Guangyue Tower, Historical tower in Liaocheng, China

Guangyue Tower stands at the centre of the old town of Dongchangfu in Liaocheng. Its 9.38-metre brick base, a truncated square pyramid with sides shrinking from 34.43 to 31.93 metres, carries a four-storey all-wood pavilion 24 metres high, with 192 columns, over 200 bracket sets and a cross-ridge roof. Only the east gate, Taiping, opens onto the 122 steps.

The tower was built during the Ming Dynasty and has undergone restoration and repairs across several centuries while maintaining its original position. Its location near the Grand Canal made it a key point in the city's development as a trading hub.

The name Guangyue Tower dates from 1496, when governor Jin Tianxi and official Li Zan chose it to mean the tower's light reaches Mount Tai. Inside, the first floor holds a statue of Lu Ban, patron of carpenters, and the second a 2-metre painted statue of the Qianlong Emperor. Plaques by Guo Moruo, Shen Yanbing and Shu Tong hang in the tower.

The tower is open to visitors daily and can be reached by public transportation and bus services from the city center. Wear comfortable shoes since you will be climbing multiple floors to see all the levels and views.

Despite 17 repairs, the tower's main wooden components are original Ming work, unlike the rebuilt Yueyang Tower and Tengwang Pavilion. Its cross-ridge roof follows Song and Yuan styles, and 192 golden pillars and over 200 dougong brackets support the four storeys.