The three elegant pagodas arise on the Cangshan Mountain slope overlooking the Erhai Lake. The tallest of the three, Qianxun Pagoda, has 16 tiers that reach a height of 69.13 metres. Its structure, similar to the Small Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province, is in an architectural style typical of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The two smaller pagodas to its west and north, each 42.19 metres high with ten tiers, have a luxurious appearance with their exquisite carvings. They were built in the Five Dynasties (907-960). More than 600 rare relics of the states of Nanzhao and Dali were discovered in the three pagodas during the 1978 reconstruction, making them even more famous. |