Three Pagodas of the Chongsheng Temple

 

Facts of Three Pagodas of the Chongsheng Temple

Chinese Name: 崇圣寺三塔 Pronunciation: Chóngshèng sìsāntǎ

Recommended Time for Visit: 2 Hours

The Highest Pagoda: Qianxun Pagoda - 69.13meters (227 feet)

Mountain Tourist Area: 23.5 square kilometers

Best Visiting Time: All year round

Address: About 1 kilometers (0.6 miles) northwest of the Dali Ancient City

 

Admission Ticket Fare

Price	Ticket Free of Charge Policy
75 yuan	Children under 6 years old or height under 1.3m are free of charge; Senior citizens over 70 years old (with ID card) are free of charge; People with disabilities (with disability certificate) are free of charge; Soldiers in active service and retired cadres in the army are free of charge (with officer certificate). *The above policy is only applicable to admission fee.

 

Service Hours

April 1st – September 30th	October 1st – March 31st
7:00 - 19:00	7:20 - 18:30

 

Introduction of Three Pagodas of the Chongsheng Temple

Bordered by Yingle Peak of Cangshan Mountain to the West and Erhai Lake to the East, the three pagodas locate about one kilometer away from Dali Ancient City and about 1,500 meters away from the foot of the Cangshan Mountain. The three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple is the only national 5A level scenic spot in Dali city and it is regarded as the landmark of Dali.
 

The biggest pagoda, Qianxun Pagoda, which is 69.13 meters (227 feet) high, is one of the highest pagodas of the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907). The other lower two pagodas are located to its north and south. Three Pagodas in Dali, Zhaozhou Bridge of Hebei Province, and Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an, are three treasures of ancient Chinese architecture.

 

Main Scenic Areas at Three Pagodas

 Cultural Relics Exhibition Hall

From 1978 to 1982, the State Administration of cultural relics organized the largest repair of the three pagodas since the Jiajing Period of the Ming Dynasty. During the maintenance, more than 680 pieces of various cultural relics were found at the top, the base and other parts of Qianxun pagoda. Cultural relics are the witness of history. These cultural relics also provide valuable material for the study of the history, politics, economy and culture of Nanzhao and Dali by virtue of their extremely high historical, artistic and cultural value.
 

 Mountain and Sea Grand View

The stone archway of Mountain and Sea Grand View is the characteristic archway of Bai nationality. The powerful words "Mountain and Sea Grand View" are written on it.

The Pharmacist Hall

In the pharmacist hall, there is a pharmacist Buddha statue in sitting position with a height of 1.6 meters. The pharmacist hall is located at Chongsheng Temple, which was built in the regime of Nanzhao. The Pharmacist’s Hall is built in the shape of courtyard. There are two camellia flowers from Yunnan in the temple, which are said to have been planted by monks named Lianfeng in Yuan Dynasty. One of the flowers is called “Ma Ye Tao Hong” and the other is called “Pine Seed Scale”. These two camellia plants are famous old plants listed by Kunming Municipal Bureau of Landscape Architecture. Unfortunately, the tree “Ma Ye Tao Hong" withered in 1983.
 

The color of the Buddha statue is red mainly. Accompanied by flowers and auspicious clouds, the Buddha statue presents a beautiful and shinning sight. The Sunlight Bodhisattva and the Moonlight Bodhisattva are separated from each other and located on both sides of the Buddha statue.
 

 Yutong Guanyin Hall

The Yutong Guanyin Hall that we see now was rebuilt and expanded on its original site. Completed in 1999, it is the high-quality project of Yunnan Province to welcome the World Expo. The Yutong Guanyin hall is 29.99 meters high and covers an area of 8,100 square meters with a building area of 4,384 square meters.

 

Our Suggested Route

Take the tourist car from the gate of the Three Pagodas of the Chongsheng Temples → enjoy the Joying pool and the Jianji bell → Yutong Guanyin Hall → then explore the Chongsheng Temple mountain gate with two halls (God of wealth Hall on the left and pharmacist's Hall on the right) on both sides → Fangsheng Pool → Tianwang Hall → Maitreyan Hall → Luohan Hall → Daxiong Hall → the stone archway of Mountain and Sea Grand View → the Wanghai Tower
 

• Bus stops:  The gate of Chongsheng Temple, the Chongsheng Temple Mountain Gate, Daxiong Hall

 

How to Reach Three Pagodas of the Chongsheng Temple 

Special Line

Take the Three Pagodas special line (starting station: Dali Railway Station) in Dali urban area to the Three Pagodas of the Chongsheng Temple scenic spot (3 yuan).
 

Self-drive

Line 1: Depart from Dali city and drive along the 214 National Road about 16.5km, then you will arrive at the Three Pagodas of the Chongsheng Temple scenic spot.

Line 2: Depart from Dali city and drive westward along 211 provincial highway for about 17.2km to the Three Pagodas of the Chongsheng Temple scenic spot.
 

 By Taxi

Chinese: 请带我去崇圣寺三塔。English: Please take me to the Three Pagodas of the Chongsheng Temples.

If you go to the Three Pagodas from Dali Ancient Town by taxi, it takes about 10 minutes and costs about 13 yuan.

If you go to the Three Pagodas from the Dali Railway Station by taxi, it takes about 50 minutes and costs about 70 yuan.