Qianfo Mountain Scenic Area in Suichang

Qianfo Mountain Scenic Area in Suichang

The Qianfo Mountain Scenic Area in Suichang is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

The Qianfo Mountain Scenic Area is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction, located in Shilian Town, Suichang County, 30 kilometers from the county seat with convenient transportation. According to the Guangxu edition of the “Suichang County Annals,” the mountain features peculiar rocks that resemble thousands of Buddha statues, hence the name “Qianfo (Thousand Buddha) Mountain.” The scenic area boasts serene valleys, dense forests, and crystal-clear mountain springs that weave through the landscape, creating captivating water attractions such as waterfalls, pools, lakes, ponds, and streams. With its pristine forests and unique rock formations, the area is celebrated for its stunning scenery and is hailed as the “Little Jiuzhaigou of the South.” During the Ming Dynasty, Suichang County Magistrate Tang Xianzu once praised Qianfo Mountain with the poetic lines: “Morning sun and evening scrolls, rosy clouds over emerald pavilions, threads of rain and flakes of wind, misty waves and painted boats.”

The Future Temple in the Qianfo Mountain Scenic Area covers an area of approximately one square kilometer. Within the temple stands a miraculous natural rock formation of the Maitreya Buddha, towering over a hundred zhang in height, facing west. Cloaked in what appears to be a natural kasaya, the Buddha extends its hands in a gesture of protection, a breathtaking gift and wonder of nature that leaves visitors in awe. It is truly a case of “the mountain is the Buddha, and the Buddha is the mountain.” Since the discovery of the giant Buddha, many incredible coincidences and extraordinary celestial phenomena have been witnessed in front of the statue.

The Yan’en Hall is a Buddhist shrine within the Future Temple, built facing the natural Maitreya Buddha across a stream and carved into the mountainside. Inside the hall are enshrined Sakyamuni Buddha and his two disciples, with the main deity being Shakyamuni, flanked by his attendants Kasyapa and Ananda, all covered in pure gold with serene and solemn expressions. The Buddha gazes compassionately at the natural Maitreya Buddha, symbolizing Sakyamuni’s prediction of Maitreya’s future enlightenment. Behind them, eight peaks resemble the Eight Divisions of Heavenly Guardians, safeguarding the Dharma day and night.

Historical records indicate that Suichang County has had deep Buddhist connections. A renowned Tang Dynasty monk-painter once spent 14 years in seclusion at the Cui Peak Monastery of Qianfo Mountain, where he completed the “Eighteen Arhats” painting. ZHU Huang, a celebrated anti-British general of the Qing Dynasty, served as the county magistrate of Suichang from 1828 to 1835 and wrote: “The stone Buddha towers atop the lofty mountain, the lotus blooms casting light over the stream bend; though its form may appear in the void, it resides neither in form nor emptiness.” These verses vividly depict the scenery and ambiance of Qianfo Mountain.

May the Buddha bless your present life and fulfill your future aspirations. Qianfo Mountain allows you to personally experience the protection of the Buddha.

Official Weibo (Sina): Qianfo Mountain Scenic Area in Suichang

Official Weibo (Tencent): Blessings for the Present, Fulfillment for the Future

The Qianfo Mountain Hotel, located within the scenic area, is built to three-star standards and features 76 guest rooms, four meeting rooms, one banquet hall, and five private dining rooms, along with complete facilities such as chess and card rooms, barbecues, bonfire parties, and karaoke. With a quiet, elegant, and comfortable environment, the hotel is an ideal destination for sightseeing and Buddhist worship, spiritual cultivation, business meetings, and leisure vacations.

The Qianfo Mountain Hotel offers an elegant and comfortable dining environment, highlighting three specialties: local rustic dishes, premium vegetarian meals, and organic health cuisine. The spacious dining space allows you to enjoy both delicious food and beautiful scenery, savoring dishes that are appealing in color, aroma, and taste.

Featured Dishes

Local Rustic Dishes: Homemade Hakka tofu, Farmers’ Delight (pig’s blood, tofu, radish, stir-fried meat), pork tail with soybeans

Premium Vegetarian Dishes: Arhat noodles, vegetarian buns, tender water chestnuts with shrimp chips, vegetarian fish fillets, fish bones, thousand-mushroom tofu, sweet-and-sour pork (vegetarian style)

Organic Health Cuisine: Nourishing local duck, braised grouper, organic fish hotpot, tiger fish hotpot, gastrodia and matsutake stew

Local Specialties

Longgu Ladies’ Tea, Sanjing Mao Feng tea, Shilian Chrysanthemum Rice, Huangshayao Sweet Potato Chips, Suichang bamboo charcoal products, dried bamboo shoots, as well as Buddhist handicrafts and souvenirs.

