Wanghai Pavilion

Wanghai Pavilion

The ancient Wanghai Pavilion on Wulei Mountain is located atop Niujiao Peak. Qing Dynasty’s Zheng Chen wrote in his *Record of Wulei Mountain*: “Its lofty beauty towers above, enveloping the surrounding peaks. Gazing down at the myriad summits, clouds rise as if infused with rosy light. At midnight, the sun rises, inhaling and exhaling a sea of rainbows.” The newly built Wanghai Pavilion is situated at the top of Baibu Ridge, just outside the northeastern mountain pass of Wulei Temple. Like a jade-green gem nestled among the vast ranges of mountains, it stands out majestically. As the poet Chen Bohan from Yaojiang wrote: “Beneath the myriad peaks, clouds surge like the ocean; a solitary pavilion gazes into the boundless sky. Why bother with a mere hut to rest my feet? Here, nature’s echoes let my voice roam free.”

The ancient Wanghai Pavilion was a roughly hewn and simple stone structure. Beside its lonely silhouette stood the Patriarch Cave, where the venerable monk Nalanda once meditated in seclusion—a desolate and forsaken place that eventually faded into obscurity. Later, monks from the temple enclosed the site with fences and planted trees, creating a modest scenic spot, but within a few years, the fence fell into disrepair. The current new pavilion, exquisitely carved and both stately and classic in design, impresses visitors as they behold its “mist-shrouded grandeur.” Ascending the pavilion to “listen to the waves,” one sees a stretch of lush green emerging through the clouds and mist. The fog here is unlike any other—wispy strands drift slowly, almost tangible enough to cup in one’s hands, yet just meters away, it stretches endlessly, merging with sky and earth, appearing particularly dense and still. Sitting in the pavilion, the mist surges and billows around you, brushing against your face like splashing sea spray. The pavilion itself resembles a small boat adrift in a sea of fog, swaying and rocking along with the flow of the mist.

From the pavilion, one can gaze upon the captivating scenery of Wulei’s five peaks: Chaohai Ridge, Little Stone City, Immortal’s Terrace, Chessboard Rock, Lion Rock, Sleeping Ox Rock… Some peaks feature sheer cliffs and perilous drops, others boast ravines and crevices overgrown with thickets and brambles. Visitors to this spot invariably marvel at nature’s extraordinary craftsmanship. Looking north from the pavilion, the ridge of Xiangwang Peak resembles the backbone of an elephant, while the southern slope is embraced by a vast bamboo forest that surrounds Wulei Temple, lending the area a solemn and sacred aura filled with the distant echoes of Buddhist chants.