The Three Pagodas are Dali’s most iconic landmark — a trio of ancient Buddhist towers that have stood for over 1,200 years between Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake.

The three pagodas are arranged in an isosceles triangle formation, with the main pagoda in the center and two smaller ones flanking it to the north and south.

The main Qianxun Pagoda is a square, multi-eaved hollow brick pagoda in classic Tang Dynasty style — similar to Xi’an’s Small Wild Goose Pagoda. The two smaller pagodas reflect Song Dynasty elegance with their octagonal design.

Built during the reign of Nanzhao King Quan Fengyou (劝丰祐, 824–859 AD), the pagodas were originally part of the grand Chongsheng Temple — the royal monastery of the Nanzhao and later Dali Kingdoms.

This is why Dali was known as the “Land of Fragrant Buddhas” (妙香佛国). The temple also inspired the Tianlong Temple in Jin Yong’s famous wuxia novel Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils.

The original Chongsheng Temple was destroyed by war during the Qing Dynasty — only the Three Pagodas survived. The current temple complex was rebuilt in 2005 near the original site.

The pagodas have actually been leaning for over 400 years but remain structurally sound — built directly on soil without stone foundations, using angled brickwork and smart engineering.

The pagodas were built to suppress water spirits and prevent floods. The golden-winged roc bird (大鹏金翅鸟) statue atop the main pagoda symbolizes this protective purpose. The screen wall in front bears the inscription “Eternal Guardian of Mountains and Rivers” (永镇山川).

In 1978, archaeologists discovered 680+ precious artifacts inside the pagodas during restoration — metalwork, jewelry, and medicinal herbs from the Nanzhao and Dali Kingdoms, now displayed in the Yunnan Provincial Museum.