Journey through Ancient Times ~ Yan'an Pagoda (National Level 4)

The Yan'an Pagoda, also known as the Pagoda on Pagoda Hill, Yan'an, is located on Pagoda Hill (formerly known as Jialing Mountain) in Yan'an City, Shaanxi Province. It is the most iconic historical building and revolutionary symbol of Yan'an. The pagoda was originally built in the Tang Dynasty (768 AD). The existing tower body was rebuilt in the Ming Dynasty (1608) and renovated several times during the Qing Dynasty. It is an octagonal, pavilion-style brick pagoda, 44 meters high, with 9 stories. There are stairs inside the tower that allow visitors to climb to the top for a panoramic view. The ground floor of the tower is particularly high, with arched doorways on the south and north sides. The inscription above the south door reads "High Above the Azure Sky," and the inscription above the north door reads "Looking Down Upon the World of Mortals." Inside the south door is a chamber, while inside the north door is a brick staircase. The walls above the second floor are single and hollow. Arched windows are alternately placed on the second to eighth floors, and windows on all four sides of the ninth floor offer distant views. The top of the pagoda has a flat brick spire. The finial is destroyed, leaving only the shaft. From 1937 to 1947, Yan'an served as the headquarters of the CPC Central Committee and the Red Army after the Long March. Pagoda Hill and the pagoda became important spiritual landmarks for the Communist Party of China during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the War of Liberation, frequently appearing in revolutionary propaganda posters, literature, and early party emblems, symbolizing the strength and hope of the Chinese revolution. During the Yan'an period, leaders such as Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai often conducted activities at the foot of Pagoda Hill. Revolutionary sites such as Zaoyuan and Yangjialing are located around Pagoda Hill.