Chigang Pagoda, Chinese pagoda in Haizhu District, Guangzhou, China.
Chigang Pagoda is an octagonal brick tower in Haizhu District, Guangzhou, standing 48.9 meters tall across nine stories. Its outer walls show reddish and gray-brown tones, and four carved stone figures support the structure at its base.
The tower was built in 1619 during the Ming Dynasty and served as a navigation marker for ships moving along the Pearl River. Its position on the riverbank was chosen to give incoming vessels a clear reference point.
The four stone figures at the base have Western facial features, reflecting the early contact between Chinese and European building traditions in Guangzhou. This detail is rare in structures of this period and makes this pagoda a tangible example of cross-cultural exchange.
The pagoda is within walking distance of both Kecun and Canton Tower metro stations and is easy to reach by public transport. The interior is not open to visitors, so the tower can only be seen from the outside.
The pagoda is part of a planned trio with Pazhou Pagoda and Lotus Pagoda, arranged following Feng Shui principles to shape the city's fortune. The three towers were conceived together as a group, not as separate buildings, which is rare for structures of this type.
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