Shibaozhai Pagoda - Gem of Chinese Architecture

1. Appreciate one of the eight most oddity designed structures in the world;
2. Discover beautiful stories & legends of Shibaozhai Pagoda;
3. Challenge yourself, climb to the top of the Pagodas and make a wish;
4. Meet the historical & cultural relics there.

Brief Introduction of Shibaozhai Pagoda

Shibaozhai, which literally means the Stone Treasure Fortress, but some call it the Treasured Stone Stockade or Precious Stone Fortress. From afar, the protruding 220-meter (720 - foot) hill on the Yangtze north bank can appear to resemble a jade seal, and is so named. The creation of the hill is attributed to the Goddess Nuwa, who caused a rockslide while she was decorating the sky after a fierce battle between two warring dukes.

Shibaozhai Pagoda become one of the eight most oddity designed structures in the world due to the tower’s extraordinary design. The temple structure consists of gateway, tower body and the top temple Tianzi Palace. The tall yellow entrance gate which decorated with lions and dragons and etched with an inscription invites the visitor to ascend into a “Little Fairyland”.

With 56-meter high, this tower has 12 floor and can be divided into two parts. The lower 9 floors, imply the 9 tier of heaven, clings to the cliffs. Each floors are closely bind and taper upward. The construction technique of Shibaozhai Pagoda is so amazing that there is no wood tenons can be found at the columns in each floors and no nails could be found on the cornice of the tower. There are wooden ladders in the building for visitors to climb up to the top. On the stone wall of each floors are stone carvings from different ages, portraits and statues of the famous people in Zhongzhou. The upper 3 floors are slightly backward, settled on the mountaintop stone platform, raised straight into the clouds, known as "Kuixing Pavilion"

The Main Hall’s sprit wall is constructed of excavated Han Dynasty (206 BC – AD220) bricks. While inside the temple are a series of statues to Buddist notables. The hall behind is dedicated on the right to general Zhangfei and Yan Yan of the Three Kingdoms, and on the left to General Qin Liangyu(1576 – 1648) who fought bravely against the Manchu forces. A mural shows the Goddess Nuwa repairing the sky.

Rice Flowing Hole (流米洞) - The Rear Hall

In the rear hall are the remains the Rice Flowing Hole. Legend has it that long ago just enough husked rice would flow up from the small hole each day for the needs of the monks and their guests. One day a greedy monk, thinking he could become rich, chiseled a bigger hole, and the rice flow ceased forever.

Duck Hole (鸭子洞)

In front of Ganyu Palace at the top of the Jade Seal Hill is the Duck Hole. It is another legend which is said that as spring turns into summer, if you take a live duck and drop it through the hole, 15 seconds later it will appear floating down the Yangtze. In the past the monks apparently drew their drinking water from this hole by using a pipe made of bamboo.

Many Yangtze Cruise ships could stopover at Shibaozhai so that the visitors can climb to the top of the Temple. The temple is relying on the peak and stairs is the only way to climb the peak. It is said that the higher one climbs in the temple, the more likely your wish or dreams will come true. This may be easier said than done, since each floor of the Shibaozhai Temple is reached via a creaky, unstable ladder. Are you ready to challenge yourself?

Check Yangtze River Cruise arrangement of Shibaozhai Pagoda and find yourself a cruise in 2020: