Shuangmiaojian - Yueshan Scenic Area

Shuangmiaojian - Yueshan Scenic Area

The Miaojian Scenic Area is located in Jianggen Township on the southeastern foothills of the Donggong Mountain Range in the eastern part of Qingyuan County, bordering Taishun, Jingning, and the Fujian counties of Shouning and Zhenghe. It lies 90 kilometers from the county seat, with its main peak standing at an elevation of 1,626 meters. Across tens of kilometers of gentle slopes, you’ll find stunning alpine meadows, vast fields of red and white azaleas, mysterious oddly-shaped rocks, crystal-clear mountain streams, ancient stone-paved paths hidden beneath overgrown forests and shrubs... offering a feast for the eyes. The sound of flowing water, chirping birds, and the occasional splash as a stone frog jumps into the water, or the sudden dart of a yellow muntjac across your path, may make you jump back. Here, it’s warm in spring and cool in summer—natural conditions that surpass air conditioning. The air is fresh and fragrant with wild scents, making it a paradise for flora and fauna and a great destination for leisure and summer retreat.

Driving into the ancient village of Jianggen, a clear stream stretches from north to south, flanked by a wide, tidy cement road running parallel to the water. The stream teems with colorful carp, yet chickens, ducks, dogs, and pigs are nowhere to be seen. Upon asking an elderly farmer, you’ll learn that all livestock are kept in pens. The hardworking villagers, both men and women, are almost all out in the hills and fields cultivating mushrooms and planting cauliflower. From the southeast of the village comes the rhythm of music—that’s the schoolchildren doing eye exercises. Along the streets, a few elders leisurely play chess. Young mothers with children are intently embroidering patterned fabric for piecework. Jianggen Village, originally named Jianghan, is the source of the Ou River. The ancient houses of Jianghan nestle against the water and mountains, resembling a boat moored at the shore. At the village entrance stands the Monkey Playing with a Snake sculpture, while ancient trees line the village’s tail. In the center is a stone well with the Goddess of Mercy, in front rises the Front Mountain Penholder, and behind looms the Tiger Head Peak and the Phoenix Soaring from Xishi. There’s also the Great Hollow Divine Window, Jianghan Pavilion, Fushou Buddhist Grove, Fish in the Stream, the Winding Water Mouth, and other beautiful sights. There are eight scenic spots in total, front and back, celebrated in poetry. A towering ancient watchtower stands at the foot of the hill at the village entrance, and a magnificent stone-built assembly hall sits beside the turnaround area, complementing the natural scenery and adding even more charm. The people of Jianggen are hospitable and speak a unique dialect—they not only speak Mandarin but also various local dialects. If you stay with a local family, although you might not find a Simmons mattress, you’ll likely sleep on a palm-fiber bed with bedding that’s washed quite clean. Though the meals are simple, in spring you can enjoy mountain delicacies such as Xianyan bamboo shoots, wild ferns, bitter leaf vegetables, and mountain potatoes—an unforgettable feast for the senses.

Starting from Jianggen to Shuangmiaojian, follow the ancient path heading from north to south. After passing HuiLong Pavilion, you’ll come to the Fish in the Stream. Here, a giant carp leaps out of the creek, soaring upstream, splashing water all over passersby. Legend has it that this carp once lived in the Dragon Well of Shanlin Xian, coming down to Jianggen during the day and returning to Shanlin Xian at night. One night, just as it returned to this very spot, it heard that its old home had been taken over by an evil dragon. Furious, it decided to stay here forever and turned into a fossil.

This ancient post road runs directly from Jianggen to the county seat of Qingyuan. By 1890, Wu Risong from Jianggen single-handedly funded the repair of the stone-paved road from Fengxianglingwei in Jianggen to the crossroads near Qingzhuimei Tree. Later, as more people from Zhuping, Liuxiang, and Muqiaotou married into Jianggen and travel between the villages increased, although the ancient post road from Jianggen to the county was much shorter than going through Zhuping, people still took the longer route. Except for the section at Fengxiangling, which saw frequent use by travelers from both Jianggen and Shanlin Xian and was regularly maintained, the rest of the road fell into disrepair over the years due to sparse traffic and was nearly abandoned.

Fengxiang Ridge (originally named Fengxiangkeng Ridge), as the name suggests, is lined on both sides with rows of maple trees. From the ridge’s end to its peak, they stand neatly like an honor guard, either clapping to welcome you or saluting. Viewed from afar, in spring and summer it resembles a green dragon; in autumn, a fiery red dragon; and in winter, a silver dragon. Walking along the ridge, no matter the season, feels like strolling through a corridor of maples. The ridge is flanked by steep cliffs, dotted with azaleas and welcoming pines, and green bamboo bowing as if in reverence. A small stream runs close to the ridge, its waters babbling, while the fragrance of maples fills the air. Butterflies flutter over the grass, and songbirds trill in the woods. Despite the steep terrain, you won’t feel tired by the time you reach the top.

