Kaola Mountain

Kaola Mountain

At the southern end of Shanglin Lake in Cixi, there stands a unique mountain with high elevation, covered in lush greenery on its slopes and thundering waterfalls in its ravines — this is Kaola Mountain (also known as Xianju Mountain). A poem bears witness: “Clear springs meander along the stream, rugged rocks stand in strange forms; legends speak of spirits and demons, their flickering light shimmering over the cold sands.” However, the origin of the name “Kaola Mountain” remains unknown, and even a literal understanding only offers a glimpse. The name “Kaola” has its own significance — as an old poem goes, “Embroidered works meant to be displayed in spring gardens, luring orioles down from the willow branches.” It describes how a skilled embroiderer creates exquisite works to attract orioles. Yet every peak, stream, stone, and tree of Kaola Mountain is a masterpiece of nature’s craftsmanship, untouched by human hands, just as its name suggests — primitive and unadorned. The mountain has two peaks, eastern and western, perennially shrouded in thick mist.

Between the two peaks lies a valley where the stream rushes violently — this is the Kaola Stream. Following the Kaola Stream up through the valley, you’ll find the sound of rushing water audible from afar due to the valley’s entrance location. On the left side of the mountain pass, there used to be a temple called Longqing Temple, built during the Liang Dynasty’s Datong era, but it has now collapsed. On the right side, atop the ridge, stands a large round rock jutting out prominently, known as Chessboard Rock. Legend has it that during the Three Kingdoms period, the deities of the Southern and Northern Dipper stars once played chess here. As they played, they observed human behavior from above, so as to mete out appropriate rewards or punishments based on good and evil deeds.

Aside from its oddly shaped rocks, Kaola Mountain also features Qigu Valley Pavilion and cliff inscriptions from the Song Dynasty. Qigu Valley Pavilion is named after a massive rock that resembles a pavilion due to its shape. This shows that the mountain’s renowned beauty has a long history. With determination and stamina to press onward, you’ll come across a waterfall cascading from the sky — the famous Kaola Waterfall. From a distance, it looks like a silver ribbon, glistening with droplets, amid a mountain enshrouded in mist and echoing with thunderous roars, a truly spectacular sight. At the top of the waterfall, there is a precarious rock jutting out like a beam across the sky, “gathering clouds above and stirring waters below.” This towering, rugged rock seems to exude a mystical aura, giving one a feeling of transcending the mortal world and ascending to immortality. Without the work of nature’s divine craftsmanship, who could have created such a marvelous scene?

Address: Southern end of Shanglin Lake, Cixi City, Ningbo

Type: Mountain

Recommended visiting time: 2–3 hours

Ticket information:

40 RMB