Our answer
Dali’s landmark 崇圣寺三塔
A Nanzhao-era brick pagoda and two Dali Kingdom companions, with a rebuilt royal temple behind them
The short answer
The Three Pagodas (三塔, Sān Tǎ) of Chongsheng Temple stand about 1.5 km north-west of Dali Old Town in Yunnan, between the Cangshan mountains and Erhai Lake. The tallest, the 16-storey Qianxun Pagoda, dates from the 9th-century Nanzhao kingdom; the temple behind it was the royal temple of the Dali Kingdom.
| In Chinese | 崇圣寺三塔 (Chóngshèng Sì Sān Tǎ) |
|---|---|
| Where | About 1.5 km north-west of Dali Old Town, Dali, Yunnan province |
| Built | Main pagoda 9th century (Nanzhao kingdom); the two smaller ones later, in the Dali Kingdom |
| Known for | Three white brick pagodas; the royal temple of the Dali Kingdom |
| Heights | Qianxun Pagoda 69.13 m, 16 storeys; smaller pagodas about 42 m, 10 storeys each |
| Getting there | Bus 19 from the north gate of Dali Old Town, or a 20-minute walk (Yunnan tourism, 2024) |
The three pagodas
The three are set in a triangle: one tall square pagoda in front and two slimmer octagonal ones behind it, to its north-west and south-west. Read more about how Chinese pagodas developed in our guide to pagodas.[1][2][4]
| Pagoda | Built | Shape and height |
|---|---|---|
| Qianxun Pagoda (千寻塔, Qiānxún Tǎ) | 9th century, under the Nanzhao kingdom; Wikipedia dates it to 823–840 and King Quan Fengyou | Square brick pagoda of 16 storeys in the Tang style, 69.13 m high (Wikipedia: 69.6 m). The lower eight storeys are hollow, with walls about 3.3 m thick. |
| North pagoda | Later, in the Dali Kingdom: about a century after the main pagoda according to Wikipedia; China Daily dates them to the reigns of Duan Zhengyan and Duan Zhengxing (1108–1172) | Octagonal, 10 storeys, about 42 m high |
| South pagoda | As the north pagoda | Octagonal, 10 storeys, about 42 m high |
Sources differ slightly on the heights: 69.13 m or 69.6 m for the main pagoda, and 42.19 m or 42.4 m for the smaller two.
History: a royal temple of the Dali Kingdom
Dali was the seat of two kingdoms: Nanzhao, which built the main pagoda in the 9th century, and the Dali Kingdom, which added the other two. Chongsheng Temple (崇圣寺, Chóngshèng Sì) was the Dali Kingdom’s royal temple, and nine of its kings are said to have given up the throne to become monks there. At its height the temple had 891 rooms and 11,400 Buddhist images.
The pagodas have outlasted the buildings around them. Local legend says they were raised to subdue dragons blamed for floods in what was once a swamp. The Qianxun Pagoda cracked in an earthquake in 1515 and, the story goes, closed up again in an aftershock ten days later; in the Dali earthquake of 1925, when only about one building in a hundred survived, the pagodas came through undamaged. When the main pagoda was repaired in 1978, more than 700 Buddhist objects were found inside, and copper plates found in 1979 record earlier repairs in 1000, 1142 and 1145.
The temple buildings themselves were lost in the Qing dynasty, leaving only the pagodas. Chongsheng Temple was rebuilt in 2005. The temple is also the model for Tianlong Temple in Jin Yong’s martial-arts novel *Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils*.[1][2][3]
What to see
The scenic area is large: Yunnan’s tourism department puts the circuit at about 7 km and suggests allowing three to five hours.
- The Three Pagodas: best seen from the front, with the Cangshan mountains behind.
- Reflection ponds: the pagodas mirrored in water, behind the pagodas and in the Three Pagodas Reflection Park, a favourite photo spot.
- Chongsheng Temple: the rebuilt temple climbs the slope behind the pagodas, from the mountain gate to the Main Hall (大雄宝殿); an electric cart runs from the entrance to the Main Hall. See how the halls are laid out in our guide to Chinese temples.
- The temple’s ‘five treasures’: the Three Pagodas, the Nanzhao Giant Bell, the Rain Copper Guanyin statue, the ‘Buddha Capital’ plaque and the golden statues of the Three Saints.
- Wanghai Tower: the highest building in the temple, looking out towards Erhai Lake.
Questions readers ask
Where are the Three Pagodas?
In Dali, Yunnan province, about 1.5 km north-west of Dali Old Town, at the foot of the Cangshan mountains and facing Erhai Lake. They stand in front of Chongsheng Temple.
How old are the Three Pagodas of Dali?
The tallest, the Qianxun Pagoda, was built in the 9th century under the Nanzhao kingdom, so it is more than 1,100 years old. The two smaller pagodas were added later, in the Dali Kingdom.
How tall is the Qianxun Pagoda?
About 69 metres: Yunnan’s tourism department gives 69.13 m and Wikipedia 69.6 m. It has 16 storeys. The two smaller pagodas have 10 storeys and stand about 42 m tall.
What is Chongsheng Temple?
The Buddhist temple behind the pagodas. It was the royal temple of the Dali Kingdom, where nine kings are said to have become monks. Its old buildings were lost in the Qing dynasty, and the present temple was rebuilt in 2005.
How long do you need at the Three Pagodas?
Yunnan’s tourism department suggests three to five hours for the whole scenic area, which includes the pagodas, the reflection ponds and the rebuilt temple stretching up the hill.
How do I get to the Three Pagodas from Dali Old Town?
Walk, in about 20 minutes, or take bus 19 from the old town’s north gate to the Three Pagodas Park stop (as of 2024).
Why are the Three Pagodas famous?
They are the symbol of Dali, visible from far away, and they have survived major earthquakes, including the 1925 Dali earthquake that destroyed most buildings in the area. The temple also appears, as Tianlong Temple, in a Jin Yong martial-arts novel.
Sources
- Wikipedia, Three Pagodas · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Colorful Yunnan (Yunnan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism), Chongsheng Temple Three Pagodas (2024) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Chongsheng Temple (Yunnan) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
- China Daily via China Bound, The Chongsheng Temple and the Three-Pagoda, Dali (first published December 2018) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
Update log. 1 November 2026 — reviewed. Next review due 1 February 2027. Suggest a correction