The Shibaozhai Temple is a red wooden 12-story pagoda rises stunningly against a 30 meter (100 foot) high rock outcropping along the banks of the Yangtze River built on the northern bank of the Yangtze River of China in the 18th century. Shibaozhai (Stone Treasure Stronghold) was erected by Emperor Qianlong on a large rock rising almost 100 feet out of the river. The Shibaozhai Temple is an architecural delight, having been built without nails. This site celebrates an ancient legend concerning a small hole in the temple wall where rice trickled out to feed the monks. Unfortunately, when the monks got greedy and enlarged the hole to make the rice flow quicker, the rice dried up altogether.
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| Shibaozhai Temple Entrance |
When the Yangtze River rises to its full pool in 2009, the water will reach the base of Shibahozhai, so the Chinese government is building a wall around the pavilion.
Cruise ships sailing the Yangtze River often stopover at Shibaozhai so that the passengers can climb to the top of the pagoda. The higher one climbs in the temple, the more likely your wish or dreams will come true. This may be easier said than done, since each floor of the Shibaozhai Temple is reached via a creaky, unstable ladder.
Upon our return to the cruise ship, and after dinner, the passengers get to put on the entertainment with the Captain's Farewell Dinner.
Tomorrow, we disembark at Chongqing in the morning, visit the Panada Zoo, fly to Guilin and then on to Yangshuo. Gonna be a busy day tomorrow!
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