Moyixin Mountain

Moyixin Mountain

Moyixin Mountain is located in the southeastern part of Daishan Island, about 2.2 kilometers from Gao Ting Town, the county seat. It is surrounded by mountains on three sides and faces the sea on one side. The entire mountain covers an area of approximately 6 square kilometers. With rolling green hills on three sides and the sea on the other, its ridges stretch out in lush layers. The highest point, Yuepinggang, stands at an elevation of 257.1 meters, making it the tallest spot on Daishan Island itself. Moyixin Mountain consists of attractions such as Ciyun Bliss Temple, Xianzhi Tea Garden, and Xu Fu Square.

There is a unique spectacle on Moyixin Mountain known as "White Peak Snow Accumulation." Due to the island's maritime climate, morning fog and evening mist often shroud the area. In the depths of winter, when snow occasionally falls on the island, it usually melts quickly elsewhere, but Moyixin Mountain remains covered in silvery white. This creates a rare and remarkable scene in this southeastern island region where snow is seldom seen. Ciyun Bliss Temple is a Buddhist complex of the Pure Land sect. Covering an area of over 18,000 square meters with a built-up area of more than 8,000 square meters, its entrance archway bears a plaque inscribed with the words "Penglai Fairy Island," handwritten by Zhao Puchu. The temple was constructed strictly in the architectural style of traditional Jiangnan Zen monasteries. Upon entering the mountain gate, the left side features a liberation pond; the second courtyard houses the Heavenly King Hall; the third holds the Arhat Hall; further up is the main hall, the "Three Saints Hall," flanked by bell and drum towers and monks' quarters. Behind the main hall lies the scripture depository, and further up are the old nunnery and the abbot’s courtyard.

To the left of the mountain lies the main structure "Xianzhi Tea House," while to the right stands the "Jade Buddha Pagoda." These are complemented by pavilions, stele forests, and other architectural elements, giving the entire complex a solemn, refined, yet elegant feel. Along one wall inside the temple, eleven black marble slabs are inlaid to form a stele wall. Each slab features inscriptions carved in intaglio, then coated with genuine gold powder, and finally sealed with three layers of raw lacquer. As a result, despite years of wind and rain, the inscriptions still shimmer brilliantly in the sunlight. The content of these poem steles is the "Ten Scenic Spots of Penglai Poems." Daishan has long been known as Penglai Fairy Island, and by the Qing Dynasty, its "Ten Scenic Spots" had already taken shape. Many literati composed poems for these sites, and here, ten poems written by the late Qing scholar Liu Menglan have been selected. They are: "Dawn at Pumen," "Setting Sun on Stone Cliff," "Sails Returning at Nanpu," "Furious Waves at Zhuzhi," "White Peak Snow Accumulation," "Sunny Sands at Lulan," "Spring Rise at Stone Bridge," "Fish Market at Hengjie," "Mirage at Yushan," and "Fishing Fires at Qu Port."

The inscriptions were penned by ten renowned mid-career and young calligraphers from Zhejiang Province in recent years, featuring diverse scripts, styles, natural structures, and powerful strokes. Additionally, there is the Huazang World. The plaque for "Huazang World" was handwritten by Ge Derui, a famous contemporary Chinese calligrapher. Covering an area of about 15 square meters, the space has walls and ceilings inlaid with Belgian-imported glass pieces set at various angles. At the center of the room stands a gold-leaf-covered statue of Amitabha Buddha. Based on the depiction of the Western Paradise in the Avatamsaka Sutra, and using principles of optics and refraction, the scene of the Pure Land is brought to life, sparking endless reverie. The name "Huazang World" means "Flower" represents heaven, and "Store" represents earth—signifying that the vastness of heaven and earth embodies the Western Pure Land. The landscape of Huazang World is currently unique in China.

The Xianzhi Tea Garden is situated around Ciyun Bliss Temple on Moyixin Mountain, covering a total area of over 18,600 square meters. The tea garden produces tens of thousands of pounds of tea annually, but only a few hundred pounds of premium tea harvested before Qingming or Guyu can be made. This tea, named "Penglai Xianzhi," is excellent in both color and taste, and was once ranked among the top ten famous teas of Zhejiang, alongside West Lake Longjing, Kaihua Longding, and Xianju Biluochun. Xu Fu Square is a circular plaza covering an area of 1,877 square meters. At its center stands a 23-meter-tall statue of Xu Fu (including the base), facing east with head held high. The entire statue is carved from fluorite. Surrounding the statue is a pool and lawn arranged in the pattern of the Eight Trigrams, encircled by a group of child statues. The entrance features a gate tower, with imitation antique Eight Trigram pillars lined up on both sides, all exquisitely crafted from imitation antique-style reinforced concrete.

One theory suggests that Moyixin Mountain got its name because Daishan Island resembles a stone mill, and this mountain sits right in the middle of the island, being the highest peak, hence called "Mill Heart Mountain." Another explanation says the mountain was originally so tall that reaching its summit meant you could touch the stars, thus it was named "Mosiling" or "Star-Touching Ridge."

Address: Southeastern part of Daishan Island, Daishan County, Zhoushan City

Type: Mountain/coastal/beach/historic site

Recommended visiting time: 3–5 hours

Opening hours:

8:30–16:00, last entry at 15:30

Ticket information:

Gate price: 40.0 RMB