Zimao Mountain

Zimao Mountain

Zimao Mountain is located southwest of Licheng District and is known as one of the “Four Great Mountains of Quanzhou” along with Qingyuan Mountain, Pengshan Mountain, and Luoshang Mountain. It boasts scenic spots such as the Lingxiao Pagoda and Jinshu Cave, as well as dozens of stone carvings from the Song and Ming dynasties.

The Zimao Mountain range features rolling peaks—some soaring and steep, some meandering and subtle, some delicate as jade, and others charming in their contours. High cliffs in the mountains are graced with waterfalls and the sound of trickling springs. Below the mountain lie lakes such as Zi Lake and Zi Stream, their waters rippling blue, varying in width and twisting gracefully with picturesque charm. The surrounding slopes and wild fields around the lakes are shaded by dense foliage of longan, lychee, waxberry, and persimmon trees, lush and vibrant. The mountain villages below are sparse, serene, and tranquil, far from the hustle and bustle of the city, with fresh air. Being here evokes an immediate sense of a hidden paradise.

Sites within the mountain such as Jinshu Cave, Guyuan Temple, Guyuan Chamber, and Miaofeng Monastery were places where scholars and Taoist priests from the Tang, Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties studied and meditated. Temples such as Baofu Temple, Anfu Temple, Puzhao Temple, and Wuta Rock all bear traces of Buddhist stone carvings and cliff engravings left by sages throughout history. Moreover, the hundred or so uniquely shaped “心” (heart) character stone carvings scattered across the mountain are a remarkable cultural relic wonder in China.

Scattered across the rocks along the hiking trails are many different stone carvings of the “心” character. The origins of these carvings are unknown. Folklore says there are 100 “心” character stones on Zimao Mountain, and whoever finds all 100 will become immortal. According to Shi Xinding, the current abbot of Jinshu Cave on Zimao Mountain, after years of searching the mountain, he has found that 74 “心” character stones still remain.

Stone carvings of the “心” character often appear in Buddhist temples or Taoist shrines across China. By the Ming dynasty, southern Fujian had gradually developed a syncretic religious philosophy combining Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. Lin Longjiang, a native of Putian in the late Ming dynasty, became the leader of the so-called “Three-in-One Teaching,” which had a significant influence. There are quite a few temples in the Quanzhou and Putian areas that embody this syncretism. The existing “心” character stones on Zimao Mountain vary in style, each interpreted differently by the three major religions—Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism—offering diverse insights. Some believe the “心” character stones on Zimao Mountain are primarily Taoist-influenced, syncretic carvings, with each unique structure and inscription carrying distinct meanings.

On the southern side of Zimao Mountain lies a smaller hill called Tiezao Mountain (historically known as Xiulin Mountain), covered with peculiar rocks. Among them is one resembling a flying lion, known as “Flying Lion Stone.” Three massive rocks feature relief carvings of three Buddha statues, while other rocks are inscribed with Buddhist scriptures. A vertical cliff face bears the two large characters “佛国” (Buddha’s Realm). On such a small hill just tens of meters high, there are so many Buddha reliefs, scripture carvings, and cliff inscriptions that it is dubbed the “Buddha’s Realm of Tiezao Mountain.”

Transportation: Take bus No. 9 to get there.

Address: Houcuo Street, Zimao Town, Jinjiang City, Quanzhou

Type: Mountain

Recommended visiting time: 3–4 hours

Opening hours:

8:00-17:30

Ticket information:

Door price: 15.0 RMB