On top of the pagoda is a calabash-shaped structure with an iron plate over it, popularly known as "a treasure bottle". The spire, known as "cha", is 8 meters tall and weighs over 10 tons. In China, ancient wood-and-brick pagodas usually had a "cha" or spires. On each corner of the "cha" is an iron chain -- four in all -- connecting the four corners of the pagoda to keep the "cha " in position; they are called the "wind-resistant chains".

Some may ask why the pagoda seems to be separated from the temple. In ancient times, when Buddhism was very popular in China, the pagoda was the main structure located in the middle of the temple compound. Later, when more halls were built to enshrine Buddhist statues and Buddhists came to worship at the shrines, the halls and the pagoda were considered of equal significance. The pagoda was usually located in front of the halls. By the Tang Dynasty (618-907) the halls gradually became the main building of a temple and the pagoda was located beside the main hall or enclosed in a separate courtyard. Longhua Temple mainly enshrines Buddha statues, with the pagoda attached to it.

 Longhua Temple legend

According to Buddhist scriptures, Budhisattva Maitreya, a disciple of Buddhist Sakyamuni, will practice Buddhism in Tusita Heaven for 4,000 years, or 584 million years on earth (one day in heaven is equal to 400 years on earth). After the full term, Maitreya will be reincarnated to succeed Sakyamuni and become a Buddhist under the Longhua tree (where the name of the temple was derived).

According to folklore, the temple was specially built by Sun Quan, King of the Wu State during the Three Kingdoms Period, for his mother's visits. After Sun Quan's father died, his mother was so brokenhearted that she stayed in her room all day weeping. Sun Quan was very worried. One day, when Sun Quan went to see his mother in her palace, which was located on Beigu Hill (present-day Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province) by the river, overseeing a vast and beautiful panorama, he noticed the Yangtze River glittering under the setting sun. Sun Quan was so enchanted by the spectacular view that he convinced his mother to go sightseeing instead of staying alone in the palace all the time? Together, mother and son sailed towards the mouth of the Yangtze River.

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