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 Located on the west city wall, the Yueyang Tower is one of three famous towers in South China, the other two being the Yellow Crane Tower in Wuchang and the Prince Teng Pavillion in Nanching. The predecessor of Yueyang Tower was a structure built during the Three Kingdoms period (220 -280 AD) for reviewing military parades. In the fifth year of Emperor Qingli's reign of the Song Dynasty (716), it was rebuilt, and famous Song Dynasty essay writer Fan Zhongyan wrote his famous essay "Notes on Yueyang Tower", which was considered matchless in literary beauty and profound thought.
Yueyang Tower stands close to Dongting Lake, facing Junshan Island with the city behind. The main tower, 19 meters high, is a three-story structure supported by four pillars and made of pure wood and upturned eaves. Especially noteworthy is the tower top which resembles a helmet used by warriors in ancient times, a real rarity in the history of ancient Chinese architecture. The structure is a unique combination of artistic tastes, mechanics, architecture, and craftsmanship. The Tower affords a spectacular view of Dongting Lake. |
