Mt. Lushan Overview & Map Weather Transportation Information
Mt. Lushan is located in the northern part of Jiangxi Province, to the south of the Yangtze River and northwest of the Lake Poyanghu. According to records, it has a history of more than 2,000 years. The scenic area, covering 302 square kilometers, has 16 natural wonders, 474 scenic spots and 171 peaks, of which the highest peak, the Dahanyang Peak, is 1,474 meters above sea level. Mt. Lushan was elected to the "World Heritage List" in 1996. Owing to its congenial climate, it is also a popular summer resort in China
What to visit
Natural beauty
The combination of the waters of the Yangtze River and Lake Poyanghu, the precipitous peaks of the mountain, its peaceful valleys, its grotesque rocks, its rare and ancient trees, its waterfalls, and its many ponds and pools provides a majesty that is heightened by the colors, shapes, and reflections that change from one time of day to the next and from one season to the next.
It owes its reputation to its wonderful, elegant, steep and spectacular features that embrace ravines, waterfalls, grottoes, rocks and rivulets. There are 12 main scenic areas, together with 37 attractions, over 900 cliff inscriptions, and over 300 steles. The major spots include Wulao Feng, Sandie Spring, Lulin Lake, Flower Path, Ruqin Lake, Jinxiu Valley, Xianren Dong and Donglin Temple, etc.
Wulao Peak
Wulao Peak, 1,436 meters (about 4,711feet) above sea level, is located in the southeast of Lushan. Its five parallel peaks once formed a single apex and standing on the top you will be rewarded with a magnificent view of the distant mountains, trees, lakes, and a seemingly endless sky.
Sandie Spring lies below Wulao Peak. It drops through three craggy tiers with a fall of 155 meters (about 509 feet). The upper part is like snow falling down to the pond; the middle reach wanders and twists with splashing sprays dancing in the air; while the lower level resembles a jade dragon running in the pond. This is considered to be the best of the Lushan waterfalls. It is said that you are not a true visitor here if you miss Sandie Spring. However, it was not discovered until the Southern Song Dynasty (1127 - 1279) due to its hidden position in a deep gully.
Gu Ridge
Gu Ridge, located in the center of Lushan, is 1,164 meters (about 3,819 feet) above sea level with mountains on three sides and the valley on the other. The original name of Gu Ridge was Guniu Ridge, as it looks like a bull. Gu Ridge Street is 1,167 meters (about 3,829 feet) long and it has a variety of shops, hotels, restaurants, bookshops, bars, coffee houses and dance halls that together form a town high in the sky. The Center Park in Gu Ridge was built in 1954. After several reconstructions it now covers 10,000 square meters (about 11,960 square yards). In the park there is a large half moon shaped parterre in which stands a great stone bull that is the symbol of Gu Ridge. He is two meters (about seven feet) in height and four meters (about 13 feet) in length. The base of the bull bears character "Gu Ridge." Meandering pathways, fragrant flowers, flourishing trees and a pavilion all add to lively atmosphere of this delightful place.
Historic relics
Mt. Lushan abounds in historic and cultural relics. The great historian of the Han Dynasty (206 B.C. - 220 A.D.), Sima Qian, once climbed Mt. Lushan, and wrote about it in his classic "The Records of the Great Historian." Some two hundred historic buildings are scattered over the Lushan National Park.
White Deer Cave Academy
The White Deer Cave Academy (Bailudong Shuyuan) at the foot of Wulao Peak was established in 940 but fell into disuse; it was revived towards the end of the Song Dynasty (late 12th century) by Zhu Xi, who made it a renowned centre for academic research. It attracted many additional structures up to the 19th century and is a Complex of temples, study halls, and libraries. White Deer Cave Academy was the most famous of the four biggest academies in ancient China, and enjoys high prestige in the Chinese history of education.
Donglin Temple (East Grove Temple)
The Donglin Temple (East Grove Temple), built by eminent monks in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, was the birthplace of the Jintu (Pure Earth) Sect of Buddhism. More than 1,500 noted figures in history visited this Mountain, leaving behind some 4,000 pieces of verse and over 900 inscriptions on the cliffs, as well as other writings, prints and calligraphic works. There are about 600 villas here, with the styles of 18 nations and cultures.
East Grove Temple
The most celebrated is the East Grove Temple complex at the foot of Xianglu Peak, to the west of Lushan. Begun in 386, this ensemble was added to progressively over the centuries. The group of prayer halls is important for the study of Buddhism in China and relationships between China and Japan. It is considered to be the earliest garden temple in China.
