The pagoda was built at the end of the Tang Dynasty in commemoration of a Sizhou sage named Seng Jla. As a result, Su Dongpo, a writer and calligrapher in the Northern Song Dynasty, also called it Dasheng (Great Sage) Pagoda. The pagoda was destroyed in 1564 in the Ming Dynasty and a pavilion was built on its ruins in 1573. The pagoda was not rebuilt until 1618. It is now the oldest structure in the city proper of Huizhou. In 1875 during the Qing Dynasty, one corner of the pagoda's roof was struck by lightning and a banyan later grew there. After the founding of New China the damaged corner was repaired and a staircase built for people to go to the top and enjoy the landscape of Huizhou.
The octagonal, seven-storey brick pagoda is about forty meters high. It looks elegant and graceful. As it stands on an island in the middle of West Lake it is reflected in the water. Mountains faraway serve as background. All this adds to the beauty of the pagoda.
