Tongshan Rock

Tongshan Rock

On the flat land north of Yiting Town, about 15 kilometers from downtown Yiwu, there rises a cliff from the ground. This unique rock formation resembles a crouching lion stretching its head northward. The cliff is approximately 50 meters long and 13 meters high, and this lion-like rock is Tongshan Rock.

At the raised lion’s head, there is an open mouth about 30 meters wide, resembling a cavern that extends another 18 meters inward. As early as the Southern Song Dynasty, people built three majestic temples — front, middle, and rear — using the cliff opening and the platform in front. Unfortunately, over time, the grandeur of the lion-rock landscape was damaged several times, and Tongshan Rock fell into slumber like a dormant lion.

To meet the needs of tourism, during the 1980s, the Grand Buddha’s Hall and Hu Gong Hall were rebuilt inside the Tongshan Rock cliff opening, and a hexagonal pavilion and the Heavenly King Hall were constructed on the back of the cliff. In 1996, the Jade Buddha Hall was added, featuring a 1.6-meter-high jade Buddha weighing over 400 kilograms, a gift from Myanmar.

The traditional Double Ninth Festival is the liveliest time at Tongshan Rock. Visitors and worshippers from surrounding areas flock here, with the peak visitor count reaching 20,000 to 30,000 people.