Tengwang Pavilion (Tengwang ge)

The Tengwang Pavilion (Tengwang ge) is situated near the mouth of the Fu River (Fu he), as it joins with the larger Ganjiang River (Ganjiang he). It is a huge structure isolated by a square of flat, grey paving and a monumental stone base and is recognised as one of the four famous Chinese superstructures, along with the Yellow Crane Tower, the Penglai Pavilion in Shandong, and the Yueyang Tower in Hunan. The pavilion was built in 653 AD by a younger brother of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) Emperor Taizong.The building has been ruined and rebuilt as many as 29 times. The latest reconstruction was completed on October 8th, 1989, and the new version is a granite structure of monstrous proportions, basically Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) in style. The pavilion has nine storeys and is 57.5 meters high. The charm of the building lies in its green tiles and the double eaves that "fly" upwards, although most of this can be appreciated from a distance.There are exhibitions, teahouses and gift shops inside and the views from the top floor are worth going to see. A small theatre at the top has performances of traditional Chinese dance and music every hour (RMB20) and the occasional Chinese opera. The walls of much of the building are covered with calligraphy and paintings, with the occasional jade sculpture.