Golden Cover Mountain

Golden Cover Mountain

Golden Cover Mountain is located 7 kilometers south of Huzhou City, with its main peak standing at an elevation of 292.6 meters. According to the *Wucheng County Annals* from the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, “The peak winds around like a royal canopy, hence the name.” It is also called Cloud Nest because “Golden Cover Mountain often has thick clouds; the surrounding peaks are shrouded like walls, but when the sun rises shortly after, the clouds gradually disperse—except over Golden Cover, where they linger the longest.” The mountain is covered in dense woods. To its south lie the ruins of Xiagu City, midway up the mountain stands the ancient Plum Blossom Taoist Temple, and today at the summit there is a villa once owned by the proprietor of Shanghai’s Guanshengyuan and Huzhou’s TV transmission tower.

Golden Cover Mountain has long been a scenic gem in the southern suburbs of Huzhou. It was once said to have “Twenty-eight Scenic Spots of Golden Cover,” among which the most famous include: Clouds Emerging from Golden Cover, Evening Mist over Xiagu, Beauty Spot at Lvtan, Sunny Snow on Plum Island, Night Mooring at Digang, Fishing Hideout at Stream Pavilion, Pine Waves on Zhang Ridge, and Plum Haven in Spring Valley. Over the centuries, literati and poets, drawn by its fame, came here to read, cultivate themselves, or compose poetry. According to *A Brief Record of Golden Cover*, “This place gained prominence since the Six Dynasties, shone brightly in the Song and Yuan periods, and was frequented by eminent scholars and reclusive talents. Figures such as Yan Zhenqing and Su Shi visited for official duties and sightseeing, while others like Wei Zhengjie and Sun Taichu lingered here in retreat.”

Surrounded by green hills and flowing waters, Golden Cover Mountain boasts fresh air and a tranquil environment. The area also features mineral water resources. Together with nearby Daochang Mountain, Bilang Lake, and the British Cemetery, it forms a vast and picturesque landscape.