After passing Maple Tree Pass, there is a tea house ruin on the mountain behind the crossroad. During the heyday of the ancient post road around 1890, Wu Riyong, an elderly farmer from Jianggen, and his son Wu Mingjie built a tea house (also called a tea pavilion) of over a hundred square meters here, offering free tea, lodging, and lunch to passing travelers. Later, as traffic on the ancient road dwindled, the Wu father and son returned to Jianggen to resume farming, and the tea house was abandoned, awaiting future restoration.

Below and to the left of the tea house stands a peculiar tree—a cryptomeria. Its trunk is nearly one meter in diameter and splits into two about 80 centimeters above the ground, each branch about 30–40 centimeters thick. When the branches grow to over three meters tall, they merge again, leaving a gap of 30–40 centimeters wide—just enough for a person to squeeze through sideways. The combined section is 40–50 centimeters thick. This tree is very lush, and some say it’s the “Reunited Mirror Tree,” while others call it the “Mandarin Duck Tree.”

Past the “Mandarin Duck Tree” lies Moshijiao (Grindstone Pass). The central junction is a crossroad: go straight along the ancient post road, turn right to Moshijian Peak, or left to the Shuangmiaojian Summit and the Airport Meadow. This area is rich in high-quality whetstones, hence the name. These stones sharpen knives exceptionally well—if you visit the Shuangmiaojian tourist area, consider bringing one home to hone your kitchen knives. Legend says that Yang Wenguang, a fierce warrior, once passed through here and sharpened his chipped sword on a rock. Within moments, the nicks were gone, and the blade was razor-sharp. Glancing up, he spotted the shape of the treacherous Pan Renmei, wearing what looked like an official’s hat atop Zhupingjiao Pavilion, and with a swipe of his sword, cut the hat into an elder’s hat—the current Elder’s Hat Mountain.

Turning left at the crossroad and walking a short way, you’ll see a stone armchair by the roadside. Legend says Emperor Qianlong once sat here during his southern tour, hence its name Dragon Chair Stone. Continuing upward, you’ll reach the Shuangmiaojian Summit.

The Shuangmiaojian Summit faces the Xianyan Peak of Feizi Peak across from each other. The Shuangmiaojian Summit stands at 1,626 meters, while Feizi Peak is 1,525 meters high. The two mountains resemble two vigorously growing saplings, hence their names. From the summit, you can gaze into the distance at undulating peaks and endless mountain ranges veiled in clouds. Watching the sunrise here is said to be no less spectacular than seeing it atop Mount Tai.

Less than a hundred meters down from the summit lies a vast expanse of lush, flat meadow covered in soft grass—lying on it feels better than a Simmons mattress. In the 1960s, to prevent U.S. and KMT spies from landing helicopters here, the provincial military district set up an air defense outpost and stationed a guerrilla unit here, which is why this meadow is also called the Airport. Strangely enough, this high-altitude meadow also features a large, magical alpine wetland that never dries up year-round. Around the marsh are several ponds that overflow even in drought. Wild animals and livestock come here to drink, leaving many hoof and paw prints behind.

About a hundred meters downhill to the right of the meadow lies Turtle Back. Legend says that long ago, a divine turtle from the East Sea soared across the land and, upon reaching the untamed highlands of Shuangmiaojian, was suddenly moved by a desire to see the human world. It descended on auspicious clouds and landed among the breathtaking peaks of Mantianlou Silver Cave, Giant Rock Forest, Chessboard Tower, and Miluowei. The view was so enchanting that the turtle decided to stay forever, transforming into a massive boulder. The area is scattered with uniquely shaped rocks—some resembling birds or beasts, some like turtle eggs, some interconnected, others forming a labyrinth, while many sit quietly amidst wildflowers, waiting for visitors to name them. The turtle-shaped boulder gives this place its name, Turtle Back.

One winter, heavy snow blanketed the region. Two brothers searching for their cattle arrived at Turtle Back, where everything was covered in snow except for the turtle’s armpit, which was snow-free—their cattle had taken shelter there. Believing it to be a “feng shui treasure land,” they buried their father’s remains there. The turtle, enraged, caused such chaos in Shenzhou Rongcheng that even the chickens and dogs fell silent. Realizing the gravity of their actions, the brothers exhumed their father’s remains and relocated them. They never dared disturb the turtle again.

Today, the vibrant azaleas and lush forests surrounding the turtle-shaped rock make it shine even more brilliantly.