Directions from Shanghai and Southern Jiangsu: Take the Shanghai-Hangzhou Expressway, transfer to the Hangzhou-Jinhua-Quzhou Expressway in Hangzhou, then switch to the Longyou-Longli Expressway and exit in Suichang. Alternatively, take the Shanghai-Hangzhou Expressway, transfer to the Hangzhou-Xinjing Expressway in Hangzhou, exit in Xin’anjiang, then take the national road to Longyou, and finally reach Suichang via the Longyou-Longli Expressway.

Directions from Ningbo: Take the Yongjin Expressway, transfer to the Hangzhou-Jinhua-Quzhou Expressway in Jinhua, then proceed to Longyou and exit via the Longyou-Longli Expressway in Suichang.

Directions from Wenzhou: Take the Jinhua-Lishui-Wenzhou Expressway, transfer to the Longyou-Longli Expressway in Lishui, then exit in Suichang.

Directions from Taizhou: Take the Taizhou-Jinyun Expressway, transfer to the Jinyun-Jinhua-Wenzhou Expressway in Jinyun, then to the Jinhua-Lishui-Wenzhou Expressway in Lishui, and finally reach Suichang via the Longyou-Longli Expressway.

After arriving in Suichang from any of the above directions, transfer to Provincial Highway S051 to reach the scenic area, or take the Qianfo Mountain Scenic Area shuttle bus (every 30 minutes) from the county bus passenger station.

Ticket Information

Adult ticket: 80 RMB; children under 1.2 meters are admitted free of charge; children between 1.2–1.5 meters, students with valid student IDs, people with disabilities, seniors with preferential certificates, and active-duty military personnel receive a half-price discount. Valid identification such as ID cards or student IDs must be presented when purchasing tickets.

Opening Hours

Spring/Summer: 7:30–18:00; Autumn/Winter: 8:00–17:00

Address: Huangpi Village, Shilian Town, Suichang County, Lishui City

Type: Valley, mountain, river, temple

Rating: AAAA

Recommended visiting time: 4–6 hours

Phone: 0578-8522999

Official website: http://www.zjqfs.com

Opening hours:

08:00–17:00.

Transportation

By public transport:

From Lishui West Bus Station, buses to Suichang County run approximately every 40 minutes to 1 hour from 06:30 to 18:40. After arriving in Suichang, transfer to another bus to the scenic area. At the county bus passenger station, take the Qianfo Mountain Scenic Area shuttle bus (every 60 minutes).

By car:

From Shanghai or southern Jiangsu: Take the Shanghai–Hangzhou Expressway, transfer to the Hangzhou–Jinhua–Quzhou Expressway via Hangzhou, then transfer to the Longyou–Lishui Expressway and exit at Suichang. Continue on Provincial Highway S051 to reach the scenic area. Alternatively, take the Shanghai–Hangzhou Expressway, transfer to the Hangzhou–Xinjing Expressway via Hangzhou, exit at Xin’anjiang, then take a national highway to Longyou, and continue on the Longyou–Lishui Expressway to exit at Suichang, and take Provincial Highway S051 to reach the scenic area.

From Ningbo: Take the Yongjin Expressway, transfer to the Jinhua–Hangzhou–Quzhou Expressway via Jinhua, then transfer to the Longyou–Lishui Expressway and exit at Suichang. Continue on Provincial Highway S051 to reach the scenic area.

From Wenzhou: Take the Jinhua–Lishui–Wenzhou Expressway, transfer to the Longyou–Lishui Expressway via Lishui, and exit at Suichang. Continue on Provincial Highway S051 to reach the scenic area.

From Taizhou: Take the Taizhou–Jinyun Expressway, transfer to the Jinyun–Jinhua–Wenzhou Expressway via Jinyun, then transfer to the Jinhua–Lishui–Wenzhou Expressway via Lishui, and transfer to the Longyou–Lishui Expressway and exit at Suichang. Continue on Provincial Highway S051 to reach the scenic area.

Source: Jinhua Portal Website