The Three Pagodas of Chongshen Monastery is located 1.5 kilometers to the north of the ancient city of Dali, with Yingle Peak of Cangshan Mountain on the west and facing the miles green waves of Erhai Lake on the east. Besides being the significant landmark of Dali, the Three Pagodas are also an important humanism sight in the historical, cultural and national star level excellent city for tourism. Moreover, it is the oldest and grandest ancient architecture at the southern China. The Three Pagodas of Chongshen Monastery is consisted with one bigger and two smaller towers. The bigger tower which called Qianxun Tower is about 70 meter away from the two smaller towers in which the three pagodas are standing harmoniously in a triangle.
Qianxun Tower, a square brick tower with eaves was primarily built in the regime of Quanfengyou of Nanzhao (within year 823 to 859). The tower is exquisitely designed in typical Tang style architecture with a total of 16 floors that standing on a double floor basement. The first floor is 13.45 meter high while the highest floor is built with 3.3 meter thick wall. Anyway, the rest of floors from the second to the fifteenth are constructed in the same way and in similar size.
The two smaller towers were built in the regime of Duan Zhengyan, Duan Zhengxing of Dali (year 1108 to 1172) in a typical architecture design of Song Dynasty. The two pagodas which stand 97 meters away from each other are having similar height of 42.19 meter. Both the eight angled brick pagodas with eaves on a two floor base are 10-floor high. The Buddha statue, lotus, vase and relief are varied on each floor. It is empty with straight wall from the first to the eighth floor with a supporting cross inside it. The base is also in eight angle shape. The last two floors have no space in between.
The Three Pagodas of Chongshen Monastery had been suffered from wind and rain as well as over 30 violent earthquakes throughout the years. As a result, the towers which were built perpendicularly were leaned away from the vertical line over 400 years till now.  According to the historical records, almost all the houses of the Dali ancient city had been collapsed in an earthquake within the reign of Zhengde in Ming Dynasty. However, the Qianxun Tower which was only cracked during the earthquake had been recovered magically ten days later. Moreover, 99% of the local houses were destroyed by the violent earthquake in 1925, but the Qianxun Tower was suffered shook off of the cap roof only. AS a tower which was built on earth base, it was no less than a miracle. Generally, the floors of most Buddha tower are designed in odd number. However for the Three Pagodas of Chongshen Monastery, it is even, thus, it is also another criterion that makes the pagoda to be outstanding throughout the nation.