Wulong Mountain in Jiande

Wulong Mountain in Jiande

Wulong Mountain is located just outside the north gate of Meicheng Town in ancient Yanzhou, stretching about fifty to sixty li from east to west. Its peaks, all over 800 meters above sea level, are connected for roughly seven li, with the highest point reaching 916.6 meters. Wulong Mountain is the guardian mountain of Yanzhou Prefecture. It lies in the eastern part of Jiande City, Zhejiang Province, north of the ancient town of Meicheng, on the northern bank of the confluence of the Xin’an River, Fuchun River, and Lan River. It earned its name due to its dark-hued rocks, towering presence, and serpentine shape resembling a dragon.

The main body of Wulong Mountain forms a fan shape, with its highest peak at 909 meters above sea level. It was formed during the later stages of the Yanshan Movement, when acidic magma erupted and then solidified. In its early history, the area was once part of a shallow sea, which is why fossils such as seashells can still be found embedded in the mountaintop. As the mountain was formed by volcanic activity along a fault line, it rises over 800 meters abruptly from the surrounding land, almost shooting up from the ground and towering over the riverbanks, presenting an imposing and majestic sight that has become a symbol of Yanzhou.

Wulong Mountain is also known as Wushan (Black Mountain). Volume 40 of the Commentary on the Water Classic (Shui Jing Zhu), "Jian River Water," states: “The Qiantang River flows northeast past the south of Jiande County. To the north of the county lies Black Mountain.” This “Black Mountain” refers to Wulong Mountain, also called Wushi Mountain. Additionally, Volume 90 of the Record of Historical Geography (Du Shi Fang Yu Ji Yao), "Wushi Pass," records: “(Located in Yanzhou) fifteen li east of the prefecture, it is named after Wushi Mountain.” It is also called Ren'an Mountain. According to the Yanzhou Map Classics (Yanzhou Tu Jing), in the early Song Dynasty, during the Xuanhe era, officials proposed that since the dragon symbolizes the emperor, any place names containing the character “dragon” should be avoided. Later, amidst the chaos of the La rebellion, it was again suggested that rebellious bandits were causing unrest, and the names of localities were thought to be related to harmful geomancy, prompting a request to bestow a name symbolizing loyalty and peace to stabilize the region. Thus, it was renamed Ren'an Mountain. In the early Song Dynasty, the great poet Lu You wrote poems about Yanzhou, including “Snow on Wulong” and “Someone Told Me That the Xia Ke Area Around the Yu Ridge of Wulong Mountain Is Worth Visiting…” — the “Wulong” in these titles refers to Wulong Mountain. In the beginning, after Guangji King was enshrined as the deity of Wulong Mountain, the original name was restored. Wulong Mountain is located north of Yanzhou City, hence it is also referred to as Beishan (North Mountain). In Lu You’s Yanzhou poem “Autumn Thoughts II,” the line “Mist and rain shroud North Mountain all day long” refers to Wulong Mountain.

There is a local saying among people in Yanzhou: “The people of Meicheng would cry if they didn’t see Wulong Mountain for a single day,” expressing deep nostalgia for their hometown. The most famous site on the mountain is the Yuquan Temple, built during the Tang Dynasty. Located in Shifo’ao at the southern foot of Wulong Mountain, it was established in the tenth year of the Zhenyuan era of Emperor Dezong of Tang by Master Shaokang, the fifth patriarch of the Pure Land sect. With a history of over 1,200 years, the temple was destroyed by Japanese forces in 1942 and rebuilt in 1990. Nestled against Wulong Mountain and facing the ancient town of Meicheng, the temple is surrounded by peaks, ancient trees, murmuring mountain springs, and offers a distant view of the surging waters of the three rivers. It is truly a rare and serene Buddhist sanctuary.