The First Pavilion of the Yangtze River: Guanyin Pavilion Travel Guide

Ezhou was the ancient capital of the Eastern Wu, and on the embankment outside the Xiaodong Gate, there stands a gigantic rock in the middle of the river, winding like a dragon, known as 'Longpan Rock'. It is said that before Sun Quan made Wuchang (now Ezhou) his capital, a yellow dragon lay coiled on the rock for several days before leaving, hence it is also called 'Coiled Dragon Stone'. The Coiled Dragon Stone looks westward with its head raised, shrouded in a layer of mist, resembling a mirage. What's more amazing is that an ancient temple shaped like a boat stands abruptly on the dragon's head, suspended in the air, towering across the river. This is the awe-inspiring Guanyin Pavilion of Ezhou, also known as Longpan Rock Temple. On the Yangtze River that stretches for thousands of miles, from Bashu in the west to Wusong in the east, only the Guanyin Pavilion of Ezhou stands proudly at the head of the rock, like a pillar in the midst of the stream, thus it is also known as 'The First Pavilion of the Yangtze River'. Guanyin Pavilion was originally built during the Song Dynasty and rebuilt in the fifth year of the Zhiyuan era of the Yuan Dynasty (1345 AD), with multiple renovations during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The pavilion faces west and is built on a platform of piled stones on the rock. There are three halls: the Ancestral Master Hall, Guanyin Hall, and Laojun Hall, as well as buildings such as the Chunyang Tower and Guanlan Pavilion. Guanyin Pavilion faces west, is 14 meters high, and its base is more than 1 meter thick, made of stones that are 60 centimeters long, 20 centimeters wide, and 25 centimeters thick. During the dry season, the entire base of Longpan is almost completely exposed, but during major floods, the Guanyin Pavilion can be submerged up to the second floor, and the front wave barrier has been completely underwater. Yet, the Guanyin Pavilion still stands firmly in the heart of the river, undisturbed for a thousand years, which is truly astonishing. Guanyin Pavilion of Ezhou, also known as 'Longpan Rock Temple', is located on Longpan Rock of the Yangtze River outside Xiaodong Gate in Echeng District, Ezhou City, Hubei Province. It was built in the fifth year of the Zhiyuan era of the Yuan Dynasty (1345 AD). This building faces west, stands against the current, is 24 meters long, 10 meters wide, and 14 meters high. The base is piled with strip stones, and the body of the pavilion is built with blue bricks. It is a typical wooden frame structure pavilion-style building, with one pavilion, three halls, and two floors, covering a total area of more than 300 square meters. Guanyin Pavilion of Ezhou is well laid out and exquisitely constructed, with red railings and corridors, and flying eaves, displaying the typical artistic characteristics of southern Chinese folk architecture. At the same time, it also integrates the cultures of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, and is the only place in the vast Yangtze River, hence it is known as 'The First Pavilion of the Yangtze River'. On May 25, 2006, Guanyin Pavilion of Ezhou was approved and announced by the State Council of the People's Republic of China as the sixth batch of national key cultural relics protection units.