Yuntai Mountain National Forest Park

Yuntai Mountain National Forest Park

Yuntai Mountain National Forest Park is a national-level forest park.

Lianyungang Yuntai Mountain National Forest Park is located in the eastern port area of Lianyungang City, bordered by the Yellow Sea on three sides, with a total area of 2,000 hectares. Formerly known as Cangwu Mountain, Lianyungang Yuntai Mountain was once three large islands in the sea in ancient times, and it did not connect to the mainland until the 50th year of the Kangxi reign in the Qing Dynasty (1711 AD). The great Song Dynasty literary master Su Dongpo wrote in his poem: “The lush Cangwu Mountain rises from the sea, where Penglai and Fangzhang may or may not exist; it has long been said that all plants here are celestial herbs, making one want to abandon wife and children to guard this earthly paradise.” The Haizhou Annals of the Ming Dynasty's Jiajing era recorded that in ancient times, Yuntai Mountain was “secluded, elegant, and uniquely beautiful, often crowned with clouds; dense forests and tall bamboo thrived in vibrant greenery.” Yuntai Mountain National Forest Park consists of five major mountain ranges — Dawei Jian Mountain, Huangwo Mountain, Sucheng Mountain, Xugou South Mountain, and Yingyou Mountain — and over 80 peaks. Dawei Jian Peak, at an elevation of 605 meters, is the second highest peak in Lianyungang (with Huaguoshan’s Jade Maiden Peak at 625.3 meters being the highest in Jiangsu Province).

Yuntai Mountain rises abruptly from sea level, connecting mountain and sea with overlapping clouds, presenting a magical and spectacular sight. The mountain features steep cliffs, deep valleys, murmuring streams, and diverse natural landscapes along with rich forest vegetation. Sucheng is said to have been named after Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin, who built a city there overnight during his eastward military campaign. From the Eastern Han Dynasty to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, this area was a sacred Buddhist site. In the early years of the Long’an era during the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Tao Yuanming came here and, with Sucheng as the backdrop, wrote “The Peach Blossom Spring.” During the Tang and Song Dynasties, it was a settlement area for people from Silla (present-day Korea). Emperor Daoguang of the Qing Dynasty proclaimed with his own royal decree that Sucheng was the “Land of Peach Blossoms.”

Here, mountains encircle the area like a city on three sides, while one side opens to the sea like a gate. The scenery varies with each season. In spring, rare flowers and auspicious grasses emerge; in autumn, the forests are dyed in layers of color. To the left, clear torrents sparkle brilliantly; to the right, groves of tall bamboo and dense woods thrive. Mountain mist shimmers in verdant hues, ancient trees stand lush and towering, waters are clear and tranquil, and birds sing amid fragrant flowers. In 1986, a provincial-level nature reserve was established here, protecting precious tree species such as catalpa, red nanmu, and Nanjing linden. Located within the reserve is Wuzhen Hermitage, originally built during the Ming Dynasty, renamed Sanjiao Temple in the Yuan Dynasty, and now retaining intact wall foundations — it is in urgent need of restoration. In front of the hermitage stand two thousand-year-old ginkgo trees, with trunk circumferences of 5 meters and 4.5 meters respectively, and more than 20 and 30 root-sprouted saplings at their bases, presenting the rare spectacle of “four generations under one roof.” Yuntai Mountain also boasts attractions such as Lvshan Reservoir and the Flying Stone.

Yingyou Mountain, also known as East-West Lian Island, is about 6 kilometers long from east to west and 0.9 kilometers wide from north to south, boasting unique island characteristics. It combines numerous natural and cultural landscapes including mountains, sea, forests, rocks, beaches, temples, and fishing villages. The rocks of Lian Island feature the most striking examples of marine erosion landforms, with over 20 unique sights such as the Three Buddhas Ancient Cave, the Sea Pagoda, the Goat Watching the Sea, the Dinosaur Probing the Sea, the Stone Tide and Spray, the Dragon’s Back Palace, the Turtle Stone, the Lion, and the Crouching Tiger, making it a veritable “natural coastal sculpture park.” Zhenhai Temple, built in the 49th year of the Kangxi reign (1710 AD), is a famous seaside monastery. The island now hosts a seaside entertainment city, the Dalu Kou Seaside Bathing Beach, and the Suma Wan Seaside Bathing Beach, making it one of the best coastal tourist resorts in Jiangsu.

Source: Jiangsu Provincial Forestry Bureau