, slender finial that includes seven stacked wheels, extended eaves that jut out, and upward-curving eave corners—offering an antique yet graceful aesthetic.

　　 Wenfeng Pagoda stands 39 meters tall, majestically positioned to the city’s southeast and serving as a cultural symbol of Nantong’s reverence for literature and pursuit of prosperity. According to the inscription on the “Record of the Construction of Wenfeng Pagoda in Tongzhou,” the pagoda was built to “enhance the beauty of the landscape and bolster the flourishing of literary culture.” Legend has it that during the Ming Dynasty, feng shui theories were popular, claiming that south of the Huai River, across a vast plain stretching over a thousand li, only Nantong had the Lang and Wu Mountains—believed to be the city’s “official and prosperity palace.” At the time, mountain quarrying for city construction, landscaping, and garden building damaged this “palace,” leading to repeated failures in imperial examinations among Nantong scholars and frequent demotions of its officials. As a result, it was proposed that, given the low-lying and water-rich terrain southeast of the city—which was thought to nourish literary energy—a Wenfeng Pagoda and Sanyuan Bridge should be built to restore the landscape’s harmony and promote cultural flourishing. Perhaps by historical coincidence, during the first 500-plus years of Nantong’s millennium-long history, few notable figures emerged. It wasn’t until the late Ming Dynasty in the early 16th century that talents such as brothers Ling Xiang and Ling Kai, Ma Kun, father-and-son Chen Yao and Chen Dakē and nephew Chen Dazhuang, grandfather-and-grandson Gu Yangqian and Gu Guobao, as well as Fan Fengyi and Bao Zhuangxing—all told, nearly a hundred successful imperial examination candidates—emerged, eventually giving rise to two zhuangyuan (top imperial examination scorers): Hu Changling and Zhang Jian. In truth, “each era gives birth to its own talents who lead their times for centuries,” and the emergence of many great individuals is a historical inevitability. Attributing such talent to the pagoda is merely a charming anecdote.

　　 Wenfeng Pagoda Courtyard originally had the pagoda before the temple was built. The temple was constructed because of the pagoda and named “Wufu Temple.” Legend says that during the temple’s construction, five giant bats—each as large as a cart wheel—appeared. Another tale claims that five red bats once nested atop Wenfeng Pagoda, hence the name Wufu Temple (Temple of Five Blessings), adding another layer of mythology. Time has eroded the Wufu Temple, which has long been in ruins, but Wenfeng Pagoda has survived multiple restorations. The courtyard’s ancient pine tree from the Six Dynasties period stands as the most authoritative witness to all these events. Wenfeng Pagoda underwent major repairs in the 25th year of the Jiaqing reign during the Qing Dynasty (1820 AD), and the last restoration dates back to the 1970s, when only minor emergency repairs were conducted. Over the past thirty years, while the pagoda’s main structure remains sound, its roof, railings, and other parts have deteriorated. Many birds have also nested in the structure, affecting its preservation. After two rounds of repairs following the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the pagoda regained its former glory. It is currently the largest extant feng shui-related structure in the city and is a municipal-level cultural heritage site under Nantong’s protection. From its heights, visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the entire city. The Wenfeng Pagoda Courtyard is a classical garden-style complex that houses the Nantong Federation of Literary and Art Circles, the Painting and Calligraphy Academy, and the Art Gallery. In the past decade, distinctive garden-style buildings have sprung up around Wenfeng Pagoda, forming what is now known as Wenfeng Pagoda Courtyard. In September 2005, to celebrate the centennial of Nantong Museum and a national event in China’s museum industry held in Nantong, the municipal government allocated over one million yuan for a large-scale restoration of Wenfeng Pagoda, a Ming Dynasty cultural relic, restoring its majestic appearance. The lighting project implemented for Wenfeng Pagoda was designed based on the architectural and structural features of the pagoda, consisting of three parts: rooftop lighting, eave and ridge corner lighting, and wall lighting. The top roof is illuminated by white spotlights installed on the eaves between the two corners, while the roofs of the lower levels are lit by white spotlights mounted at the base of the railings on the level above. Each level’s eaves and ridges are highlighted by yellow corner lamps installed on the level’s beam. The entire lighting system is integrated into the centralized control system for lighting in the Hao River Scenic Area, making Wenfeng Pagoda one of the most dazzling landmarks along the southeastern Hao River. Now, from the top of the pagoda, visitors can enjoy sweeping views of the shimmering Hao River and the bustling cityscape—a truly uplifting experience.