Miaogaotai

Miaogaotai

“Miaogaotai,” also known as Miaogaofeng or Tianzhufeng, is a major scenic spot in the Xuedou Mountain area. Although it stands only 396 meters above sea level, it is backed by towering mountains, rises prominently in the middle, and is surrounded by steep cliffs on three sides with a deep abyss below, making the terrain extremely rugged. In the narrow sense, Miaogaotai refers to a platform covering an area of about 350 square meters. Standing at the edge of the platform, you can overlook the natural scenery of Xiaxi Lake. Surrounded by dense ancient trees and shady bamboos, with a refreshing breeze blowing, Miaogaotai is an ideal summer retreat.

The building behind Miaogaotai is a private villa built by Chiang Kai-shek in 1927. Looking up, you’ll see a horizontal plaque in the center of the second floor, inscribed with white characters on a black background reading “Miaogaotai,” personally written by Chiang Kai-shek. The entire villa has two floors, comprising six rooms in total (three on each floor), all connected by a Western-style terrace, with a total floor area of 436 square meters. Upon entering the gate, the first floor has a central courtyard with one room on each side. The second floor features a cement corridor connected to a balcony, with a reception room in the center, a bedroom to the east, and a study to the west.

In the center of the villa’s courtyard, there is a preserved stone pagoda, which is the stupa of Master Shiqi, the abbot of Xuedou Temple during the early Qing Dynasty. In the eighth year of the Shunzhi era (1651), Master Shiqi rebuilt Xuedou Temple, reviving its spiritual prominence. After his passing, later generations built this stone pagoda in the fourth year of the Yongzheng era (1726) in his memory to honor his legacy.

Miaogaotai was also where Chiang Kai-shek planned his strategies. In January 1949, when Chiang Kai-shek stepped down from power for the third time, he stayed in his hometown for three months and three days, and Miaogaotai became the command post from which he directed operations behind the scenes. During this period, Chiang Kai-shek received more than 30 military and political officials here, and for a time, Miaogaotai replaced Nanjing as the temporary political and military center.

The protruding stone in the center of the platform is square-shaped and smooth, large enough for one person to sit on, and is called “Yanzuo Stone.” It is said that Chiang Kai-shek’s mother, Wang Caiyu, would visit Xuedou Temple to burn incense and worship Buddha on the first and fifteenth days of each lunar month. When Chiang Kai-shek was nine years old, he accompanied his mother on her first visit to Miaogaotai. Upon seeing this stone, he sat on it and refused to get up. Despite his mother urging him to go home several times, he was reluctant to leave. Later, whenever Chiang Kai-shek returned to Xikou and came to Miaogaotai after achieving success, he would always take a short rest on this stone.

A set of statues depicting a monk and two tigers, called “Two Tigers Listening to Scriptures,” tells the story of Zen Master Zhihe, a renowned monk from Xuedou Temple during the Song Dynasty, who once practiced here in a hut. Every day at dawn, he would come to Miaogaotai and sit cross-legged on Yanzuo Stone to preach Buddhist scriptures. With his resonant voice reciting Zen teachings, even the two tigers living in the cliff cave beneath Miaogaotai became enthralled and would jump out of their cave to the platform to listen whenever Master Zhihe struck his wooden fish. Over time, they became inseparable from the master and developed a deep bond. One day, Master Zhihe passed away while sitting on Yanzuo Stone. The two tigers lay beside his body, keeping vigil day and night until he was cremated, and then they died as well.

Address: Xuedou Mountain Scenic Area, Xikou Town, Fenghua City, Ningbo

Type: Mountain

Recommended visiting time: 1–3 hours

Tel: 4001817718

Ticket information:

No separate ticket required. Included in the Xuedou Mountain Scenic Area ticket. Xuedou Mountain Scenic Area ticket: 150 RMB (includes 30 RMB for scenic transportation); Xuedou Mountain sightseeing train (mini train) single ticket: 45 RMB; cable car single ticket: 35 RMB; combined cable car and sightseeing train ticket: 50 RMB. The Xikou Scenic Area combo ticket also includes this attraction, priced at 230 RMB (includes Xuedou Mountain transportation ticket) or 280 RMB (includes Xuedou Mountain transportation, sightseeing train, and cable car). Scenic tickets are valid for one day, combo tickets for two days.