Jiugongzhai

Jiugongzhai

Jiugongzhai is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Jiugongzhai is located in Shibanchong Township of this district, 30 kilometers from Lu’an City, covering an area of 15 square kilometers and standing at an elevation of 342 meters. It has two peaks, north and south. The southern peak is commonly known as “Little Fort,” on which stands Ciyun Temple; the northern peak is commonly called “Big Fort,” atop which is Jiugong Temple, also known as Gaofeng Temple. This fort was first built during the Yuan Dynasty and is a historically renowned mountain. “The Nine Peaks Towering Gracefully” is one of the ancient Eight Scenic Spots of Lu’an. This mountain is also a sacred Buddhist site, with the Jiugong Sacred Realm having been revered by numerous devotees since ancient times, with incense burning continuously. Due to its strategic and precipitous terrain, guarding the gateway to the Dabie Mountains, it has also been a fiercely contested stronghold among military strategists.

Originally named Jiugong Mountain, according to the Lu’an Prefecture Records from the Ming Dynasty’s Jiajing era: “Jiugong Mountain is seventy li southwest of the prefecture, nine hundred zhang high, with nine rocks on the summit resembling human figures, hence the name.” It is one of the scenic areas in Anhui Province.

Jiugongzhai boasts numerous fascinating attractions, with over 70 major and minor sites. Key attractions include: Gaofeng Temple, Ciyun Temple, Phoenix Pine, Qingying Bridge, Huamei Valley, Wild Boar Forest, Thunder Stone, Chessboard Stone, Thunder Cave, South Heaven Gate, Scenic Overlook Platform, Water-Dripping Guanyin, Bamboo Sea Waves, Gazing Buddha, Twin Rivers Clear Flow, Jade Lake Emerald Scoop, and “Buddha’s Light Auspicious Shine,” among others.

I. Naming of Attractions

(1) Along the Route After Entering the First Gate

1. The three large characters “Jiugongzhai” are inscribed on the front of the gate. “Jiugong” refers to the Bearded One, White-Browed One, Drooping-Eared One, Long-Haired One, Long-Armed One, Wide-Mouthed One, Beautiful-Eyed One, Straight-Nosed One, and the Lame One.

2. To the right of the gate are two hills, the front one being Azalea Ridge and the back one Orchid Ridge.

3. The small stream to the left inside the gate is called Diyun Stream.

4. A thousand-year-old tree located 200 meters west after entering the gate is named Phoenix Pine.

5. The planned three-tiered dam overflow area is called Liucui Pu.

(2) Along the Route After Entering the Second Gate

1. The three large characters “Jiugong Songxiu” (The Nine Peaks Towering Gracefully) are inscribed on the front of the gate.

2. A bridge not far inside the gate is called Qingying Bridge.

3. About 500 meters west past the bridge, the planned statue of Jiugong is named Jiugong Building the Mountain.

4. The bamboo forest in the northwest direction is called Bamboo Sea Waves.

5. A rock formation about 500 meters along the mountain path is called Thunder Stone.

6. Turning left along the mountain path, there is a small path leading to a monkey-shaped rock called Ape Face Stone.

7. The small temple is named Yingmen Temple.

8. The planned teahouse is called Lintong Studio.

9. A stone pit containing a pool of clear water is called Jiumu Pool.

10. The stone block engraved with a Go board is called Chessboard Stone.

11. The stone gate that must be passed to reach Gaofeng Temple is called South Heaven Gate.

12. The pavilion housing the statue of Wang Lingguan is called Lingguan Hall.

13. From Lingguan Hall, looking at the cliff of Gaofeng Temple, there is a giant human-like rock, named Gazing Buddha.

14. A stone pit on the cliff behind Gaofeng Temple is called Jiugong Pool.

15. On Xishi Gang to the southwest of Gaofeng Temple, a pavilion is planned to be built and named Wangyue Pavilion.

16. The two scenes to the west and downward are named Water-Dripping Guanyin and Thunderous Cave.

17. Descending along Shixi Gang to the mountainside, you can see a mountain formation resembling a —, named Golden Toad Playing Companion.

18. Walking eastward along the small path on the southern hillside, there are two scenic spots named Lovers' Rock and Big Dragon Well.

