Erqi Memorial Pagoda

When first completed in 1971, the 14-storey Erqi Memorial Pagoda was the tallest in the city of Zhengzhou, the capital of China’s central Henan Province, standing around 206 feet high. It was built as a memorial to the Erqi Strike by railway workers, which occurred on February 7, 1923 and resulted in numerous deaths.

The pagoda is also referred to as the Twin Tower, because it is made up of two identical parts which are connected to each other. A winding staircase inside of the tower also leads to the top floor, where one can get a bird’s-eye view of the city.

Note: The word “Erqi” in Chinese translates as “two-seven”, in reference to the date of the strike (i.e. the seventh day of the second month). It is analogous to the name of Nanchang’s Bayi Square, in reference to the date of the August 1st Uprising of 1927 (a major event during the Chinese Civil War).