Fangshan Shangfangshan National Forest Park

Fangshan Shangfangshan National Forest Park

Fangshan Shangfangshan National Forest Park is a national AAA-level tourist attraction, a national forest park, and a patriotic education base.

Shangfangshan Forest Park is located 70 kilometers from Beijing and is known for its spectacular mountains, dense forests, mysterious caves, and ancient temples. The park features not only the famous "Nine Caves and Twelve Peaks" but also seventy-two Buddhist monasteries, with the "Doushuai Temple" as the leading site. It is a scenic area that combines forests, caves, temples, mountains, and rocks. It is home to rare secondary forests seldom seen in North China and dozens of ancient and notable trees. Historically known as the "Mysterious Chamber of Youyan," it enjoys the reputation of "Suzhou and Hangzhou in the south, Shangfang in the north." The park covers an area of over 5,300 acres, abundant with precious trees and rare flowers, including more than a hundred types of medicinal plants. Polygonatum, jujube, and Chinese toon are the three specialties of Shangfangshan, known as the "Three Treasures." There are also ancient trees on the mountain, such as thousand-year-old pines and cypresses. Shangfangshan is a famous religious mountain, with Doushuai Temple at the center of its temples and nunneries, accessible only by climbing the 262-step cliffside stairway known as the Cloud Ladder. The mountain contains nine major caves, the most famous of which is the Yunshui (Cloud Water) Cave. The three characters “云水洞” (Yunshui Cave) at the cave entrance were inscribed by Mr. Zhao Puchu. Inside the cave are 12 peaks, among which the "Pillar of Heaven" is the highest, also called "Star-Picking Mound." The "Jade Pillar Holding Up the Sky" is a 37-meter-high stone stalagmite, the tallest of its kind in China. Other main attractions include Yidou Spring, Wanghai Nunnery, and the Scripture Depository.

Shangfangshan National Forest Park, located in Fangshan District in the southwestern suburbs of Beijing, has been a destination since the Eastern Han Dynasty’s Guangwu era, when monks began building temples and cultivating forests amidst its dense woods, peculiar peaks, deep caves, serene environment, pleasant climate, and fresh air. After more than 1,900 years of history, it has become a unique leisure and exploration spot integrating mountains, forests, caves, temples, and exhibition halls.

The park covers an area of over 5,300 acres, abundant with precious trees and rare flowers, including more than a hundred types of medicinal plants. Polygonatum, jujube, and Chinese toon are the three specialties of Shangfangshan, known as the "Three Treasures." There are also ancient trees on the mountain, such as thousand-year-old pines and cypresses. Shangfangshan is a famous religious mountain, with Doushuai Temple at the center of its temples and nunneries, accessible only by climbing the 262-step cliffside stairway known as the "Cloud Ladder."

The mountain contains nine major caves, the most famous of which is the "Yunshui (Cloud Water) Cave." The three characters “云水洞” (Yunshui Cave) at the cave entrance were inscribed by Mr. Zhao Puchu. Inside the cave are 108 natural landscapes and 12 peaks, each uniquely majestic. The "Pillar of Heaven" is the highest, reaching an elevation of 860 meters, also called "Star-Picking Mound." The "Jade Pillar Holding Up the Sky" is a 37-meter-high columnar stalagmite, the largest of its kind in China. Other main attractions include Yidou Spring, Wanghai Nunnery, and the Scripture Depository.

Address: Beside Shengshuiyu Village, Hancunhe Town, Fangshan District, Beijing

Type: Cave, Geological Landform, Mountain

Recommended Visiting Time: About 2 hours

Phone: 010-61315542

Opening Hours:

Ticketing Hours: 8:00–16:30, park closes before dark.