Hangzhou Jade Emperor Mountain

Hangzhou Jade Emperor Mountain

Jade Emperor Mountain (237 meters), a sacred site of the Quanzhen School, the mainstream branch of Taoism, is located between West Lake and the Qiantang River. Originally named Dragon Mountain, it resembles a giant dragon lying across the landscape from afar. With its majestic form, when the wind rises and clouds gather, one can see the vast expanse of lake and mountain, and the boundless river and sky, creating a grand and lofty scene. It has been historically referred to as the "Ancestor of All Mountains." Connected end-to-end with Phoenix Mountain, it enjoys the poetic praise of "Dancing Dragon and Phoenix." From the Lunar New Year to Qingming Festival each year, pilgrims from Hangjiahu and Suzhou-Wuxi flock here. In front of the Dragon Hall at Fuxing Temple, incense smoke curls upward and the area teems with people, creating an unprecedentedly grand spectacle that has become a major attraction on the mountain. On regular days, visitors come nonstop from morning till evening for fitness and sightseeing, making it a beloved leisure destination for the public and also the home of the "Jade Emperor Soaring Clouds," one of the New Ten Scenes of West Lake.

Purple Coming Cave

Purple Coming Cave is located on the mountainside of Jade Emperor Mountain. Originally a small stone cave, it was artificially expanded along the natural terrain during the Qing Dynasty by the Taoist priest Zidong of Fuxing Temple and is also known as Flying Dragon Cave. The cave features multiple levels, deep and mysterious chambers, a cool and moist environment, making it a popular summer retreat. The slanted cave wall bears the four large characters "Purple Qi Coming from the East," ingeniously incorporating the words "Purple Coming," which also gave the cave its name. The cave entrance is a steep cliff face with narrow stone steps that only allow one person to pass sideways at a time—visitors enjoy crawling through sideways. A newly added Qiankun Palace showcases modern electronic laser displays, featuring Taoist and Buddhist legendary figures and stories such as "Fairy Scattering Flowers," "Lingxiao Hall," "Jiang Ziya Fishing," and "Guanyin Bodhisattva." Additionally, there is a new exhibit on Wu-Yue culture, using exquisite and vivid Dongyang woodcarving techniques to depict historical events such as "Founding the Kingdom of Wu-Yue," "Three Expansions of Hangzhou City," "Shooting the Tide to Build Seawalls," "No Water, No People," and "National Peace Brings People’s Well-being," illustrating the governance and people’s welfare efforts of King Qian of Wu-Yue.

The Summit

Jade Emperor Mountain features rugged peaks, peculiar rocks, unique caves, and lush bamboo and trees. At the foot of the mountain in front of Purple Coming Cave, you can overlook the "Eight Trigrams Field," where emperors of the Southern Song Dynasty personally engaged in farming. At the summit, there are the "Rivers-Lakes Overview Pavilion" and the "Cloud-Ascending Pavilion," offering views of West Lake inside, the Qiantang River outside, and mountain ranges to the west. In August of the lunar calendar, the majestic tidal bore of the river can be seen from afar. The famous cave attraction, Purple Coming Cave, has three levels with seemingly endless inner chambers. The cave is often shrouded in purple mist and remains cool and damp year-round. Beside a natural opening in the cave ceiling are the Seven Star Pots, placed by ancient people according to the theory of Yin-Yang and the Eight Trigrams to suppress the fire demon of Hangzhou. Nearby, a couplet on the Seven Star Pavilion reads aptly:

The Seven Star Pots, the Eight Trigrams Field, and the Purple Coming Cave Heaven — all are marvels of divine craftsmanship;

The Tides of Eastern Zhejiang, the Scenery of West Lake, and the Splendors of Dragon Mountain — all showcase the grandeur of Hangzhou.

Jade Emperor Mountain is also famed for its wealth of historical relics. The ancient Ciyun Ridge Path from West Lake through the mountains to the Jianggan area has been in use for over a thousand years. On the southern slope of the ridge lie stone grotto statues from the Five Dynasties period, consisting of two niches and seven figures, making them among the oldest and best-preserved stone carvings in West Lake. On the southern foothills of Tianzhen Mountain (the name for the southern range of Jade Emperor Mountain), within Tianlong Temple, there are also stone carvings from the late Wu-Yue Kingdom (965 AD)—one hall with three niches and seven figures, which are extremely precious. Other historic sites scattered along mountain paths include the Qian King’s Altar (Old Jade Emperor Palace), the Southern Song Dynasty Altar, and the Tianzhen Academy.

The Fuxing Temple at the summit was originally built during the Qing Dynasty. Its main hall once enshrined the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West, though these statues no longer exist. However, a wooden carved jade dragon is still worshipped there, hence the temple is also called the "Dragon Hall." Beside the hall lies the White Jade Toad Well, dug during the Southern Song Dynasty, which remains unfailing throughout the year despite being located at the mountaintop.

The forest scenery of Jade Emperor Mountain is exceptionally beautiful. No matter which direction you take to ascend, the stone path winds continuously through green trees and bamboo. Mountain mists gather into clouds, lending the area a serene and mystical atmosphere. Many hikers choose to follow the winding mountain road from Linhai Pavilion up to the summit because the gentle slope and wide path allow for sweeping panoramic views in all directions. Along the way, there are resting shelters like "She'ao," "Yijiang," and "Hanbi." Morning exercisers also perform their own improvised physical exercises along the path—such as walking backward, rabbit jumps, arm swinging, and head shaking—in a delightful display of variety.

Eight Trigrams Field

Located at the southern foot of Jade Emperor Mountain, this is where emperors of the Southern Song Dynasty held ceremonies to worship agriculture. The field is divided into eight sections, with a circular high platform in the center, resembling the Eight Trigrams, hence its name. The surrounding area consists of vast flat farmland, where local farmers plant crops of different colors on each trigram section. As the seasons change, the scenery transforms accordingly, offering a unique experience when viewed from above. The Ming Dynasty literatus Gao Lian once wrote in his “Four Seasons of Secluded Delights”: “In spring, when rapeseed flowers bloom in clusters, looking from Gaotian Ridge in daylight, golden fields resemble fences and emerald paddies look like jade, while river waves ripple, evoking a sense of ethereal wonder and boundless imagination.” Beside the Eight Trigrams Field lies the ancient tomb of Wu Hanyue, a queen of the Wu-Yue Kingdom during the Five Dynasties.

The hiking trails up Jade Emperor Mountain include a northern route from Linhai Pavilion through Ciyun Ridge and Purple Coming Cave directly to the summit, with about 1,300 stone steps; a southern approach from the Ceramics Market via the Eight Trigrams Field, Baiyun Nunnery, and the ancient path of Tianlong Temple; a western trail starting from the entrance of Jiuyao Mountain Tunnel opposite the zoo, ascending first to Deyi Pavilion on Dingpo Ridge, then passing through Tiger Cave and Baoyue Pavilion to reach the top; and an eastern path from Phoenix Mountain and Jiangtai Mountain to Ciyun Ridge, followed by the stone steps up to the summit. The mountain paths are well maintained, clean, and convenient for walking.

Jade Emperor Mountain Tunnel

This tunnel began construction in 1995 and opened to traffic in January 1997. The project is 0.8 kilometers long. The tunnel starts from Yuhuangshan Road by West Lake in northern Hangzhou and extends south to the Binjiang area by the Qiantang River, connecting with Fuxing Avenue. It is the first urban road traffic tunnel in Zhejiang Province designed and built in accordance with national standards and specifications.