Youzishan Leisure Tourism Area

Youzishan Leisure Tourism Area

Youzishan Leisure Tourism Area is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and a national forest park.

Youzishan

“The scenery here is so beautiful, yet I am but a stranger in a foreign land.” Over 2,000 years ago, Confucius climbed Youzishan and was struck by the lush green mountains, clear waters, and picturesque lakes and hills. Yet, the scars left by the conflicts between the Wu and Chu states were still visible everywhere, which moved him deeply and stirred a longing to return home. Feeling like a wanderer adrift at the ends of the earth, unable to offer wise counsel to his sovereign or effectively care for the people, he felt it was time to go back to his homeland to live out his remaining years in peace. Years later, Confucius passed away in melancholy in Qufu. To commemorate this sage, later generations named the mountain Youzishan.

Youzishan is a “sacred site of the Three Teachings,” encompassing Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. Not only did Confucius visit Youzishan, but it is also said that Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, Dizang Wang, was drawn by the scenery when he crossed the sea to China to spread Buddhist teachings and once came here to relax and sightsee. Local folklore in Gaochun holds that Dizang Wang’s first stop in China was Youzishan. During the Qing Dynasty, Taoist disciples, impressed by the area’s tranquility, uniqueness, and beauty — with fertile farmland below and verdant pines and bamboos above — built a Taoist temple, Xuanwu Temple, atop Youzishan.

Youzishan is the highest peak in Gaochun, a county under Nanjing, standing 188 meters above sea level. Majestic and graceful, the mountain is covered with lush, uniquely shaped pines, often described as “the most spectacular sight in Laizhu.”

On the 15th day of the first lunar month every year, locals in Gaochun visit Youzishan in a tradition called “shedding misfortune,” which means to drive away bad luck. This shows that Youzishan is regarded as a sacred mountain by the people of Gaochun.

Youzishan remains a pristine, undeveloped gem. Although the southern foothills of Youzishan already host the grand Zhenshu Zen Temple, which houses a 21-meter-tall “No. 1 Stone Buddha in East China,” as well as the fully equipped Youzishan Villa offering leisure, vacation, and entertainment services, and an old-style architectural street nearing completion, many attractions remain to be developed. These include the construction of a Confucius Lookout, the reconstruction of Xuanwu Temple, the expansion of the Martyrs’ Cemetery, the renovation of the late Qing Dynasty scholar Wang Jiabin’s tomb, and cultural landscapes integrated with agricultural development in the foothills. It can be said that the development and construction of Youzishan still has a long way to go.

Youzishan remains a pristine, undeveloped gem. Although the southern foothills of Youzishan already host the grand Zhenshu Zen Temple, which houses a 21-meter-tall “No. 1 Stone Buddha in East China,” as well as the fully equipped Youzishan Villa offering leisure, vacation, and entertainment services, and an old-style architectural street nearing completion, it still has many attractions yet to be developed. These include the construction of a Confucius Lookout, the reconstruction of Xuanwu Temple, the expansion of the Martyrs’ Cemetery, the renovation of the late Qing Dynasty scholar Wang Jiabin’s tomb, and cultural landscapes integrated with agricultural development in the foothills. It can be said that the development and construction of Youzishan still has a long way to go.

In recent years, with the launch of the Gaochun Crab Festival and the Gaochun Folk Culture Festival, Youzishan has increasingly become a popular destination for travel and vacation. Here, you can sample local specialties such as crabs, dried tofu, and early bamboo shoots, as well as enjoy traditional Gaochun performances like stilts walking, the Big Horse Lantern show, and the Wu Chang dance. If you get tired from walking, you can also try locally grown green tea by the roadside. Take a sip, and its refreshing aroma will invigorate your spirit, soothe your eyes, and instantly relieve fatigue, making you feel right at home.