Fuzhou White Pagoda

The White Pagoda, originally the Pagoda of Gratitude and Eternal Light, stands in Dingguang Temple at the western foot of Yu Hill, Fuzhou, Fujian. Constructed in 904 by Wang Shenzhi, King of Min, to pray for his late mother’s soul, it got its name from a glowing pearl unearthed during foundation work. The original eight‑sided seven‑storey pagoda had a brick core and wooden exterior, reaching 80 meters high. Burned down by lightning in 1534, it was rebuilt in 1548 with the brick core turned into the main body and a seven‑storey octagonal gourd‑shaped spire, standing 45.35 meters tall. Its plain lime‑coated exterior earned it the common name White Pagoda.