Wuxi Hou Mountain Forest Park

Wuxi Hou Mountain Forest Park

Hou Mountain is situated in Zhajiao, about 10 kilometers east of Wuxi City. The mountain stands 125 meters tall, stretches from east to west, and resembles a sleeping dragon. With its winding and undulating terrain, it covers an area of 5.6 square kilometers. According to *The Chronicles of Tai Bo and Meili*, “Hou Mountain is situated west of Dragon Leg, also known as Qiyun Mountain or Gou Mountain.” *Records of the Wu Region* states: “It spans seven li in circumference and rises seventy zhang high (the local gazetteer says thirty zhang). It does not form a peak or ridge but rises abruptly from the flat land.”

Hou Mountain, originally named Hou Mountain and also known as Golden Ox Mountain, has a long cultural and historical background. In the late 12th century BCE during the Shang Dynasty, Taibo, the eldest son of Gugong Danfu (King Tai of Zhou), along with his younger brother Zhongyong, fled south to the land of Jingman and once stayed at Hou Mountain (at Bailishan by Dragon Leg) before later settling in Meili. Hou Mountain belonged to Meili Township continuously until the 34th year of the Guangxu reign in the Qing Dynasty. As such, it is home to relics such as Taibo’s Cave Dwelling, Flying Chair, Qiyun Taoist Temple, One-Pot Spring, Golden Ox Shed, and the Seven Fairies Playing in Water.

During the reign of Emperor Yuan of the Han Dynasty, the three Mao brothers from Shaanxi, who practiced Taoism, collected and prepared medicinal herbs on Hou Mountain to treat local people and were deeply revered by the surrounding communities. Later, they built the Hall of the Three True Lords on the mountain, followed by the construction of the True Martial Hall, Lingxiao Hall, Guanyin Hall, Kṣitigarbha Hall, and Guan Di Hall. Since then, a temple fair has been held annually on the 18th day of the third lunar month, a tradition that continues to this day.

Since 1978, scenic development has been carried out on Hou Mountain. In 1990, the local government invited professors in history, ancient architecture, and economics from several universities to research, evaluate, and design the area. New attractions and restorations included One-Pot Spring Pavilion, Shuyi Pavilion, the Liberation Pond, and Xian Guang Pavilion. In 1992, at the sites of two old temples on Hou Mountain, new and restored Buddhist and Taoist structures were built, including Qiyun Chan Monastery and the True Martial Hall of Sheng’an Palace. At the entrance of the park stands a mountain gate archway with upturned eaves, inscribed with the plaque “Hou Mountain Forest Park” written in bold calligraphy by the renowned Wuxi artist Qian Shao Wu.

On the mountain there is a “Life Pond,” round in shape, surrounded by piled yellow stones, with a carved “Divine Ox” in the center of the water. Beside it is a chi-dragon head. Hou Mountain has an ancient legend: “In ancient times, a filial son worked the land diligently here with a divine ox, earning money to support his mother and to cure her illness. Seven fairies from heaven, riding on auspicious clouds, passed by and played around Hou Mountain, and together they helped resolve the difficulties of the filial son.” Therefore, the Life Pond now features a statue of the Divine Ox and tells this folk tale. An inscription in the pond reads: “The Holy Pond blesses you with safety; the Divine Ox prays for your longevity.”

Above the Life Pond stands the Xian Guang Pavilion, a two-story, square structure with red pillars and double eaves. The ground floor houses the engraved *Liu Fang Ji* (Record of Virtue). Two pillars bear an inscription: “The sacred mountain lasts a thousand years, continuing ancestral records and writing new history; the treasured land remains through endless generations, extolling virtue and singing praises of nobility.” The top floor of the pavilion serves as a tea lounge where visitors can enjoy tea while overlooking the picturesque water town scenery.

Hou Mountain has now been developed into a park, blending cultural landscapes with natural scenery. At the foot of the mountain, tea bushes are lush green, pines and bamboos sway gently, clouds drift like mist, birds sing, and flowers bloom. Below, Ying Shan River is crystal clear like jade. Ascending to Xian Guang Pavilion, one can gaze into the distance and take in the full expanse of the rural Jiangnan landscape.