Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Monastery is located at the foot of Yingle Summit of Cangshan Hill in Dali. The pagodas were first built in Chongsheng Monastery in Nanzhao Period(824~859A.D.) The three pagodas are made up of one big pagodas and two small pagodas. The monastery was destroyed in Qing Dynasty. Luckily, the pagodas were well protected. They survived over 30 earthquakes, including two big earthquakes in Ming Dynasty and Republic Period. Book a Local Tour
Three Pagodas are made of three ancient independent pagodas forming a symmetrical triangle. The middle pagoda, Qianxun Pagoda, 69.13 meters (227 feet) high, is one of the highest pagodas of the Tang Dynasty (618-907A.D.), while the other lower two stand to the north and south sides of it. Qianxun Pagoda, now empty, previously could be climbed by ladder from the inside. However the ladder is now broken, and travelers now have no opportunity to climb up. Three Pagodas, Zhaozhou Bridge of Hebei Province, and Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Xian, Shaanxi Province, are three curiosities of Chinese ancient architecture.
Many sculptures of Buddha made of gold, silver, wood or crystal, Buddhist readings, and more than 600 various medicinal ingredients were found in Qianxun Pagoda, playing an important role in explaining the ancient history of Dali City. Study of Three Pagodas and the cultural relics that have been excavated at the site provide significant data for exploring the history, religion, and art of the area. Today, travelers can visit Three Pagodas at night, when it is illuminated providing a fantastic scene. Nearby on the ‘marble street’ there are many folk-craft workshops and stands specializing in marble and brick-painting.