Three Pagodas

The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple are the most recognisable landmarks of Dali, three white Buddhist towers standing in a triangular formation on the edge of the old town with the Cang Shan mountains rising dramatically behind them. The tallest, Qianxun Pagoda, was built during the Nanzhao Kingdom in the mid-9th century and stands 69.13 metres high across 16 tiers — making it one of the tallest Tang Dynasty pagodas in China. The two smaller flanking pagodas were added in the 10th century. Remarkably, all three survived the 1925 Dali earthquake that devastated the region. The complex was comprehensively restored in 1979, revealing thousands of Buddhist relics inside the main pagoda, including gold and silver figures, bronze mirrors, and medicinal materials. The reflection pool in front of the pagodas mirrors the towers and the mountain scenery, creating one of Yunnan's most iconic photographs, especially at sunrise or sunset.