The Chongsheng Temple And The Three-Pagoda Culture Tourist Area

The Chongsheng Temple and the Three-Pagoda Culture Tourist Area is located 1.5 km north of Dali Ancient Town, serving as the royal temple during the Dali Kingdom period. Nestled between Erhai Lake to the east and Cangshan Mountain’s Yinglue Peak to the west, it boasts breathtaking scenery. The three pagodas were originally part of Chongsheng Temple. While the current temple is a reconstruction, the pagodas remain as thousand-year-old relics and the area’s main attraction. Visitor route: Upon entering through the main gate, you’ll immediately see the three pagodas standing along the central axis on a raised platform. The central Qianxun Pagoda, flanked by two smaller pagodas to the north and south, forms an impressive triangular layout. Their architecture resembles Xi’an’s Small Wild Goose Pagoda. The best photo spot is at the Reflection Pool in Three Pagodas Reflection Park behind them, where visitors capture perfect shots of the pagodas with their mirror images. Beyond the pagodas, follow the central axis to explore cultural relics excavated during restoration at the exhibition hall, see the 16-ton Nanzhao Bell in the Bell Tower, and admire the Rain-Copper Guanyin statue before reaching Chongsheng Temple. Reconstructed in 2005, this grand temple recaptures the imperial splendor of the Nanzhao and Dali periods, featuring over 10,000 dragon carvings – the most in any Chinese temple. Don’t miss the massive 3.1m-diameter drum made from a single oxhide, another remarkable highlight.