Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple: Complete Visitor's Guide to Dali

Three white pagodas stand at the foot of Cangshan Mountain on the western shore of Erhai Lake — and they have been standing here for over 1,100 years. Dynasties rose and fell, wars burned through the region, and dozens of major earthquakes struck, yet the towers never collapsed. For most visitors, the Three Pagodas are Dali's skyline itself; step inside the scenic area, though, and you'll find a massive royal temple complex rebuilt behind them.

[图:大理崇圣寺三塔远景苍山背景.jpg]

Eleven Centuries Between Cangshan and Erhai

The Three Pagodas trace their origins to the Nanzhao Kingdom (南诏国). The main tower, Qianxun Pagoda (千寻塔), was built during the reign of King Quan Fengyou (劝丰祐, r. 824–859 CE) — scholars still debate the exact construction dates, but most agree it was completed by the mid-9th century. The two smaller pagodas were added roughly a hundred years later during the Dali Kingdom (大理国) period.

This is more than a set of photogenic towers. During the Nanzhao and Dali Kingdom eras, Dali was the capital of an independent kingdom, and Chongsheng Temple (崇圣寺) served as its royal monastery. Of the Dali Kingdom's 22 kings, nine abdicated to become monks here — earning Dali its old title as the "Buddhist Capital." In 1961, the Three Pagodas were designated among China's very first batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units, alongside the Forbidden City and the Great Wall.

During restoration work on Qianxun Pagoda in 1977–1978, workers discovered over 680 artifacts from the Nanzhao and Dali Kingdom periods inside the tower: gilded Buddha statues, bronze mirrors, sutras, and Medicine Buddha figures spanning the Tang and Song dynasties. These artifacts are now on display in the on-site cultural relics museum — a rare window into Nanzhao Buddhist culture.

[图:大理千寻塔近景仰拍.jpg]

The most remarkable thing about the pagodas is their earthquake resistance. In 1925, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake flattened most of Dali's buildings, but the Three Pagodas lost only their finials — the main structures stood firm. The engineering secrets behind this survival are covered in detail in the "Three Pagodas Up Close" section below.

Getting to the Three Pagodas

The scenic area sits about 1.5 km due north of Dali Old Town (大理古城) — one of the most accessible major attractions in Dali.

From Dali Old Town:

• Walk: Head straight north from the North Gate; you'll reach the entrance in about 20–30 minutes. The road passes through Sanwenbi (三文笔) village, offering distant views of the pagodas along the way
• E-bike / bicycle: Rent an e-bike in the old town (¥50–80/day) and ride over in about 5 minutes. Parking is available at the entrance
• Taxi: ¥10–15 from the old town, about 5 minutes

From Xiaguan (downtown Dali city):

• Bus: Take the Three Pagodas shuttle (三塔专线) or Bus No. 19 (19路), about 40 minutes, ¥3
• Taxi: ¥40–60, about 20 minutes

Connecting from other Dali sights:

• From the Cangshan (苍山) cable car stations (Gantong or Zhonghe), a taxi to the Three Pagodas takes about 10 minutes
• From Caicun Wharf (才村码头) on the Erhai west shore, about 15 minutes by taxi
• If you're planning both Cangshan and the Three Pagodas in one day, do the pagodas first (morning light is best for reflection photos), then Cangshan in the afternoon

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Tickets and Opening Hours

Opening hours:

Discounts:

• Free: Children under 6 or shorter than 1.2 m; seniors 70+; active military; disabled visitors
• Half price: Ages 6–18; full-time students with valid ID; seniors 60–69

Booking tip: You can buy tickets at the gate, but online platforms like Trip.com (携程) or Meituan (美团) usually offer ¥5–15 off. On peak-season weekends, booking online saves queuing time. Prices and hours may adjust — confirm on your travel platform before visiting.

