Wuxiang Mountain Forest Park

Wuxiang Mountain Forest Park

Wuxiang Mountain Forest Park is located 4 kilometers south of Lishui District. The park originally encompassed around 20,000 acres of mountain and water resources from the Pingshan Branch and Qiuhu Forest Farm of the county forestry farm. In October 1992, it was officially established as Wuxiang Mountain Forest Park with approval from the Municipal Agriculture and Forestry Bureau. The park lies on hilly terrain, with an average elevation of about 100 meters, and its main peak, Wuxiang Mountain, reaches a maximum elevation of 210 meters. There are over ten ponds and dams in the park, including the Wuxiang Temple Reservoir, Women’s Reservoir, Banshan Reservoir, Shengcun Reservoir, Maojiashan Reservoir, Tianchi (Heavenly Lake), and Xisha Pond.

Wuxiang Mountain Forest Park boasts beautiful scenery and rich cultural heritage, the most famous of which is the ancient site of Wuxiang Temple located in the valley at the southern foot of the mountain. “The mountain is named after the temple, and the temple nestles within the mountain, creating a truly unique landscape.” The temple was first built in the mid-Six Dynasties period and was rebuilt and expanded during the Tang, Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties, gradually growing in scale. Hence, the “Wuxiang Temple” scenic spot became quite renowned. Around the temple are also historical sites such as the military camp of Du Fuwei, a peasant rebellion leader from the end of the Sui Dynasty, the stone stupa of Zen Master Zhen from the Song Dynasty, the Stone Guanyin Cave, the Zhao Yun Pavilion from the Yuan Dynasty, inscriptions by Wang Congshan, the magistrate of Lishui in the Ming Dynasty, including “Phoenix Spring,” “Cinnabar Tripod,” and “Stained Vessel Inscription,” as well as the Stone Guanyin Pavilion, Huan Cui Pavilion, and Phoenix Spring Pavilion.

On the mountainside lies a clear pool known as “Tianchi” (Heavenly Lake). At the southern foot of the mountain is the Wuxiang Temple Reservoir, which winds around the mountain with twists and turns, maintaining its natural water quality—crystal clear and serene. Since ancient times, this area has attracted many literati and scholars, leaving behind poetic masterpieces such as “Poem to the Temple Monk” and “Man Ting Fang · Summer at Wuxiang Mountain in Lishui.”

Wuxiang Mountain Forest Park includes more than ten peaks and scenic forest areas such as Wuxiang Mountain, Ping’an Mountain, Dinggong Mountain, Shitou Mountain, Baihu Mountain, Qiuhu Mountain, and Mantou Mountain. The area features rolling hills, lush forests, layered peaks, and valleys surrounded by mountains where trees block out the sunlight, creating an elegant and tranquil atmosphere. In recent years, through government investment and funding efforts, Wuxiang Mountain Forest Park has developed attractions such as the Wuxiang Temple branch, holiday resorts, leisure centers, and fishing centers. It has gradually become the largest suburban recreational destination near Nanjing, and the most suitable place for urban residents to relax and vacation.