To the southwest of Turtle Back lies Dahuhu (Big Lake), about a li away. Here, expansive flat grasslands and water bodies intermingle, with some lakes too deep to wade. Around the time of Lichun (Beginning of Spring), when temperatures rise, numerous toads gather here to breed. Pairs of male and female toads cling tightly together, motionless underwater—you can scoop them up by the handful. Dozens or even hundreds of pounds can be caught effortlessly. Though toad heads, skins, and hearts are highly toxic, their meat and broth are delicious. Simply remove the head, skin, and internal organs, soak the meat in rice water, rinse, and cook with oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and spices to create a tasty dish—and it’s also a valuable traditional medicine.

Next to Dahuhu is the Red Army Training Ground. In 1945, the Mindong Special Committee dispatched a guerrilla team here to set up camp. The team leader was Shen Zongwen, the political instructor Jiang Zuoyu, and Xuan Jintang led the mass work group, with Yu Sanjiang as the squad leader and cultural instructor, and Chen Guifang (nickname: Chen Gula) commanding a machine gun squad. The unit comprised over 80 members, with barracks built on the hill at Miluowei, known as the Red Army Stockade—the ruins remain, piled with rocks used to repel attackers. Sentry posts were stationed day and night at high points around the camp and training grounds. The guerrillas were highly disciplined and cared deeply for the laboring people, often visiting Shanlin Xian and Shuizhai villages to engage with locals. On the tenth day of the seventh lunar month, they attacked Bajiao Hall and suppressed oppressive landlords. Several villagers from Shanlin Xian and Auntie Ye Qixi frequently supplied the guerrillas with rice, salt, meals, and medicine. The guerrillas gave Auntie Ye a note stamped with an official seal. Her bamboo basket and the note are now housed in the Qingyuan County Museum.

South of Dahuhu and the Red Army Training Ground lies Shilong Peak. Majestic and spectacular, Shilong Peak is a breathtaking sight that leaves all visitors in awe. A local legend surrounds this peak:

Long, long ago, several southern provinces suffered from severe drought, leading to crop failures. Petitions poured into the emperor’s court. The imperial court sent an imperial envoy south to investigate. Along the way, he witnessed refugees fleeing famine with their families. The envoy hurried back to the capital to report: the southern provinces were indeed stricken by drought and famine, with countless refugees on the move. The emperor then wrote a decree, burned it as an offering to heaven, and prayed for rain. The Jade Emperor immediately commanded the Dragon King of the South Sea to send rain to save the people. The Dragon King ordered his second son to carry out the task. But the second son, a mischievous deity, was captivated by a village maiden whose beauty rivaled a fairy. Distracted, he flirted with her and forgot to control the rainfall, causing devastating floods that destroyed homes and farmland and drowned hundreds of thousands. Heavenly patrols reported the disaster to the Jade Emperor, who then ordered the Dragon King’s second son to be imprisoned on the mountain forever—thus the legend of Shilong Peak.

Retracing your steps down the path, you’ll arrive at Miluowei. Essentially an oval highland basin, Miluowei is similar to Dahuhu and is also an alpine wetland—but it holds much more water. Surrounded by mountains on three sides with only one water outlet, the basin floor is very flat. The outlet is nearly a hundred meters wide, sparking imaginations of building a dam to create an artificial alpine lake, complete with small boats or bamboo rafts drifting on the water—what a delightful way to enjoy mountain and water scenery. But for now, it remains just a dream—no one knows if or when it will come true.

Continuing down the path, you’ll enter a bamboo forest. At the edge of the pit below the trail lies a massive boulder—the site of the Red Army Building. The large rock still bears inscriptions from the Red Army, including the clearly visible characters “Wuchen Year” (1928), though other text has faded over time. Back then, the Mindong Special Committee and the Mindong Independent Red Army Regiment were active here. The Red Army Building was erected next to the large rock, with the kitchen built beneath it. Close to Shanlin Xian Village, several villagers and Auntie Ye Qixi often supplied provisions to the Red Army.

Further down is Liulangkou (also called Lulangkou or Liulangkou). “Kou” means cliff. Here, the “kou” is actually a waterfall. Liulangkou has six tiers, each dropping several zhang (a traditional Chinese unit of length) high. Water cascades down, splashing against the rock ledges, sending up sprays before plunging to the next level—this repeats six times before reaching the bottom. Looking up at the rocks at the base, the flying droplets are a dazzling sight. The waterfall is called “kou” simply because the water volume is not very large due to the high altitude. With more abundant water flow, it would be even more spectacular and truly deserve the name “Liulang Waterfall.”

