Wenchang Tower, located in the east of Guiyang, was built in 1609 and renovated repeatedly later, covering 1,200 square meters. It is ranked as one of the key provincial class historic relics.
Wenchang Tower, 20 meters high, is in the shape of a pagoda, with its gate facing the west. It indicates a notable construction style in the Ming Dynasty with windows and doors decorated by delicate carvings, colorful drawings, eaves raised gently and everything in a grey tone. Wenchang Tower has a unique design and wonderful structure which is the only example of this style existing in China.
It consists of a three-storied and a pointed-up tower with three eaves and nine angles, 4 arises for the ground storey, 9 arises for the first and second stories, 9 angles on the roof. The 4 points of the eaves come from the equal division of the circumference into 4 quarters, the 9 points of the first and second stories, which are of similar form, come from the equal division of the front arc into 3 parts and of the other 3 arcs into 2 parts respectively.
The building of the Tower deals with the number nine which suggests the supreme power in China: 9 ridges and 9 points of the eaves of the first and the second stories respectively, 54 pillars, 81 beams, all are multiples of 9.