Symbol of the Summer Palace, the Tower of Buddhist Incense (佛香阁Fo Xiang Ge) is an elaborate work of Chinese classical architecture. Located on a hill in the center of the Summer Palace with buildings distributed symmetrically around its base, the tower is of a 40 meters height (131 feet), three-storied with 8 facades and quadruple-layered eaves, the whole supported by 8 pillars of lignum vitae wood: one of the most complicated structure ever realized.

Noteworthy building in the vicinity of the Tower of Buddhist Incense is the Precious Cloud Pavilion (宝云阁Bao Yun Ge) located to the west of the tower. In order to enjoy a panoramic view of the area, travelers are invited to climb up to the tower.

As an Imperial worshipping tower, it enshrines a Buddha made in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and called "the Buddha with One Thousand Hands and Eyes". Elegant and dignified, the statue is 5 meters high (16 feet) with 12 heads and 24 arms. Empress Dowager Cixi used to burn incense and pray in the tower on the 1^st and 15^th days of every lunar month.