In the Qing Dynasty, four famous Hunan ministers, Zeng Guofan, Zuo Zongtang, Hu Linyi, and Peng Yulin, once traveled to Dongting Lake together, and each of them recited a line of poetry in front of Lingyun Pagoda, forming a poem called Qijue:
< p>Yong Lingyun PagodaThe autumn water in Dongting inkstone ripples, and Junshan is regarded as an ink mill.
The pagoda hangs upside down like flowers, how many lines can the sky write?
Lingyun Tower stands on the Qianqiu River of Wanzi Lake, five kilometers away from Yuanjiang City. When the water recedes, it stands on an island, and when the water rises, it floats in the lake. Looking from a distance, the lake surface reflected by the sun is sparkling with light. Lingyun Tower looks like a hibiscus emerging from the water, standing gracefully on the clear water, smiling to welcome tourists. Looking closely, the tower protrudes into the blue sky, and its shadow is reflected in the rippling blue water of the lake. The beautiful color of the lake is refreshing and pleasing to the eye.
Lingyun Tower was built in Huzhou. The foundation was laid in the winter of 1793 and completed in the spring of 1797. It took more than 200 years. The tower is flooded for several months every spring and autumn, but so far the tower is strong. The entire pagoda is built with granite stones, using 167,000 stones and 4,710 taels of silver. It is still well preserved. There was originally a pair of stone oxen at the main entrance of the pagoda, and the three characters "Lingyun Pagoda" were engraved on the lintel on the first floor. The north gate of the second floor is engraved with the couplet "Stand out with a wave of calligraphy and ink to join the seventh level meeting". From the second floor to the seventh floor, each floor has two windows and four doors in the southeast and northwest. The window panes have various patterns and the window grilles are fresh in style. Each floor is connected by a left and right spiral staircase for visitors to climb up and overlook.