Leifeng Pagoda

Leifeng Pagoda is a five-story, eight-sided tower on Sunset Hill south of West Lake in Hangzhou. Originally built in 975 AD, it collapsed in 1924 and was rebuilt in 2002. The view of the original pagoda at dusk was one of the famous Ten Scenes of West Lake, and the pagoda is featured in the Legend of the White Snake.

Don't miss

• The original pagoda base and underground chamber are preserved under glass on the first floor.
• Dongyang woodcarvings on the hidden floor depict the love story from the Legend of the White Snake.
• The fifth floor has a gold-plated dome with a large lotus and 2002 miniature golden pagodas in Buddha niches.
• The upper level provides a panoramic view of West Lake and the surrounding area.

Tickets & tours

Ways to visit Leifeng Pagoda

Cheapest way inAuthentic Hangzhou Longjing Tea Culture Experience Tour4.8★ · 38 travelers2-4 hoursFree cancellationFrom$53 per personSee dates →Best full dayFlexible Hangzhou Private Tour from Shanghai by Bullet Train5★ · 243 travelers10-11 hoursFree cancellationFrom$331 per personSee dates →Private & flexible4-Hour Hangzhou City Private Customized Tour with Options5★ · 13 travelers4-5 hoursFree cancellationFrom$131 per personSee dates →

Know before you go

• Each floor has a different theme: first floor shows the original site, second floor has Wuyue building tower pictures, third floor displays poetry, fourth floor shows Oushe sculptures of West Lake scenes, and fifth floor has the golden dome.
• Excavated artifacts, including stone carvings of the Avatamsaka Sutra and a gilt silver Ashoka pagoda, are displayed at the Zhejiang Provincial Museum.

A bit of history

The original pagoda was built in 975 AD by King Qian Chu of Wuyue for his concubine Consort Huang. During the Ming dynasty, Japanese pirates burned its wooden elements, leaving only the brick skeleton. A superstition that the bricks could repel illness led to widespread theft, and the pagoda collapsed on September 25, 1924. The new pagoda, designed by Tsinghua University architects, opened on October 25, 2002,. Its structure uses a steel frame with copper parts.