Dahengshan Scenic Area

Dahengshan Scenic Area

The Dahengshan Scenic Area is located in Mingnan Subdistrict Office. It is a national-level natural ecological forest, bordering three counties (cities) and seven towns. Stretching from northwest to southeast, it is 13 kilometers from downtown Mingguang and 4 kilometers from Mingnan Subdistrict. Atop the mountain stands an ancient tower from the Ming Dynasty, while at its foot lies a unique geological formation—the Red Stone Gorge.

I. Dahengshan

Covering an area of 15 square kilometers with an elevation of 234 meters, Dahengshan features gentle slopes and picturesque scenery that embodies the essence of "ancient, mystical, serene, and surreal." It is known for its "Four Antiquities" and "Eight Scenic Spots." The "Four Antiquities" refer to the Ancient City, Ancient Temple, Ancient Tower, and Ancient Well. The "Eight Scenic Spots" include Eagle’s Beak, Immortal’s Cave, Lovers’ Slope, Five-Finger Valley, Training Ground, Dragon Spring, Depression, and West Lake View.

II. Danxia Landform

Located in Dahengshan, Mingnan Subdistrict, the Danxia landform is a type of red-bed formation characterized by extensive development of "red cliffs and steep walls." It forms unique landforms such as flat-topped, steep-sided mesas, stone walls, stone peaks, and stone pillars with gently sloping bases. These diverse rock formations create a highly scenic landscape of great aesthetic value, earning it the reputation of a true "Red Stone Park."

III. Fahua Chan’an Pagoda

Also known as Xingci Pagoda, it is situated halfway up Dahengshan in Hengshan Township, Mingguang City. According to the Supplement to Chuzhou Annals, “Dahengshan spans two counties—Chuzhou and Dingyuan—covering an area of twenty li, with the eastern half belonging to Chuzhou, where the Banshiping Temple is located.” Banshiping Temple, also called Fahua Chan’an, lends its name to the pagoda. Built in the 10th year of the Zhizheng era during the Yuan Dynasty (1350), the Fahua Chan’an Pagoda is a brick tower designed in the style of a wooden pavilion structure. About 160 meters southwest of it stands a smaller pagoda, commonly known as the "Little Pagoda," which is a hexagonal, seven-story brick-and-stone structure without any inscriptions or records of its construction date. As a Yuan Dynasty Buddhist pagoda, this is the only one discovered so far in our province and provides invaluable material evidence for studying Yuan Dynasty architectural styles. In 1986, it was designated as a Provincial-Level Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit by the Anhui Provincial Government.

IV. Daxinzhuang Watchtower

The Daxinzhuang Watchtower is located in Daxin Village, Mingnan Subdistrict Office, covering an area of approximately 200 square meters. It consists of two courtyards with six rooms in total—three in the front courtyard and three in the rear. Built by a local wealthy merchant named Xin Shumiao, the structure preserves architectural styles from the late Qing Dynasty to the early Republican period. It later suffered severe damage. In 2012, the municipal government restored the watchtower following the principle of preserving its original appearance and opened it to the public free of charge.