Zuojiang Xieta

Zuojiang Leaning Pagoda, also known as Guilong Pagoda or Chongzuo Leaning Pagoda, is located on Aotoushan Island, 3 kilometers northeast of Chongzuo City.

The tower was built by Li Youmei, a prefect of the Ming Dynasty, in the first year of the Tianqi reign (1621). It had three floors at that time. In the 35th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1629), the prefect Xu Yue added two floors, making it a five-story brick tower with a diameter of 5 meters at the base and a height of 18.28 meters. The tower body is an octagonal surface.

The spiral brick staircase inside the tower winds counterclockwise to the top floor. People walking on the stairs have a strong sense of slope. According to experts, the tower builders took into account factors such as wind force in the center of the river and the foundation when building the tower. The whole pagoda follows the terrain of the mountain and has a stable structure and harmonious shape. It has been repeatedly washed by floods, exposed to the sun, wind and rain since its construction, but it still stands tall, which shows the superb architectural technology of the ancient Chinese people.

Leaning pagodas are rare in the world, and the one located in the middle of a river's rapids is even more of a wonder. It is known as one of the eight leaning towers in the world, along with the Tiger Hill Pagoda in Suzhou, the Suizhong Pagoda in Liaoning, the Huzhu Pagoda in Songjiang, Shanghai, the Dangyang Iron Pagoda in Hubei, the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy, the Kendall Tower in Germany, and the Square Tower of the British Parliament.