Yueyang Tower, Ancient tower in Yueyang, China
Yueyang Tower is a three-story wooden structure with yellow glazed tiles and several overhanging roofs above Dongting Lake. The roof peak resembles a helmet in shape and forms the highest point of the construction.
A general from the Wu Kingdom used the original construction from the 3rd century onward as a military observation post over the waterways. The current form of the tower emerged through several reconstructions in later dynasties.
The tower's name became widely known through a Song-era literary work that is still read in Chinese schools today. Visitors see calligraphies and poems inside that speak about the lake and responsibility toward society.
Access is through several staircases leading up to the top level, where the view opens over the lake. Inside are exhibitions on Chinese poetry and wooden models of other historical towers.
On several floors hang handwritten characters by well-known scholars, including a poem in the handwriting of Mao Zedong. This collection of calligraphies makes the tower a place where architecture and literary history connect.
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