Dragon Pavilion

Discover Kaifeng’s Ancient Capital Complex

Dragon Pavilion is a famous tourist attraction in Kaifeng, which is symbolic of the cultural relics preserved in Kaifeng. Actually, Dragon Pavilion is not a pavilion but a palace built on an 87-foot  (26.7 meters) high grey huge pedestal. The Dragon Pavilion faces south and stands on the pedestal solemnly. Standing on series of rising terraces, the Dragon Pavilion rises 118 feet (36 meters) from the ground to the palace, which is made to symbolize the 36 spirits in heaven. The Dragon Pavilion hosts 72 steps representing 72 earthly friends and the ones in the middles are carved with dragons and clouds. The bricks for building the pavilion are carved with diverse patterns, ranging from motifs of Buddhist immortals, musicians, to flowers, plants, and animals.

Ascend to the pavilions and visitors can see the delicate stone-made pillars carved with different patterns circled around. The pavilion is timber-made, its eaves, pillars, and lintels are delicately structured, which blend in with the surrounding mesmerizing lakes and enchanting gardens. Standing on the pavilion, visitors have a bird’s eye view of the breathtaking scenery of this ancient city. When ascending the pavilion, visitors would be ushered along by a wide road sided by two captivating lakes, with Panhu lake in east and Yanghu lake in west. There is also a place named Longting, which is a town in Yangxian County in Hanzhong City, the place where the world-renowned paper-inventor Cailun was born.

Kaifeng is one of the Eight Ancient Capitals in China, where emperors of seven dynasties once established their capitals. During the Song Dynasty, the economy was prosperous and many splendid palaces were built at that time. Most original ones were badly destroyed by invaders and was flooded and fired later. The magnificent palace complex has vanished and only the Dragon Pavilion remained.