Best Route Through the Site

Choose your pace:

Suggested route (standard pace):

1. Front Plaza (20 min) — Face-on panoramic view of all three pagodas. Walk closer to inspect the brickwork and carved niches on Qianxun Pagoda
2. Juying Pool / Reflection Pool (15 min) — Circle south to the pool behind the pagodas. This is the signature photo spot; works best on calm, windless mornings
3. Nanzhao Jianji Bell (10 min) — A replica of the original Nanzhao-era bell, weighing 16 tonnes. Ring it for ¥5 if you like
4. Yutong Guanyin Hall (10 min) — Houses a 12 m bronze Guanyin statue, modeled on the Nanzhao-era original (current statue is a replica)
5. Chongsheng Temple main halls (40–60 min) — Five courtyards ascending the mountainside along a central axis. The Great Hall is impressive for its sheer scale; side chambers now display Nanzhao–Dali Kingdom Buddhist art
6. Wanghai Tower (15 min) — The complex's highest point, with a sweeping panorama over the pagodas, old town, and Erhai Lake
7. Return — Walk back downhill or catch the shuttle car to the gate

[图:大理崇圣寺三塔游览路线全景.jpg]

The Three Pagodas Up Close

Qianxun Pagoda (千寻塔)

Qianxun Pagoda is the tallest, oldest, and most significant of the three — the centrepiece of the entire site.

• Height: 69.13 m (~23 storeys) — one of China's tallest surviving ancient pagodas
• Storeys: 16
• Style: Square, dense-eave hollow brick pagoda — classic Tang Dynasty architecture
• Built: During the reign of Nanzhao King Quan Fengyou (r. 824–859 CE)

Although structurally hollow, Qianxun Pagoda is not open for climbing. Each storey has a carved niche on the front face, originally holding a white marble Buddha statue (most lost over the centuries; some recovered during the 1978 restoration). The original bronze finial was knocked off by the 1925 earthquake and later restored.

[图:大理千寻塔方形密檐细节特写.jpg]

The Two Smaller Pagodas

The two smaller pagodas flank Qianxun on either side, symmetrically positioned and nearly identical in appearance.

• Height: 42.17 m each
• Storeys: 10 each
• Style: Octagonal, dense-eave — Song Dynasty style
• Built: Approximately 10th century (early Dali Kingdom)

Unlike Qianxun's square form, these pagodas are octagonal, reflecting the shift from Tang to Song architectural norms. The three towers form an isosceles triangle — Qianxun to the north, the two smaller ones to the south — a layout said to carry Buddhist symbolism representing the "Three Buddhas of Three Ages."

[图:大理崇圣寺两座小塔八角形近景.jpg]

Why Have They Survived 1,100 Years?

Dali sits on an active seismic zone, with over 30 significant earthquakes on record. The pagodas' survival comes down to Tang-era engineering:

• Dense-eave design: The tightly stacked eaves distribute weight evenly across the structure, creating exceptional overall stability
• Tapered profile: Each storey narrows from bottom to top, lowering the centre of gravity and reducing sway during tremors
• Deep foundations: Qianxun's base is 9.9 m wide, with foundations sunk several metres into the ground
• Flexible mortar: The bricks are bonded with glutinous rice mortar, a traditional adhesive with enough elasticity to absorb seismic energy

Chongsheng Temple Behind the Towers

Behind the pagodas stands Chongsheng Temple (崇圣寺) — the royal monastery where 9 of the Dali Kingdom's 22 kings renounced their thrones to become monks. The original temple was founded during the Nanzhao era (roughly the 9th century) and at its peak contained 891 halls and 11,400 Buddha statues, earning the title "Buddhist Capital of the Southern Sky." The buildings were destroyed by fire around 1856 during the Du Wenxiu (杜文秀) Rebellion in the late Qing Dynasty, and the site lay in ruins for over a century.

[图:大理崇圣寺大雄宝殿正面远景.jpg]

In 2005, Yunnan Province rebuilt Chongsheng Temple based on archaeological evidence, restoring five courtyards and the main halls along the original central axis. The reconstructed complex is one of the largest Han Buddhist temple groups in southwest China.

