Ge Hong's Alchemy Site

Ge Hong's Alchemy Site

Ge Hong's Alchemy Site, located on Zao Mountain in ShenTu Town, Zhangpu County, is also known as Dan Mountain or DanZao Mountain. Historical records from ancient times describe it as: “On Zao Mountain in Qidu, with overlapping ridges and peaks hundreds of ren high, spanning forty li in circumference. The mountain is covered with peculiar rocks, including immortal footprints, a stone chessboard, a stone mill, an alchemy furnace, and abundant stoneorchids and polygonatum. It is said to be the place where Ge Hong (also known as Bao Pu Zi) practiced alchemy, hence the name.” Ge Hong, a Taoist priest of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, once lived in seclusion here, cultivating immortality and refining elixirs, eventually attaining enlightenment. Traces of his residence can still be found. Ge Hong was a Taoist theorist and alchemist of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, who styled himself Bao Pu Zi and authored works such as the “Baopuzi.” In the “Inner Chapters of the Baopuzi,” he systematically summarized the achievements of alchemy prior to the Jin Dynasty, providing detailed descriptions of various alchemical methods and offering valuable material for primitive experimental chemistry. His work had a significant influence on the development of alchemy during the Sui and Tang Dynasties. Legend has it that Ge Hong once served as an official in southern Fujian. After discovering this mountain, he retreated into the hills, gathering herbs to help the people, refining elixirs, and writing treatises, earning him deep affection from the local populace. On Dan Mountain, remnants of sites such as the “Immortal’s Cave,” “Immortal Playing the Zither,” “Immortal’s Footprint,” and “Golden Turtle Stealing the Elixir” can still be found. The valleys are imbued with an ethereal Taoist aura, making one feel as though transported back thousands of years through a time tunnel. Locals revere Ge Hong as the “Ancestor of the Immortals” and have built a “Immortal Ancestor Temple” at the highest peak of Dan Mountain to worship him. Villagers and followers from around the region celebrate his birthday every year on the eighth day of the eighth lunar month.

ShenTu Town: Located in the southeastern part of Zhangpu County, ShenTu Town is bordered by Huxi and Chitu townships to the north, Chihu Town to the east, Jiuzhen Town to the west, Zhuyu Salt Field and Liulao Town to the south, and faces Jjiangjun Bay to the southeast. The terrain is higher in the north and lower in the south, with Dongping Village, the highest area, situated at the base of the main peak of Zao Mountain (elevation 580 meters), while the southern area around ShenTu Village consists of marine alluvial plains. The town covers a total area of 701 square kilometers and has an 84-kilometer-long coastline.

ShenTu Town is a major agricultural hub. The town has a total of 40,064 mu of arable land. In recent years, efforts have been strengthened to develop agricultural infrastructure, with a focus on water conservancy projects. The total investment for implementation… Detailed information about ShenTu Town++