←All destinationsZhongxian · Shibaozhai
Heritage · Relics
OVERVIEW
A twelve-storey pavilion clinging to a lone crag
The red temple tower is built into the rock, and seen from the river it reads as a vertical marker of place.
“The pavilion does not stand beside the hill; it grows vertically up a single crag.
— From the water to the top of the temple, the eye and the feet rise together, and the building turns a limited piece of rock into twelve storeys of space.
HIGHLIGHTS
Climb and read the structure
Follow the timber stairs to understand how the building meets the rock.
Look back from the river
See from the water how the red tower becomes a marker along the Yangtze.
HISTORY
Twelve Storeys on Yuyin Hill
The lone crag is shaped like a jade seal, which gave Yuyin Hill its name. At the end of the Ming, Tan Hong held the hill as a stronghold and styled himself Prince of Wuling — hence Shibaozhai, the Stone Treasure Stronghold. The tower was begun in the Wanli era and completed under Kangxi and Qianlong; nine storeys originally, three more added during the 1956 restoration, so it now rises twelve storeys and 56 metres, entirely of timber in column-and-tie construction, a height almost unheard of for the technique. After the reservoir filled, a cofferdam was built to protect it, and the tower now stands in the water like a vertical marker of place.
GETTING THERE
How to arrive
By cruise
Most Three Gorges cruises call here for a shore visit. Approaching from the water is where the tower's relationship to the hill reads clearest.
By car
About 45 minutes from Zhongxian town along the north bank.
Note
The wooden stairs are steep — take them slowly, and leave time for both the top floor and the bank.
GOOD TO KNOW
Before you go
Seasonal Guidance
- Spring freshens the vegetation along the bank
- Autumn and winter clear the air for long views
Climbing notes
- The wooden stairs are steep, so take them slowly
- Leave time for both the top floor and the riverbank
Connecting by water
- Confirm the sailing times in advance
- Pack a windproof layer for the boat