Haibao Pagoda

Located in Yinchuan City, Haibao (literally means sea treasure) Pagoda is the oldest architectural structure in Ningxia with a history of over 1,500 years. Since it is in the northern suburb of the City, it is also called 'North Pagoda'. According to ancient records, it was rebuilt during 407 - 427 by Western Xia emperor Helian Bobo, so it is also called Hebao Tower. Over the centuries the Haibao Pagoda has endured several earthquakes. It has collapsed and been rebuilt time and time again. It is one of the eight highlights in Ningxia and is on the list of the sixteen famous pagodas in China.

Haibao Pagoda is a pavilion-style pagoda, with nine tiers and eleven flights of stairs. The rectangular pagoda is made of bricks, 53.9 meters (about 177 feet) high. It has a square base, 5.7 meters (about 18 feet) in height and 19.7 meters (about 65 feet) in length. On the first floor, there is an arched door and a portico. From the second floor up, each storey has four arched doors that protrude a bit. Recesses in the wall were also built on both sides of the doors to add to the luxuriance and give a third dimension. There are wind-chimes hanging on all the corners, and these fill the place with pleasing sound on windy days. All told, our Pagoda is built in a style rarely seen in ancient pagoda architecture.

There is a square chamber on each floor which is encircled by a wooden stairs winding up from below. The molding decreases by fifteen to twenty centimeters from the base upwards, storey by storey. The top of the pagoda has a distinctive shape, for it looks like a peach made up with green colored glaze bricks. This color is in sharp contrast to the grey body, which contributes to what we might call the Pagoda's civility and liveliness. From the top, it is possible to see the Yellow River (Huanghe) away to the east, while to the west the majesty of Helan Moutain can be enjoyed. The view is comparable in beauty with any of the delicate scenery in South China. No wonder the pagoda is regarded as the symbol of Yinchuan City.

At the foot of the pagoda there is an ancient Buddhist temple, where the Ningxia Society of Buddhism is located. The Haibao Temple is sequestered in the shadow of luxuriant trees, with its pavilions, terraces and halls arranged with a picturesque taste. Since ancient times, the temple has been the sight of an annual temple fair which falls on the 15th of the seventh lunar month.

From the top of the pagoda, it is possible to see the Yellow River (Huanghe) away to the east, while to the west the majesty of the Helan range can be enjoyed. The view is comparable in beauty with any of the delicate scenery in South China. No wonder the pagoda is regarded as the symbol of Yinchuan City. It is listed as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

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