The Three Pagodas in Dali is also called “Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple”. When foreign learners come to learn Chinese in China, they should know that it is one of the famous pagodas in China. In the year of 1961, it was listed as the national key units of the cultural relic’s protection. Like three great pens, it decorates the Ancient Town and Cangshan Mountain. It has been regarded as the symbol of Dali.
It is situated at the foot of Cangshan Mountain, 1 km far away from the Dali Ancient Town. When people study Chinese in Yunnan, they would be told that the meaning of “chongsheng” is “to worship the Goodness of Mercy”. It is also the oldest and grandest Buddhist architecture in south China. It was a royal temple built in Nanzhao Kingdom period, the heyday of Buddhism.
Just as its name implies, those who study in China all know that there are three pagodas in the temple. The biggest and middle one is named Qianxun Pagoda. It is a square hollow brick tower with close-eave, which has 16 stories and 69.13m in height. At each side of the pagoda, there are niches for Buddha status.
On the screen wall in the east, there are four vigorous and bold Chinese characters inscribed, reading “yong zhen shan chuan”. It is the handwriting of Mu Shijie, grandson of Muying, the King of Qian State of the Ming Dynasty. The students who learn Mandarin should know it expresses the Ming royal court’s will and determination to administrate Dali area forever.
The other two pagodas are located in the southwest and northwest respectively. They form a tripod together with Qianxun Pagoda. They are also octagonal dense-eave brick pagodas. When you learn Chinese at school, teachers would tell you that they are 42.19m high and 10 storied with relief of Buddha images, lotus and vases decorated.
One more thing you should know is that the construction of the pagoda reflects Chinese culture. People in ancient time build pagodas on purpose. Generally speaking, pagodas have 3 functions: to be the symbol to prevent the disasters, to spread and popularize Buddhism as well as to beautify the nearby landscapes. Therefore, people constructed the Three Pagodas.
In brief, the Three Pagodas in Dali not only beautiful but also reflect the Buddhism culture in Dali. If you have chance, you should go there to appreciate its charm by yourself.