Zhishan Three Pavilions

Zhishan Three Pavilions

On days when the scenery is bright and spring is in full bloom, willows sway like golden threads, and flowers vie in beauty, residents of Cixi love to climb Zhishan to enjoy the views and blossoms. The lush greenery of Zhishan paints a picturesque scene, with buildings every five steps and pavilions every ten. Among them, the three pavilions—Zhen Dan, Xiao Feng, and Ming Gao—proudly stand atop the mountain peak, particularly eye-catching.

Zhen Dan Pavilion stands atop the 70-meter-high eastern peak of Zhishan. With its red pillars and black tiles, its soaring eaves break the monotonous contour of the peak, standing proudly alongside the 73-meter-high Wuniu Mountain, exuding vitality. Around the pavilion, lush pines twist and turn, and as a gentle breeze passes, the rustling of pine needles fills the air. Leaning on the railing and looking out beyond the treetops, one can gaze into the distance at the colorful mountain ridges stretching to the horizon, their dark blue hues vivid against the sky. The plaque above the pavilion is inscribed with the words “Dragon’s Roar at Dawn,” alluding to Fulong Mountain and symbolizing the “northern defense” section of Cixi. One’s imagination takes flight, conjuring illusory images—the Ruoshan Mountain resembles a dragon in motion, its head raised toward the sea, faintly visible in the distance.

Xiao Feng Pavilion stands opposite Zhen Dan Pavilion, majestically located on the western peak of Zhishan. Stepping into the pavilion and looking north, one sees endless stretches of flat fields and the fresh new look of the urban area, which is a delight to the spirit. To the south and north slopes, vast bamboo forests—countless emerald green stalks—are spread out before your eyes. The pavilion bears a horizontal plaque inscribed with “Tiger’s Roar, Wind Arises,” symbolizing the small hill Tiger Islet Mountain in Hushan District, representing the “northern Yao region.” The two pavilions on Zhishan’s dual peaks stand side by side in a line with the Revolutionary Martyrs’ Monument. Their varied heights accentuate the monument’s grandeur while also adding the finishing touch to the mountain landscape, making it even more elegant and magnificent.

Following a tranquil path through the mountain’s pines and bamboos, passing by the Mingxiang Building and winding southeastward, you’ll find a pavilion nestled within the green foliage. With its carved beams and painted rafters, traditional Han-style tiles along the eaves, and a structure that converges in the middle topped with an ornamental finial, its design is delicate and graceful. It complements the Linglong Palace in the northeast corner—this is Ming Gao Pavilion. The horizontal plaque on the pavilion reads “Crane’s Cry in the Nine Marshes,” taken from the allusion of Yu Jiugao. Reflecting on its meaning, it uses the ancient town of Minghe to symbolize the “northern Cixi” region.

Contemplating the plaques and inscriptions of the three pavilions, one understands that the landscapes of Cixi were historically composed of the former regions of northern town, northern Yao, and northern Ci—hence known as the land of the Three Norths.