Phoenix Ancient Pine

Phoenix Ancient Pine

Highlights

Points

Whenever the sun rises at dawn, the morning mist begins to lift, or the sun sets in the evening with the sky aglow in golden hues, the Phoenix Ancient Pine becomes even more lush and vividly colorful; the renowned contemporary painter Li Keran praised it as the “Number One Pine under Heaven.” Gu

ide

A guided walk from the Phoenix Ancient Pine toward Héyuán Garden leads past a continuous array of small nunneries and ancient temples—some dainty and refined, others classic and traditional, or majestically splendid. These include Shèngbìn Jīngshè, Liánhuā Ān, Dàcí Ān, Guāngmíng Máopéng, Zhǐyuán Jīngshè, Dàyuàn Máopéng, Jìngxiū Máopéng, Cíxiū Ān, Huìjū Sì Xiàyuan, Jiǔhuá Liánshè, and others.

Legend has it that on an ancient plain, there lived a family with one elder, nine sons, and eighty-nine grandchildren. One day, a witch and a sea demon king waged war against the nine brothers, attempting to engulf the plain. This was witnessed by the Big Dipper through a gap in the clouds, who then descended with a luminous staff to join the battle. In an instant, thunder roared and lightning flashed, reducing the two monsters to dust and giving rise to ninety-nine mountain peaks that pierced the clouds, forming what is now known as Jiǔzǐ Mountain, the Mountain of Treasures.

Jiǔzǐ Mountain was covered with money trees. During the Kaiyuan era of the Tang Dynasty, when Jin Qiaojue practiced asceticism here, he often picked clusters of “money” from the trees to build temples. After the temples were completed, incense offerings flourished across the land.

In a year of severe drought when the land cracked like an open-mouthed aoyu (mythical turtle), a golden phoenix flew in from Penglai Island. Each day, it watered the money trees and served tea to the pilgrims. One early morning, as the golden phoenix took flight to fetch water, it happened upon Buddha preaching the Dharma. Bathed in the Buddha’s radiance, the phoenix was immortalized in its eternal form as it soared with wings spread.

On Mount Jiuhua, the higher the mountain, the higher the water. It is said that this water is the celestial spring brought by the golden phoenix from Penglai Island to water the money trees.

Introduction

The trunk of the “Phoenix Ancient Pine” is slightly flat. At three meters high, its branches split into three. The middle branch curves upward, resembling a phoenix raising its head; one branch gently curves downward, like the sweeping tail of a phoenix; and another tilts diagonally, slightly upturned, splitting into two wings as if the colorful phoenix is spreading its wings.

Legend says this pine tree has witnessed over 1,400 years of history and was planted during the Northern and Southern Dynasties by the monk Běidù.

Ticket Information · Opening Hours

None (Opening hours: 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM)

Transportation