The Feihong Pagoda at Guangsheng Temple is the largest and best-preserved glazed-tile pagoda in China — a 13-storey octagonal tower built in 1515 whose entire outer surface is covered in coloured ceramic figures, ornamental tile-work, and decorative patterns in greens, yellows, and blues. From a distance the effect is almost impossibly festive for a Buddhist structure; up close, the quality of the individual tile figures — dragons, bodhisattvas, animals, narrative scenes — is extraordinary. The pagoda has survived six centuries of weathering in better condition than almost any comparable structure.
The pagoda stands in the Upper Temple of the Guangsheng complex, at the base of Huoyun Mountain, about 40 km northeast of Linfen. The entrance ticket covers both the Upper and Lower Temple, and it is worth spending time in both before focusing on the pagoda itself. The surrounding landscape — dry mountain slopes, eroded terracing, and a reservoir below — is classic Shanxi loess country.