Yǒngchéng

Yongcheng lies on the eastern Henan plain, with the Mangdang Hills rising to its north and the Tuo River passing the town. In local tradition the hills sheltered Liu Bang before his rise to found the Han dynasty. Yongcheng was a county under Guide in Yuan times and remained part of the Guide administration under the Ming and Qing. Its Chongfa Temple pagoda, an octagonal brick tower of nine storeys, was built in the late 11th century and long stood above the old town.