Guan Ying Bridge
Other important structures are the stone single-span Guan Ying Bridge of 1015, with its seven parallel arches, the tomb of Jin Dynasty poet Tao Qian (427), the massive granite revetment on Lake Poyanghu known as the Zi Yang Bank (1102), a group of ornate imperial pavilions of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) and the remarkable Tower of Chan Master Gong Qian, consisting of tablet pavilion, scripture pillar, and stone tower in a single structure (1618).
Cultural Heritage
According to legend, Dayu (the Great Yu), who conquered devastating floods in primeval times, visited Mt. Lushan. Qin Shihuang, the First Emperor of Qin (221 B.C. - 206 B.C.) also visited the mountain when he toured the south. Poets and scholars of every dynasty were attracted to Mt. Lushan and inspired to compose numerous works. Among them were Tao Qian of the Jin Dynasty (1115 - 1234), Li Bai and Bai Juyi of the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907), Su Shi, Zhou Dunyi, Zhu Xi and Li Shizhen of the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279), and Xu Xiake of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644).
Natural Heritage
Ice-klin of Lulin - quaternary glacial remains
Mt. Lushan features geological structures of every period except the Triassic Period. It has unique evidence of glaciation during the Quaternary Period and is the birthplace of China's glaciological theory.
Though complicated, the geological structure can be clearly traced. Mt. Lushan is a Fault Mountain formed in the Quaternary Period. When it rose, the surrounding land sank, and the Poyang Basin eventually developed into the Lake Poyanghu. The many grotesque rocks, towering peaks and cascading waterfalls constitute a spectacular Mountain landscape. With frequent fog and mist, Mt. Lushan has cool summers. It also has typical flora and fauna.
Flora
Lushan has an abundance of flora. There are about 1,720 varieties, including plants of temperate zone, torrid zone, semitropics, East Asia, North America and China. Lushan belongs to subtropical area where the climate is moderate with ample rainfall. The average temperature in July is only 22.6C (about 72.7F). The Lushan Arboretum was built in 1934, and it is an important base for preserving flora of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. It is a good summer resort.
Villas
The modern villas are quite a sight on Mt. Lushan. Each villa is an individual building complex with unique style and structure, including styles of Rome- and Gothic- churches, Japanese building and Islamic Mosque. The architects tended to build the villas in shady places, and pursued a natural and casual style. It is this style that enables the villas to be well integrated with the natural scenery. The modern villas on Mt. Lushan, mostly one or two-storeyed, though in clusters, are less densely located and decorated with trees all around, which is a pleasing picture to the eye. The villa complex is simple and natural in style. Each is like a distinctive geometric figure. You could hardly find two villas that resemble each other.
The all-embracing spirit of Lushan means that it has various styles of architecture ranging from Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals to Byzantine structures, Japanese buildings, Islamic mosques and villas of 25 countries, all of which make Lushan a large-scale World Village.
Religious center
Five different religions have been observed in Lushan over the past 1,600 years. The monk Hui Yuan (334 - 416) of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317 - 420) established Donglin Temple in Lushan, which is the Pure-land Sect of Buddhism. In the 5th century, Lu Xiujing, a Taoist of the Southern Dynasties (420 - 589) initiated Nantianshi Sect of Taoism. During the Ming (1368 - 1644) and Qing (1644 - 1911) dynasties, Islam and Christianity became established here. In the early part of the 20th century, churches of 20 more counties were constructed in the area which still has temples and churches of the five religions (sects).
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Nanwan Monkey Island
Summer Palace
Norbulingka Park
Tiger Hill
Yuantouzhu
Humble Administrator's Garden
West Hill
Diecai Hill
Fubo Hill
Elephant Trunk Hill
Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone
Liuyuan Garden
Jinshan Temple
Qingming Riverside Landscape Garden
Tianyi Pavilion
Eling Park
Long Island
Seven Star Park
Yuelu Academy
Moon Hill
Luhuitou Park
Xinglong Tropical Botanical Garden
Beijing Zoo
Fragrant Hill
Jinshitan Scenic Area
Chongqing Zoo
Wangjiang Park
Wenshuyuan
Beihai Park
Old Summer Palace
Siberia Tiger Park
Turtle Garden
Yuquan Park
Liyuan Garden
Panmen Gate
Yuyuan Garden
Big Banyan Tree
Grand View Tower
Merryland World
Master-of-Nets Garden
Heyuan Garden
Grand View Garden
White Pagoda Mountain Park
Waterwheel Park
Sun Island Park
Wenfeng Park
Green Lake Park
Jade Buddha Park
Qianling Park
