Drum Mountain

Drum Mountain

Drum Mountain, located at the border between Pingshan and Wushan in Datian County, is a lesser-known scenic destination. It gets its name from its shape, which resembles “an immortal embracing a drum.”

Here, you can experience cliffs as steep as those of Huangshan, ridgelines as rugged as those of Huashan, the striking beauty of stone forests, and the charm of highland landscapes. The Kengkou Reservoir shimmers with azure waves, while the Zixi River meanders through emerald waters, surrounded by eerie primeval forests and boundless rolling grasslands.

The main attraction is a flat grassland covering hundreds of acres high up in the mountains. At the center of the plain lies the ruins of an ancient temple, fronted by a small pond. Standing at the site of the temple, facing west, you’ll see the shimmering waters of the nearby Kengkou Reservoir; in the distance, layers of green mountains stretch as far as the eye can see. On the western edge of the drum-shaped ridge, sheer cliffs plunge dramatically, with chilly winds sweeping across. Below the cliffs lies a deep valley filled with ancient, lush trees and a stretch of primeval forest. The valley descends vertically down to National Highway 205, which encircles the mountain. Crossing the highway and climbing over a few small hills will take you to the Kengkou Reservoir—home to China’s first roller-compacted concrete dam—where boating and fishing are endlessly enjoyable. Going upstream along the Zixi River, nestled within its winding bends, stands the widely renowned Lin Family Ancestral Hall. The northern side is embraced by undulating, precipitous mountain ranges, with jagged rock formations dotting the landscape. To the south rises a solitary peak, standing a thousand meters tall and exceptionally steep. Turning to the eastern edge of the drum ridge, you’ll find a two-kilometer-long, steep ridgeline; along the roadside cliff, two stone pillars about seven or eight meters high stand firmly like armored warriors, guarding day and night the only pathway leading up to the top of the drum-like ridge.