A structure of brick and clay should not move with the lightness of a rainbow, yet for five centuries, the Feihong Pagoda has done just that. Its name means “Flying Rainbow,” a reference to the iridescent sheen of its glazed tile exterior. Completed in 1527 and clad in its brilliant ceramic skin nearly a century later, the tower rises over 47 meters in thirteen octagonal tiers. Each level is a universe of intricate detail, with fired-clay sculptures of Buddhist figures, celestial guardians, and mythical animals looking out from under the eaves. The pagoda is a library of forms, showcasing the masterful firing techniques of Ming Dynasty artisans from Shanxi.

This structure is also a quiet survivor. It has endured powerful earthquakes, including a major tremor in 1695, partly because of an ingenious internal design. A narrow, spiraling staircase acts as a shock-absorbing spine, giving the massive tower an inner flexibility. For a time, the pagoda also sheltered one of the great treasures of Chinese Buddhism: the “Zhao Cheng Jin Zang,” a rare woodblock-printed collection of scriptures from the Song Dynasty. Today, the pagoda has found a new life in popular culture, appearing in video games that draw thousands of new visitors. The Flying Rainbow, once a bridge to a celestial realm, now connects ancient craftsmanship to a digital world, asking us to see how a monument’s meaning can be both constant and ever-changing.