The White Pagoda at Zhakou

Situated atop Baita (White Pagoda) Ridge, the White Pagoda gazes from afar at Liuhe (Six Harmonies) Pagoda. Constructed during the late Wuyue period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms era, the White Pagoda was initially built by King Qian Hongzuo of Wuyue to worship the River God. It is now designated as a key national cultural heritage site.

In terms of form, the White Pagoda faithfully mimics the architectural style of a wooden-structured tower-style pavilion, proportionately scaled down and meticulously crafted using white stone. Its exterior features eight sides and nine tiers, with an elegant and majestic outline. Each tier is adorned with eaves and a flat platform. It is crowned with an iron pagoda spire. The sutras are carved all around the pagoda, while Buddhist and Bodhisattva sculptures are depicted on both sides of the entrance, displaying delicate lines and lifelike imagery. The base of the pagoda is made of boulders, with a Xumi base on top.

Each face of the base is inscribed with sutras, upon which the pagoda body is placed. At the bottom of the pagoda is the foundation, intricately carved with motifs such as mountains and sea waves, symbolizing the "nine mountains and eight seas." Above it stands the Xumi Base. The waist of the pagoda base is carved with Buddhist sutras, and the part above it is divided into nine layers, each composed of three parts: the body, the eaves, and the flat platform. The pagoda body is adorned with reliefs of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, with vividly portrayed figures, lifelike and exquisite.

The architectural form of the octagonal tower-style pagoda is believed to have originated in the Wuyue Kingdom during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms era, gradually spreading to the Central Plains and northern regions, and becoming a common form of pagoda construction in the southern regions during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. The White Pagoda at Zhakou is the most exquisite, authentic, and typical example of wood-like architecture from the late Wuyue period of the Five Dynasties, hence possessing high research value.

The White Pagoda is a precious cultural relic, providing significant material for the study of historical geography.

Opening hours: All day

Address: Baita Ridge, Baitaling Community, Nanxing Street, Shangcheng District