Xiandu National Scenic Area

Xiandu National Scenic Area

Xiandu National Scenic Area is a national scenic area and a AAAAA-level tourist attraction.

Guide: Dinghu Peak is the core of the entire scenic area and the symbol of Xiandu. Dinghu Peak, shaped like a bamboo shoot, pierces the sky, rising 170.8 meters from the ground, making it the tallest stone pillar in the world, and is acclaimed as the "Number One Peak under Heaven." Niweng Cave, also known as Chuyang Cave, is located on Chuyang Mountain by the Lianxi Stream west of Dinghu Peak. Legend has it that in ancient times, an official surnamed Ni, weary of worldly desires, sought seclusion here, hence the name. The cave features many cliff inscriptions. Among them, the three characters “Niweng Cave” were written by the Tang Dynasty calligrapher Li Yangbing. To the east of Niweng Cave across the stream lies Xiao Chibi (Little Red Cliff), where steep cliffs stretch horizontally for miles. The lower part of the cliffs is dark reddish in color, resembling scorched earth, hence the name Little Red Cliff. Within the cliffs is a natural path several hundred meters long, also called Long Geng Road, which legend says was plowed out by Emperor Guangwu of the Eastern Han Dynasty riding a dragon. Furong Gorge is located about three to four kilometers upstream along Haoxi Stream from Dinghu Peak. After crossing the stream and entering the mountain pass, sheer black cliffs tower on both sides, with the narrowest point only wide enough for one person to pass through. The scene in the film Ashima where Ahei shoots an arrow to split the stone was filmed here. Inside the gorge, towering cliffs enclose the area, while the center is covered with lush green grass, known as Zizhiwu, believed to be where the Eight Immortals of the East Sea drank spring water and tasted purple lingzhi mushrooms.

Best Time to Visit: Every year on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, the Double Ninth Festival, Xiandu hosts a Tourism and Culture Festival. Activities include public ceremonies honoring the legendary Yu the Great, mountain climbing competitions, rock climbing contests, tightrope performances, and folk art shows. Xiandu, anciently known as Jinyun Mountain, is said to be the place where the Yellow Emperor feasted the gods and ascended to heaven after refining elixirs. It consists of four scenic zones: Xiandu, Huanglong Mountain, Yanmen, and Dayang, and features over 500 attractions including Dinghu Peak, Xiao Chibi, Furong Gorge, Niweng Cave, the Yellow Emperor Temple, Dufeng Academy, and Huanglong Temple, covering a total area of 166.2 square kilometers. The Sixth Patriarch of the Tiantai School, Zen Master Zhizhe, and the Fifth Patriarch of the Pure Land School, Master Shaokang, were both natives of Xiandu Mountain. Historical figures such as Wang Xizhi, Xie Lingyun, Li Bai, Bai Juyi, Shen Kuo, Zhu Xi, Wang Shipeng, Xu Xiake, Zhu Yizun, Yuan Mei, and Guo Moruo have all left their footprints and literary works here. Since the 1950s, more than 30 films, including Ashima, have been shot here.

Dining/Accommodation/Shopping: Dining: Braised Stream Fish, Xiandu Mountain Delicacies, Jinyun Homemade Noodles, Jinyun Pancakes. Accommodation: Jinyun Xiangyi Grand Hotel, Jinyun Hotel (Phone: 0578-3123229, Address: No. 71, Huaihua Street, Jinyun County, Zhejiang Province). Transportation: All trains on the Jinhua–Wenzhou Railway stop at Jinyun Station (see the Jinhua–Wenzhou Railway timetable for details). From Jinyun Railway Station, take a minibus or motorized tricycle for 2 yuan to Wuyun Town in the county. At Jinyun Passenger Transport Center, there are tourist buses to Xiandu (6:10–18:10, every 15–20 minutes), passing all major attractions. Additionally, between Jinyun and Lishui Passenger Transport Centers, buses run every 10 minutes from 6:00 to 18:50. Between Jinyun and Yongkang, buses run every 10–15 minutes from 6:10 to 17:45. Alternatively, you can hire a motorized tricycle directly at the railway station (seats up to 4 people, 30 yuan for a round trip) to Dinghu Peak, the top attraction in Xiandu. It takes just 20 minutes to reach the scenic area, and the total time for the round trip plus sightseeing is about 2 hours.

Address: Dinghu Avenue, Dinghu Village, Xiandu Subdistrict, Jinyun County, Lishui City

Type: Canyon, Geological Landform, Mountain, River

Rating: AAAA

Recommended Duration: 1–2 days

Phone: 0578-3120301

Opening Hours:

7:30-17:30

Ticket Information:

Combo Ticket: 130 yuan. Dinghu Peak: 60 yuan, Xiao Chibi: 10 yuan, Furong Gorge: 25 yuan, Zhao Hou Shrine: 10 yuan, Niweng Cave: 10 yuan, Zhutan Mountain: 15 yuan. Children under 1.2 meters are free; 1.2–1.4 meters receive a half-price discount. Students with valid IDs get 50% off; seniors aged 60–70 receive a half-price discount, and those over 70 are free. Military ID holders are admitted free with valid credentials. There are three ticket offices in the scenic area, located at Dingfeng Lake, Xiao Chibi, and Niweng Cave.

Dinghu Village: Dinghu Village has 725 households, a total population of 1,720, 96 Party members, 13 villager groups, 52 villager representatives, with a collective income of 136,100 yuan in 2014. The forested area covers 6,838 mu, and arable land 365 mu. The village Party branch secretary is Liu Jinghuan, and the village director is Liu Jinbiao.

… More detailed information about Dinghu Village++

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of National Key Scenic Areas

· 35th Batch of National AAAAA-Level Tourist Attractions (January 2020)