Shangyu Zhuge Mountain

Shangyu Zhuge Mountain

Zhuge Mountain, also known as Zhuge Peak, is located at the border between Guangling Village in the southwest of Changtang and Fusheng in Shaoxing County. It got its name from the Taoist priests such as Ge Hong and Ge Xuan, as well as Zhuge Jin, who once lived here.

Zhuge Mountain stands out among the surrounding peaks, rising high into the clouds with an elevation of 582 meters, making it the highest of all. A local saying goes: “Though Xianglu Peak is tall, it doesn’t reach the waist of Zhuge Mountain.” According to the *Wanli Huizhou County Annals* from the Ming Dynasty (compiled in the third year of Wanli, 1575), it states: “Zhuge Mountain is located sixty li southeast of the county. It was named after Zhuge Hong, who once dwelled here. It is also called ‘Ge Rock,’ and is considered the foremost mountain in Huizhou. The mountain rises thousands of ren high and stretches fifty li around. Its waterfalls plunge more than a hundred zhang, crashing down onto stone mortars with a thunderous sound. At its foot lie the foundations of Taoist hermits, an elixir well, and an Immortal Stone, which resembles intricately carved work. Nearby is the Eagle Beak Rock, dozens of zhang high, where flocks of eagles nest and swoop down to snatch hares and foxes, often leaving fallen prey that locals frequently pick up. To the right lies the Dragon Pool, where prayers for rain are offered.”

During the Ming Dynasty, Monk Huaixiang visited Zhuge Mountain out of admiration and left behind a poem: “A small tower stands atop the heavenly peak, the morning sun filters through woods and hills. Brushing the railing, heavy clouds over stone; drawing the curtain, floating petals like rain. Cranes shade twin trees, dragons borrow autumn from half the pool. Suddenly stirred by thoughts of riverside Jiujiang, I climb here seeking poetic inspiration.” In recent years, the number of tourists visiting Zhuge Mountain for hiking and sightseeing has been steadily increasing, and its fame continues to grow. In 2011, it was successfully rated as a National AAA-level Tourist Attraction.