Mt. Hengshan Scenic Spot

Brief Introduction

Mt. Hengshan is one of the most famous 'Five Sacred Mountains (Wu Yue)' in China. With its main peak located at Hengyang, Hunan province, Mt. Hengshan is also called Nanyue, meaning South Mountain. It is famous not only for its eminent mountain peaks and wonderful mountain scenery, and also for its historical and cultural meanings.

Natural Scenery

Mt. Hengshan is composed of 72 peaks, among which the first mountain peak you will see when climbing is Huiyan Peak. Going further toward the north, you will feast your eyes on all the graceful scenery. Here in Mt. Hengshan, no mountain peaks are without trees. It is green all over. There are various kinds of precious trees and a vast area of primeval forest. Among all these trees here, some are 300 - 400 years old, which still bloom when spring comes. Some trees are even over 1,000 years old. The trees in the primeval forest are bending with lichen growing on the trunks, resembling old men wearing tattered clothes. From the mountain peaks, you can see the grand view of sunrise, the rolling cloud and the oceans of trees. There magnificent views are called 'four oceans' on Mt. Hengshan: ocean of flowers, ocean of trees, ocean of cloud and ocean of snow.

People summarize all the spectacles here as 'the eight marvels in Mt. Hengshan'. They are the height of the Zhurong Peak, the grace of the Sutra Collection Hall, the profundity of Fangguang Temple, the quietness of Mojingtai, the magic of the Shuilian Cave, the antiquity of Dayu Stele, the majesty of the Nanyue Temple and the steepness of Huixian Bridge. Zhurong Peak is the highest mountain peak of this scenic area. Sutra Collection Hall is located deep in the glen and is surrounded by towering trees. The running spring and flying birds make this place very peaceful and leisurely. Huixian Bridge is in fact a bridge on a big stone. It is narrow and dangerous, and few people are brave enough to go over it.

History and Attractions

It is recorded in Chinese history that one day Emperor Shun (circa 2372 BC) toured his northern domain and was so impressed by Mt. Hengshan that he proclaimed it "Bei Yue". In the following ages, many later emperors had come to visit Mt. Hengshan as well, which made a famous national attraction. Xu Xiake (1587-1641), a renowned Chinese traveler living in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), had also paid a visit to the mountain and left behind Hengshan-inspired writings.

Being a bottleneck to Central Hebei Plain, Mt. Hengshan was once a place of strategic importance in the ancient times and was utilized in national defense planning. Plenty of ancient battlefield relics litter the landscape with passes, fortresses, castles and beacon towers. These make Mt. Hengshan unique among the many famed mountains of China.

This scenic area is also a well known and hallowed Buddhist ground. It has abundant temples including nunneries and Taoist temples. The most notable one is Nanyue Damiao, the largest temple in Wuyue. It was originally built in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), but was destroyed by fire. In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), it was renovated imitating the design of the Forbidden City.

Various reputations were gained at this scenic area: a particular religious hallowed ground and a marvelous scenic locale for both summering and touring. Here you can watch blooming flowers in spring, prevent sunstroke in summer, watch sunrises in autumn and enjoy the beautiful prospect of snow in winter. If you are traveling in China or going to travel in China, do not miss the wonderful trip to Mt. Hengshan.

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