The model for crossing street pagodas was ancient China's structures at passes outside the city gates. Thus such pagodas were sometimes called passes. For instance, Yuntai (Cloud Terrace) at Beijing's Juyong Pass was originally the foundation of a pagoda built across a road, but later generations called it Juyong Pass. Another pagoda, built across a street in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, has been called Zhaoguan-Zhao Pass--for hundreds of years. The two characters zhao guan were carved over the front gate of the pagoda.

The construction of street pagodas was a great innovation in the spread of Buddhist teachings. It broke Buddhist dogmas and liberated Buddhists from the ascetic practice of self-cultivation, worship and chanting the scriptures and made things much easier for them. As has been recorded in history, the purpose of building such pagodas was to provide a chance to pay homage to Buddha -- all those who passed through the pagoda were considered as having paid homage to Buddha, because the pagoda, which was above them, represented Buddha himself. Of course such pagodas were a great convenience, for worshipers did not have to go to a temple, burn incense or kowtow to show their respect for Buddha; all they had to do was pass through a street pagoda.

Construction of street and gateway pagodas began in the Yuan Dynasty. Since Lamaism was popular during that period, most such structures were Lamaist dagobas. Among the few still existing today the most famous is the one at Beijing's Juyong Pass. Originally there were three Lamaist dagobas on top of Yuntai at Juyong Pass. A poet of the Yuan Dynasty once wrote, "Three dagobas stand across the thoroughfare; horses and vehicles go under the gateway." The pagoda at Zhenjiang's Mount Yuntai is a typical example of this type. It was erected across the way leading to a ferry dock on the Yangtze River. The lower part is a stone gateway, the upper part a Lamaist dagoba. In front of Fahai Temple in the west suburbs of Beijing once stood a gateway with a Lamaist dagoba on its top. Quite a few gateway pagodas were built at Putuo Temple in Chengde, Hebei Province. Some have a single arched gate; others have three arched gates. The number of pagodas on the gateways also varies --some have one; others have three or five. The Dacheng Pavilion (Pavilion of the Great Vehicle) at Puning Temple in Chengde and the pagoda terraces on the back hill in Beijing's Summer Palace all have gateways built in such style. The purpose was obviously to facilitate passers-by in paying homage to Buddha.