The Phoenix Tower is bathed in the setting sun. [Photo provided to regional.chinadaily.com.cn/sichuan/guangyuan/]

Step out of Guangyuan Railway Station, strategically nestled at the north entrance of Sichuan province, and a gilded phoenix sculpture in the square comes into view. This mythical bird embodies Wu Zetian, the only female emperor in Chinese history. Guangyuan, her birthplace, shares a profound bond with the empress, boasting numerous relics that echo her legacy.

Legend has it that when Wu was born, a phoenix circled her family's residence before soaring toward East Mountain. Her father, Wu Shihuo, then governor of Lizhou (today's Guangyuan), renamed the mountain Fenghuang (Phoenix) Mountain in commemoration. At its summit stands Phoenix Tower, a 42-meter-tall structure symbolizing Wu's 42 glorious years as emperor. Its 14 floors and phoenix-head spire gazing southward whisper of her longing for her hometown, even after entering the imperial palace at 14. Hailed as "the First Tower of Northern Sichuan", it stands as a landmark of Guangyuan and a vessel of history and culture - where the phoenix returns as the north gate of Sichuan opens wide.