19. A planned lookout tower at the former site of Ciyun Temple is named Panorama Platform; at the top of Panorama Platform, telescopes are installed to view landscapes in all directions, both near and far. The nearby sights include: to the south “Twin Rivers Flowing Clear,” to the east “Layered Forests and Peaks,” to the north “Jade Lake Holding Emerald,” and to the west “Buddha’s Light Auspiciously Shining”; the distant views are to the south “Peaks Competing in Beauty,” to the east “Ancient Town in Similar Grace,” to the north “Barracks Hidden in Green,” and to the west “Solitary Mountain in Mist.”

(3) Descending along the ecological corridor

1. The stone scenes from top to bottom are named Tiger-Hiding Cave, Three-Turtle Rock, Wind-Moving Stone, Number One Scholar Stone, and Watchtower Cliff.

2. The ecological forest areas on the return route are named in order as Thrush Valley, Wild Boar Woods, Pheasant Ridge, Python Gully, and Red Maple Forest.

(4) Naming of service facilities

1. Zhaiwa Reservoir is named Jiugong Lake.

2. The planned reception center is named Jiugong Mountain Villa.

3. The planned commercial center is collectively named Yun'ai Commercial Corridor; its individual shops uniformly adopt the following names: Weilan, Yun Dai, Ting Quan, Xiang Lu, Han Xiao, Dan Feng, Liang Zhai, Tan You, Ming Zhen, Ming Cui, Qin Luo, Wang Ta, Le Lin, Mu Feng, Qiao Qing, Tian Ge, Cai Lu, Duo Ying, etc.

4. The “farmhouse stay” residences are uniformly named: Lüyuan Ju, Tianran Ju, Zhu Ying Lou, Yin Song Lou, Rui Xiang Cun, Dujuan Ge, Qingfeng Ge, Pin Dai Zhuang, Wen Ying Tang, Shuang Ye Wu, etc.

Scenic spot couplets

Main gate

The road enters the pine gate, accumulating jade hues

The spring sings at the emerald screen, playing jade-like tones

Second gate

Do not say Pishui is only about water

It's better to say here you can admire the mountains

Ancient temple famous couplet

The high peak hosts a hundred thousand worshippers who visit all four seasons

Ciyun Temple is cradled by three loops of jade belts adorning Jiugong

Pavilion (1)

Ancient moss seals the path, the pavilion catches the moon

New bamboo shoots emerge from the rock, the bamboo veiled in mist

Pavilion (2)

Fragrant flowers, bees sing on the ground

Quiet woods, birds chat under the sky

Pavilion (3)

Gazing at fishing lights by night, knowing rafts are moving

Egrets fly at dawn over the river beach as the sun rises.

The Water-Dripping Guanyin.

Guanyin observes colors and scenic beauty.

Dripping dew, rain, and holy spring water.

Phoenix Pine · Thunderbolt Stone.

The path leans on the old pine where the phoenix seeks its mate.

The thunder-split cliff stone unites yang and yin.

Thunder Cave · Wind-Moving Stone.

Thunder echoes even without lightning in Thunder Cave.

The stone moves when the wind blows — the Wind-Moving Stone.

Chessboard Rock.

Immortal sages play chess, but you need not watch.

Sit on the strange rocks and enjoy the breeze.

Clear Shadows Bridge.

Jade belts and emerald shallows cascade in three tiers.

A mysterious, deep stream ascends in a single step.

Mountain climbing scenery.

Bamboo dew, pine winds, and azalea rains.

Bronze bells and wooden fish chime like metal and stone.

High Peak Temple View.

The sound of bells and Buddhist music echoes through the ancient temple.

Pagoda silhouettes and heron shadows blend into the Pi River source.

Thrush Valley.

Birds sing and flowers bloom in the quiet valley.

Poetic charm and picturesque beauty within a colorful screen.

Shibanchong Township: Located in the southwest of Yu’an District, Lu’an City, on the upper reaches of the Lao Pi River, about 30 kilometers from the urban area, facing Su Bu across the Lao Pi River. It covers an area of 50 square kilometers, governs 9 administrative villages, 85 villager groups, and has a population of 24,000. The arable land area is 10,655 mu, with per capita arable land less than 0.5 mu. There are 19,000 mu of suitable forested mountain areas.

Shibanchong is surrounded by water on three sides and backed by mountains on one. It is part of the sacrifice zone of the Hengpai Tou Water Conservancy Hub Project. The three upstream villages are in the submerged area, while the five downstream villages are in the flood discharge zone. The entire township has no gravity-fed irrigation areas and is prone to both drought and flooding. Heng... Detailed information on Shibanchong Township ++