Highlights inside:

• Great Buddha Hall (大雄宝殿): The centrepiece — nine bays wide, with a towering Buddha statue that matches the hall's scale. Worth stepping inside to appreciate the spatial impact
• Five ascending courtyards: Built into the mountainside with about 50 m of elevation gain from entrance to rear. Side chambers display Nanzhao and Dali Kingdom Buddhist art and history
• Wanghai Tower (望海楼): The viewing platform at the very top. From here the pagodas and old town line up on the same sightline, and on clear days Erhai Lake gleams in the distance — one of the best panoramic views in the entire scenic area, and one most visitors miss

[图:大理崇圣寺望海楼回望三塔和古城.jpg]

Capturing the Iconic Reflection

The Three Pagodas reflected in still water is Dali's most recognizable image — it appears on practically every piece of Dali tourism marketing. Getting a perfect reflection shot takes a bit of luck and timing.

Juying Pool (聚影池) — Inside the Scenic Area

Location: About 100 m south of the pagodas, included in your entry ticket.

This is the most convenient spot for the classic reflection photograph. The pool is compact but precisely angled so that the three pagodas, Cangshan Mountain, and the sky all appear in the water.

• Best time: 8:00–10:00 AM — soft light, fewer visitors, water usually still
• Key condition: No wind. Even a light breeze ripples the surface and blurs the reflection
• Composition tip: Shoot from a low angle. Crouch or use a tripod near water level to let the reflection fill more of the frame
• Note: Afternoon light comes from the west, backlighting the east-facing front of the pagodas — morning is better for front-lit reflection shots

[图:大理三塔聚影池倒影经典角度.jpg]

Three Pagodas Reflection Park (三塔倒影公园) — Outside the Scenic Area

The Reflection Park (三塔倒影公园) sits just south of the scenic area and is a separate facility. The water surface here is larger, allowing wider-angle compositions with the full Cangshan backdrop.

Other Photo Spots

• Front plaza steps: Look up at Qianxun Pagoda from the base; use the staircase lines to lead the eye upward
• Wanghai Tower in Chongsheng Temple: Looking back from the highest point gives you the pagodas and old town in one frame (bring a zoom lens or use phone zoom)
• From inside Dali Old Town: The South Gate tower or Wuhua Tower (五华楼) offers a distant silhouette of the pagodas against Cangshan — best at sunset

Practical Tips for Your Visit

Best Seasons

• March–April: Dali's most comfortable weather. The Bai ethnic group's Third Month Fair (三月街) takes place in lunar March (usually April on the Gregorian calendar), with markets and performances nearby
• September–November: Clear skies, low humidity, ideal for photography at the Reflection Pool
• Avoid: July–August is rainy season (overcast, puddles in the site); National Day Golden Week (Oct 1–7) brings extreme crowds

What to Wear and Bring

• Comfortable walking shoes — the Chongsheng Temple section has plenty of stairs
• Sun protection — at 2,000 m altitude, UV is much stronger than you expect
• Water — Shops inside the scenic area are scarce and overpriced. Bring your own bottle

Beating the Crowds

• Time of day: The first hour after opening (7:30–8:30 AM) has the fewest visitors — also the best window for reflection photos
• Day of week: Weekdays are noticeably quieter than weekends. Avoid Chinese public holidays (National Day, Spring Festival, May Day)
• Route hack: Most tour groups enter from the front plaza, march to the pagodas, then shuttle straight to Chongsheng Temple. If you reverse the route — shuttle up to the temple first, then walk back down to the pagodas — you'll enjoy the tower area with far fewer people around you

Combining with Other Dali Sights

The pagodas sit right next to the old town, making them easy to pair with other attractions:

• Full day: Three Pagodas in the morning (catch the reflection light) → lunch back in the old town → Cangshan cable car or Erhai lakeside cycling in the afternoon
• Half day: Three Pagodas + a stroll through the old town's North Gate area — 2–3 hours is plenty

[图:大理崇圣寺景区内游客步行石阶.jpg]

Beyond This Guide

Dali's Three Pagodas are often the starting point for exploring the wider Dali region — from Cangshan's alpine trails to Erhai's lakeside villages and the Bai ethnic culture that ties it all together. If you're building a Dali itinerary and want help balancing temple visits, mountain days, and village stops, we can design a route that fits your pace and interests.