Located west of Longxing Temple in downtown Zhengding, according to historical accounts, the pagoda was first built in 860 during the Tang Dynasty and went through some repairs during the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. However, according to the structure of the existing pagoda today, it is a building between the Song and Kin dynasties. Repairs during later times did not change its original style.
The pagoda is octagonal, more than forty meters tall, and has nine storeys. The four lower storeys are made of bricks with wooden eaves. The brackets on the first three levels and the base of the second, third and fourth levels are also made of brick. The upper structure of the pagoda, from the fifth storey up, is entirely made of wood. The height of each storey, from the second storey up, decreases progressively, the decrease being particularly obvious on the five wooden storeys of the upper part. The shape of the pagoda, with its upper part shrinking sharply, gives a sturdy, gentle impression. The steeple is made of cast iron.
The most spectacular feature of the pagoda in structural terms is a central pillar. This kind of structure used to be popular for ancient pagodas, but few such still exist. Since this pagoda is not entirely made of wood, the central pillar is not inserted into the ground, but the properties of pagodas built with a central pillar are demonstrated clearly. Therefore, it serves as a valuable example in the study of such pagodas.
