Located on the west city wall, the Yueyang Tower is one of the three famous towers in South China. The predecessor of Yueyang Tower was a structure built in the Three Kingdoms period (220 -280 AD) for reviewing military parades. In the fifth year of the Emperor Qingli of the Song Dynasty, it was rebuilt, and the famous Song Dynasty essay writer Fan Zhongyan wrote his famous essay Notes on Yueyang Tower, which was considered matchless in literary beauty and profound thought. The lines in the essay of be concerned before anyone else becomes concerned; enjoy yourself only after everyone else finds enjoyment, has become household words in China.

Yueyang Tower is a three-story wooden structure supported by four pillars. It is nineteen meters tall and has upturned eaves and a helmet shaped roof. The structure is a unique combination of artistic tastes, mechanics, architecture, and craftsmanship. The Tower affords a spectacular view of Dongting Lake.