Wuying Pagoda

Wuying Pagoda, also known as the Shadowless Pagoda, is a stone Buddhist pagoda in Wuchang, Wuhan. Built 750 years ago during the Southern Song Dynasty, it is the oldest standing architectural feature in Wuhan. The pagoda has eight sides and seven storeys, with carvings of Buddhist figures in small niches on four of the storeys. It stands 11.25 meters tall and sits at the western foot of Mount Hong in Hongshan Park.

Don't miss

• Oldest standing architectural feature in Wuhan, built 750 years ago
• Stone pagoda modeled after multi-storeyed wooden pagodas
• Eight sides and seven storeys, with carvings of Buddha, bodhisattvas, heavenly kings, and celestial guards
• Sumeru Throne style base, 4.25 meters in diameter
• Located at the western foot of Mount Hong in Hongshan Park

Getting there

Know before you go

• The pagoda is a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.
• Legend says the pagoda was built to block a 'dragon vein' beneath the mountains.
• The name 'Shadowless Pagoda' comes from claims it casts no shadow at noon on the summer or winter solstice, though it now does due to its moved location.

A bit of history

The pagoda's origin goes back to the Northern and Southern dynasties period, when it was built as part of Jin'an Temple. Later, during the Sui Dynasty, the temple was renamed Xingfu Temple. The original pagoda was destroyed and rebuilt in 1270, during the overthrow of the Southern Song. Xingfu Temple was ruined in the 19th century during the Taiping Rebellion. In 1953, the pagoda was found tilting severely in a residential area. It was moved to its current site in Hongshan Park in the winter of 1962/1963. In 2013, it was listed as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.