Qixia Mountain

Qixia Mountain

Qixia Mountain is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and a national forest park.

Qixia Mountain, located 22 kilometers northeast of Nanjing city proper outside Taiping Gate and adjacent to the Yangtze River, features undulating green peaks and is part of the Ningzhen Mountain Range. The mountain generally runs from east to west and consists of several hills, which are divided into three sections from south to north: the southernmost is Jingzhi Ridge; the middle section is Thousand Buddha Cliff; and the northern part includes Heishidang, Pingshan Head, and Sanmao Peak. Among them, Sanmao Peak is the highest, also known as Fengxiang Peak, and is the main peak of Qixia Mountain, with an elevation of 286 meters. It stands majestically above the surrounding peaks. The northeastern slope of Fengxiang Peak is shaped like a reclining dragon and is called Dragon Hill; the southwestern slope resembles a crouching tiger and is named Tiger Hill.

After Emperor Qin Shi Huang unified China, he made multiple inspection tours and passed through Jiangcheng County, where Qixia Mountain is located. The founder of Qixia Temple, Ming Sengshao, a member of a prominent family from the Southern Qi Dynasty, lived in seclusion on She Mountain and was closely associated with the monk Fadu. After Ming Sengshao’s death, his son Ming Zhongzhang, who served as the magistrate of Linyi County, commissioned the carving of the Amitayus Buddha on the stone cliffs of Qixia Mountain. Many nobles from the Qi and Liang dynasties followed suit, commissioning the carving of Buddha statues in grottoes. In the late Southern Dynasties, Emperor Chen Shubao visited Qixia accompanied by Jiang Zong, the Minister over the Masses. The fifth time Japanese monk Jianzhen attempted to sail to Japan during the Tang Dynasty, he failed and stopped at Qixia Temple on his way back. Gao Yue and Lin Renzhao, high-ranking officials and poets of the Southern Tang Dynasty, oversaw the construction of the Qixia Mountain Sarira Pagoda. The Xu brothers, Xu Xuan and Xu Kai, inscribed their calligraphy in the "spiral seal script" style on the Thousand Buddha Cliff. Emperor Qianlong stayed at Qixia Mountain five times, greatly enhancing its fame. Upon learning that Zongyong was rebuilding Qixia Temple, Dr. Sun Yat-sen was the first to donate 10,000 silver dollars. After the founding of the Republic of China, Chiang Kai-shek, Lin Sen, Feng Yuxiang, and others all visited Qixia Mountain.

Qixia Mountain is located 22 kilometers northeast of Nanjing city proper and is also known as She Mountain. During the Southern Dynasties, a “Qixia Hermitage” was built in the mountain, from which it got its name. The mountain has three peaks, with the main peak, Sanmao Peak, rising 286 meters above sea level, standing majestically and also known as Fengxiang Peak. To the northeast is a hill shaped like a reclining dragon, called Dragon Hill; to the northwest is a hill resembling a crouching tiger, named Tiger Hill. The western side of the mountain is called Maple Ridge, covered with dense maple trees. In late autumn, when the mountains are covered in red, the scenery is particularly enchanting and is the main attraction of Qixia Mountain. In addition, Qixia Mountain boasts many historical sites, scenic spots, and peculiar rocks, making it a well-known tourist destination far and wide.

The first scenic spot in the Qixia Mountain Scenic Area in Nanjing is Mingjing Lake, located to the west of the Qixia Temple entrance. Covering an area of about 3,000 square meters, it was built during the Qing Qianlong period. There is a pavilion in the center of the lake, connected to the shore by a zigzag bridge. The delicate design has earned the site the name Rainbow Mirror. To the east is Crescent Pond, followed by the entrance to Qixia Temple.

Qixia Temple is situated on the western foothills of the central peak of Qixia Mountain. In the first year of the Yongming era of the Southern Qi Dynasty (483 AD), the hermit Ming Sengshao donated his residence to establish the temple, originally called “Qixia Hermitage,” which later became the birthplace of the Sanlun School of Buddhism in southern China. During the Tang Dynasty, it was called Gongde Temple, with over 40 additional halls built, making it quite large in scale. It was ranked among the Four Great Monasteries of China, alongside Lingyan Temple in Changqing, Shandong, Yuquan Temple in Jing Mountain, Hubei, and Guoqing Temple in Tiantai, Zhejiang. It was destroyed by fire during the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty. It was rebuilt in the 34th year of the Guangxu era (1908) and currently features major structures such as the mountain gate, Heavenly King Hall, Pilu Hall, Shecui Tower, and Scripture Depository. It is the largest temple in the Nanjing area.

Qixia Mountain also boasts several natural wonders that are quite fascinating. For example, on the southern slope of Pingshan Head to the northeast of Qixia Temple, there is a piece of bluish-gray rock with a wavy surface, known as “Dielang Rock,” which is very rare. Other natural wonders include “Qingfeng Sword,” “Tiankai Rock,” and “One-Line Sky,” all masterpieces of nature. On the southwestern foothills of Fengxiang Peak lies the famous Thousand Buddha Cliff. In the seventh year of the Yongming era of the Southern Qi Dynasty (489 AD), the son of Ming Sengshao and Master Zhidu collaborated to carve three sacred statues in honor of Ming Sengshao. In the sixth year of the Datong era of the Liang Dynasty (540 AD), a Buddha’s halo appeared above the shrine of the Three Sacred Statues, startling the nobility of the Qi and Liang dynasties, prompting many to come and carve Buddha statues. The rock face behind Qixia Temple is inscribed with the six characters “Thousand Buddha Cliff, Qixia Mountain.” The Thousand Buddha Cliff is divided into five levels, clearly delineated. The larger shrines span several zhang (a traditional Chinese unit of length), while the smaller ones, viewed from afar, resemble pigeon coops. There are a total of 294 shrines and 515 cliff carvings, collectively referred to as the “Thousand Buddhas.”

Qixia Mountain is famous throughout the Jiangnan region not only for having Qixia Temple, the Southern Dynasties’ Thousand Buddha Cliff stone carvings, and the Sui Dynasty Sarira Pagoda, but also because of its deep forests, clear springs, and rugged rocks, offering breathtaking scenery and earning the title “The Most Scenic Mountain in Jinling.” In late autumn, Qixia is ablaze with red leaves, coloring the forests layer upon layer. Nanjing residents especially enjoy family outings here, and there is a local saying: “Visit Niushou in spring, and Qixia in autumn.”

Address: No. 88 Qixia Street, Qixia District, Nanjing (near Qixia Avenue)

Type: Mountain, Historical Site, Temple

Rating: AAAA

Recommended Visiting Time: 2–3 hours

Phone: 025-85768152

Official Website: http://www.njqxs.net/

Social Media Accounts:

Opening Hours:

Monday–Sunday, 7:00–17:00

Ticket Information:

Ticket Price: 25 RMB per person (off-season); prices are raised during the Autumn Red Leaf Festival, with tickets costing 40 RMB per person (peak season). Children between 1.3 m and 1.5 m, students, and seniors aged 60–69 receive a 50% discount with valid ID. Children under 1.3 m and seniors over 70 are admitted free of charge with valid ID.