Mt. Yuelu

Mt. Yuelu is one of the 72 peaks of hengshan Mountain. It is one of the four sacred places to have maple-watching in autumn.Mt. Yuelu, which means the foot of Mt. Hengshan (Southern Mountain), is located on the west bank of Xiangjiang River and lies in the west of Changsha City. It's a highly reputable scenic area in Hunan Province, an area that enables you to have a much clearer understanding of Changsha City once you have paid a visit to Mt. Yuelu.

 

Mt. Yuelu is noted for its picturesque scenery. The towering trees that provide dense shade emerge through heavily planted foliage around the mountains and provide an instant sense of refreshment and vitality to the environment. Besides the natural scenery, Yuelu Mountain abounds with cultural landscape as well. Many literati, ideologists, and hierarchy once visited here and left their tracks. The coexistence of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism is the most unique culture in this mountain. The representative tourism spots are the Yuelu Academy, the Lushan Temple, the Aiwan Pavilion and the Orange Island Park.

Yuelu Academy

One of the four famous academies in ancient China, the Yuelu Academy lies at the foot of Yuelu Mountain on the campus of Hunan University. The academy integrates three major functions: giving lectures, collecting books and holding memorial ceremonies. As an important national library and academic center, the Yuelu Academy embraces some historical sites, such as Wenchang Pavilion, Library of Imperial Books and Xiangshui Sutra Proofreading Hall.

The academy has witnessed more than a thousand years of history and is the only one of the ancient Chinese academies of Classical Learning to have evolved into a modern institution of higher learning. The historical transformation from Yuelu Academy to Hunan University can be seen as the epitome of the development of China's higher education, a change which mirrors the vicissitudes of education system in mainland China. As a part of Hunan University, today the academy is a center of publication and research of the ancient Chinese language, and is one of the most important academic and cultural centers in China.

Lushan Temple

The earliest Buddhist temple in Changsha, the Lushan Temple stands half way of Yulu Mountain. It is known as the "oldest historical site of the Han and Wei dynasties, and the first site for holding Buddhist rites". In front of the Guanyin Pavilion in the temple stand two podocarpuses, knows as the "Podocarpus Pass". Spring water flows out from the rock cracks encircled by ancient trees. the spring never goes dry in winter and summer, and it is named “White Crane Spring”.

 

Aiwan Pavilion

Originally known as "Red Leave Pavilion", Aiwan Pavilion is one a small slope of Qingfeng Gorge. With double eaves and eight pillars, this square pavilion is surrounded by maple trees. In spring, Aiwan Pavilion is tucked away in green trees; in summer, it is cool with breezes; and in autumn, it is encircled by red maple leaves. On the pavilion, there is a horizontal inscribed board with an inscription by Mao Zedong, reading "Aiwan Pavilion".

Orange Island Park

A long and narrow island in the Xiangjiang River, the Orange Island Park is the place where the ancient people appreciated "Snow by River at Dusk" – one of the eight scenic spots "Eight Grand Sights in Hunan". Since ancient times, Orange Island has been known as the producer of high-quality oranges. The main tourist attractions in the park include the Poem Tablet, ode to Oranges Pavilion and a square of sculptures named "Who Dominates the Rise and Fall".

Ingeneral, the mountain is an excellent education base for patriotism. So many revolutionists, patriots and great people with high ideals like Huang Xing, Cai E and Jiang Yiwu, who were dedicated to the democratic revolution of the old type, were buried here. And the monuments, graves and cemeteries built for those martyrs make a solemn and stirring scene on the mountain. The permanent charm of Mt. Yuelu remains for all to witness, as no matter what the season it appears to exude natural beauty whilst still remaining a highly valued cultural site. Of couse,it's  a highlight of Changsha City.

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