Located 33 kilometers (20 miles) southeast of Jinan city at the foot of Qinglong Mountain, Four Gates Pagoda is believed to be the oldest existing pavilion-style stone pagoda in China.
The pagoda is considered to be erected in A.D. 611, near the end of the Sui Dynasty. The pagoda has been listed as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level since 1961.
Built with hard stones and bricks, the Four Gates Pagoda is a representative masterpiece of one-storey, pavilion-style pagodas. It has a pyramid-shaped roof which was made of 23 tiers of overlapping stone slabs and the tip of the roof is occupied by a stone steeple. It has 4 exactly symmetrical and same square walls facing one of the 4 cardinal directions. Only the name of each door could tell their difference. In the center of the pagoda is a strong square stone pillar. There is a stone Buddha on each of the four sides of the pillar, sitting cross-legged while facing each door.
Location: NO.55, Sujia Village, Liubu Town, Licheng District
Transportation: Bus 812, 67, 815
Ticket: ¥25
Opening hours: 07:30 — 17:30
Recommended visit time: July-October