Longjing (Dragon Well) is a round stone cave just four or five meters in diameter. The area around the well, including Shanlin Xian and the well itself, is solid rock with no cracks. The hill behind the well isn’t very steep, and the water flow is usually not forceful. The walls of the well are vertical, with the mouth slightly smaller than the base. No one knows how deep the bottom is, as the water flow isn’t strong, and some rocks have settled at the bottom and can’t be washed away. Measuring with a bamboo pole from the pile of rocks at the bottom, the depth is over two meters. Legend says the well was once home to carp, but a dragon drove them out and claimed the well for itself—hence the name. Later, the dragon found the well too small and moved to Dongxi in the ridge, leaving the well empty.

Baiyangkou (Hundred-Zhang Gorge) is downstream from Longjing, higher in elevation than Liulangkou and without multiple tiers. It consists of a single gorge, with the lower half vertical and the upper half overhanging, living up to its name of a hundred zhang (over 300 meters) in height—truly thrilling. Visitors are only allowed to observe from the lower end; venturing to the top is strictly prohibited. Water shoots out from the top and falls freely, barely creating any splashes.

The Yinye Cave (Silver-Smelting Cave) is the site of ancient silver mining, mostly located on Qipan Tower Mountain, with dozens of caves scattered about. Some are close together, others far apart; some are large, others small; some are high, others low. Some are as tall as two-story buildings, while others require you to crouch to enter. Inside, the caves are interconnected, with some having upper and lower levels. In a few, the passage starts off flat but suddenly drops deep underground, with water at the bottom too deep to see, where dropped rocks take a long time to echo back. Some caves extend horizontally deep into the mountain—flashlights reveal utter darkness even with new batteries. Some caves connect to others, allowing you to enter one and exit another. The caves are extremely damp and serve as homes to thousands of bats. A few of the caves were mined in modern times—around 1915, Wu Chuanshen (born 1884), a stonemason from Jianggen, led a team to build sheds here for silver smelting. They brought large stone mills and mortars (tools for grinding silver ore). The shed remains, but the mortar and mill were recently taken away by unknown persons, a great loss.

Xianyan Mountain is located on Feizi Peak of the Donggong Mountain Range, facing Shuangmiaojian. Its main peak stands at 1,526 meters, and the Qingyuan Jianggen to Shouning, Fujian ancient mountain path leads to its summit. According to the Guangxu-era Annals of Qingyuan: “The White Crane Xianyan on Jianggen’s highest peak is piled with strange rocks. An iron incense burner, weathered by wind and rain, shines ever brighter—it flew here during the Wanli era and grants rain when prayed to.”

Legend says that on the first day of the sixth lunar month during the Wanli era, the immortals attended the Queen Mother’s Peach Banquet and discussed traveling to the South Sea to meet Guanyin Bodhisattva and enjoy the scenery along the way. Riding on auspicious clouds, they journeyed past green mountains, clear waters, birdsong, and floral fragrance—a true paradise. Overjoyed, the immortals remarked, “This vast world truly boasts extraordinary scenery. No wonder poets linger here and forsake the pursuit of immortality.” Amid their laughter, the Iron-Crutch Li’s precious gourd slipped from the sky and landed squarely on Feizi Peak, shattering into countless fragments that transformed into a variety of oddly shaped boulders—such as the White Crane Xianyan, General Rock, Applause Rock, Chain Rock, Elephant Trunk Rock, Dream Brush Blooming Flower, and Sunward Valley—collectively known as the Eight Scenic Spots. The White Crane Xianyan is the most iconic, formed by several stacked strange rocks, with one standing vertically, two or three zhang tall, its girth requiring over ten men holding hands to encircle.

The immortals lingered, reluctant to leave, until the sun set and the sky blazed red. Iron-Crutch Li pondered for a moment and said, “Immortals, among our Five Metal Immortals, the fourth, associated with iron, is destined for greatness. The place where the gourd fell is a feng shui treasure. With great mountains, what’s needed is an immortal’s presence. Let this immortal guard it, shall we?” He raised his crutch and declared, “Go, you and your fellow immortal!” The crutch instantly transformed into a crane, carrying the immortal down to Xianyan. That immortal and the white crane have resided atop Xianyan ever since, and the immortal thus earned the name White Crane Xian. Since then, the first day of the sixth lunar month each year marks the “Incense Period,” when devout men and women from neighboring Zhejiang and Fujian villages flock to the mountain to worship, filling the air with incense and lively festivities.

Baihexianyan Mountain features majestic peaks, misty cliffs and seas of clouds, deep forests, the whisper of pine winds and birdsongs, overlooking vast bamboo groves—a picturesque destination perfect for sightseeing.

Further reading:

· Zhejiang Province's Seventh Batch of Provincial-Level Scenic Areas