In 1382, during the fifteenth year of the Hongwu reign, Ming administrators established Dali Prefectural City. General Mu Ying oversaw the construction of a square fortress, raising the South Gate Tower as its primary shield. For six centuries, this structure, known historically as Shuanghe Tower or Chengen Tower, welcomed travelers along the Ancient Tea Horse Road.

The original gate tower and surrounding walls were dismantled by the mid-20th century. In 1984, the local government completed a reconstruction of the tower, following the original Ming architectural plans. In 1998, builders laid new brickwork directly upon the original wall ruins, raising a defensive barrier six to eight meters high and four to twelve meters thick.

The architecture commands the landscape. A massive stone-and-brick gateway platform supports a high arched passageway. Above it, a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof features flying eaves that mimic the wings of the legendary cranes of Dali's founding myth. Elaborate wooden brackets, known as dougong, support the heavy roof, while painted rafters catch the shifting mountain light. On the front facade, the two characters for 'Dali' stand out, their forms adapted from the ink brushstrokes of poet Guo Moruo during his 1961 visit. Behind the tower lies a quiet Buddhist niche. This small sanctuary recalls Dali's ancient identity as a Buddhist Kingdom, where kings frequently abdicated their thrones to live as monks.

Today, the tower serves as the official entrance to the ancient city. At night, modern lights illuminate the structure, casting a golden glow over the stone. Standing on the ramparts, visitors feel the cool wind sweeping down from the Cangshan Mountains to the west. Looking down, the chessboard-style street grid of Fuxing Road stretches north, while the waters of Erhai Lake shimmer to the east, connecting the modern observer to the centuries of merchants, soldiers, and monks who walked this same path.