Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple

崇圣寺三塔

The surviving imperial temple complex of the Nanzhao and Dali kingdoms, with the thousand-year-old Qianxun Pagoda and two smaller pagodas at the foot of Cang Mountain, and the Reflection Pool, Dali's most classic postcard view

The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple lie at the foot of Yingle Peak of Cang Mountain, about 1.5 km northwest of the Dali Old Town. The main Qianxun Pagoda was built in the late Nanzhao period (around the 9th century AD). It is a 16-storey square brick pagoda with multiple eaves, about 69 metres tall, and is a typical example of Tang-style architecture. The two smaller pagodas to the north and south were built during the Dali kingdom. They are octagonal, with ten storeys, and about 42 metres tall. The three pagodas survived several major earthquakes and remain standing. They are protected as a major national historical and cultural site and are a symbol of Dali.

The temple itself was destroyed by war during the Qing dynasty. In 2005, it was rebuilt on the scale of the Dali kingdom period. Along the central axis, you pass the mountain gate, the Hall of the Heavenly Kings, the Maitreya Hall and the Great Buddha Hall. The complex is grand, but the buildings are new.

Highlights include the Reflection Pool Park (Juying Pond) to the southeast of the temple, where you can photograph the three pagodas reflected in the water with Cang Mountain behind them. This is the most classic viewpoint and is included in the admission price. Also worth seeing are the inscription “Yong Zhen Shan Chuan” on the base of the Qianxun Pagoda, and the view over Erhai from inside the temple.

Admission is CNY 75 (it was CNY 121 before being lowered after 2020). The electric shuttle for the round trip costs about CNY 35. A suggested route is to start at the Reflection Pool, then visit the three pagodas, and then climb the central axis to the Wanghai Tower at the top for views of Erhai. The full visit takes about 2–2.5 hours; if you do not want to walk far, seeing only the three pagodas and the Reflection Pool takes about one hour.

Getting there: from the North Gate of the old town, take the three-pagoda shuttle bus or a taxi for about 10 minutes, or cycle for about 15 minutes.

Note: the temple's central axis is steep and the climb is tiring, so you can take the electric shuttle. The three pagodas and Cang Mountain are front-lit in the morning and back-lit in the afternoon. Do not photograph only from outside to save the admission fee, as the best angle for the Reflection Pool is inside the park.

Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple

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