This pagoda was originally built within the the Da Ci'en temple grounds in about 652 by the Emperor Gao Zong. The temple was built in 647 to honor his mother. The pagoda has been destroyed and rebuilt many times since, with the basic structure that is still there being done in the Quing dynasty, based on Ming designs.

The pagoda was originally built to house Buddhist scriptures brought back from India by Xuan Zang, a monk. He then translated the Buddhist scriptures into 1,335 Chinese volumes

The Da Ci'en temple and Pagoda are considered the best preserved Buddhist structures in China at this time.

The Pagoda is 65 meters high, with a base 25 meters square. The door and window arches are intricately carved with Buddhist scenes. It has 7 stories, having grown and shrunk during its various reincarnations.