The Glazed Pagoda of the Great Bao’en Temple in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, has regained international attention amid renewed social media interest sparked by its iconic depiction on American Chinese food takeaway boxes. This nine-story structure, standing 256 feet tall with its distinctive glazed facade, has long been regarded as a symbol of Chinese architectural achievement and cultural exchange.

Originally constructed between 1412 and 1428 during the reign of the Yongle Emperor Zhu Di of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the pagoda was built to honor the emperor’s parents. It quickly became a prominent landmark and attraction in Nanjing, holding the title of the city’s tallest building through much of the Ming and Qing dynasties (1644-1911). The structure’s intricate glazed tiles required advanced kiln-firing techniques that produced an even and flawless shiny surface, creating a lantern-like glow visible across the city at night.

European visitors in the 17th century were both fascinated and mystified by the pagoda. Portuguese Jesuit missionary Alvaro Semedo, who viewed the tower in 1638, compared it to Roman architecture but initially believed its tiles were porcelain. Later accounts, such as those by Dutch traveler Johan Nieuhof, who was in China between 1655 and 1657, helped solidify the pagoda’s reputation in the West, earning it the nickname “Porcelain Tower.” The pagoda also inspired the Great Pagoda at Kew Gardens in London and featured in the 1839 fairy tale “The Garden of Paradise” by Hans Christian Andersen.

The original Glazed Pagoda was destroyed in 1856 during the Taiping Rebellion (1851-1864). Archaeological efforts in 2008 uncovered remnants beneath its foundation, including an underground palace housing the Seven Treasures Pagoda of King Ashoka and a skull relic believed to be of Shakyamuni, an important Buddhist artifact.

In 2015, a new 305-foot tower was completed to honor the original pagoda’s historical significance. Incorporating the original ruins, the modern structure uses a steel frame and ultra-white glass to protect the delicate underground palace below from subsidence. According to Wang Wenxi, director of the Great Bao’en Temple Ruins Museum, reconstructing the tower with its original materials and craftsmanship is not feasible with present-day resources. Instead, the contemporary building serves to preserve the legacy and cultural importance of the Ming Dynasty landmark.

The tower continues to draw visitors today. Shauchenka Volha, a student from Belarus studying at Nanjing University of Science and Technology, recently shared her experience of ascending the tower. “The lift took me to the eighth floor, and the moment I stepped out, the whole of Nanjing was spread out before me,” she said, reflecting the ongoing allure of the site centuries after its initial construction.