Mingyue Mountain Scenic Area

Mingyue Mountain Scenic Area

Mingyue Mountain Scenic Area is a national AAAAA-level tourist attraction.

The Mingyue Mountain Scenic Area in Wugong Mountain, Jiangxi Province, is situated 15 kilometers southwest of the downtown area of Yichun City in central western Jiangxi. The city is honored as the "China Livable City," "National Garden City," "National Health City," "National Model City for Greening," and "2010 China's Best Leisure and Wellness City." The scenic area covers an area of 136 square kilometers. It consists of 12 peaks, both large and small, with elevations exceeding 1,000 meters, and its main peak, Taiping Mountain, stands at 1,736 meters above sea level. The Mingyue Mountain Scenic Area integrates mountains, rocks, forests, springs, waterfalls, lakes, and bamboo seas, embodying grandeur, wonder, seclusion, peril, and beauty. It holds the title of "World Health Town for Hot Springs" and boasts seven national-level honors: National Scenic Area, National AAAAA Tourist Attraction, National Tourism Resort, National Forest Park, National Geopark, National Natural Heritage Site, and China’s Hometown of Hot Springs. It is also recognized as a National Self-Drive Tourism Demonstration Base, one of China’s Most Influential Forest Parks, and one of China’s First Self-Drive Tourism Statistical Data Collection Points. This mountainous scenic area, which "attracts visitors with moonlit romance and retains them with its ecological beauty," combines eco-tourism, leisure vacations, science education, and religious tourism.

[Moon Culture: Exquisite and Romantic] Mingyue Mountain is named after the moon and has gained fame because of it. Moon culture is the spirit and soul of Mingyue Mountain. The scenic area seamlessly blends moon-themed cultural landscapes with natural scenery, creating an immersive experience where "there is a Moon Lake on the mountain, a Moon Bay at the foot of the mountain, moon scenes along the way, and moon sentiment everywhere." From Moon Bay to Moon Lake, you can fully immerse yourself in the romantic charm of the moon: meeting at Mingyue Square, getting acquainted by the lotus pond under the moon, bonding at the Moon Poetry Stele Forest, making a date in the moonlit bamboo forest, holding hands on the Swinging Moon Bridge, falling in love in the Embracing Moon Pavilion, sealing affection by the Moon-Immersed Pool, connecting with the Old Man Under the Moon, pledging vows at the Moon-Worshiping Altar, and embracing in the Dream Moon Villa. The moon is everywhere, but here it shines brightest. At Mingyue Mountain, you can enjoy the unique and marvelous experience of "the moon moving through the mountain, and the mountain glowing within the moon."

[Stunning Natural Scenery] The Mingyue Mountain Scenic Area features a subtropical humid monsoon climate, with unique landscapes, mild weather, an average annual temperature of around 12°C–15°C, and annual precipitation of 1,800–2,000 mm, making it suitable for the growth of various flora and fauna. It is known as a "natural zoo and botanical garden." Due to well-preserved primitive landscapes and lush vegetation, the area has an exceptionally high negative ion concentration of over 70,000 per cubic centimeter—35 times the national standard—earning it the title of a "natural oxygen bar." The well-developed Tanxia Scenic Area features vast, emerald-green bamboo seas that are refreshing to walk through. The area also boasts five tiers of uniquely shaped and distinctive waterfalls that are truly breathtaking. Among them, the "Cloud Valley Waterfall," with a drop of 120 meters, is the highest in Jiangxi. Other waterfalls such as the "Exquisite Waterfall," "Fish Scale Waterfall," "Jade Dragon Waterfall," and "Flying Ribbon Waterfall" each have their own charm and are incredibly picturesque.

[Long-Standing Zen Buddhist Culture] In the first year of the Tang Dynasty's Huichang era (841 AD), Master Huiyi, founder of the Weiyang School—one of the five major schools of Chinese Zen Buddhism—established Qiyin Temple (later renamed Taiping Xingguo Temple) on Yangshan Mountain in Mingyue Mountain. For over a thousand years since then, continuous Buddhist activities have flourished, spreading the influence of the Weiyang School across the world. It became a renowned ancient Buddhist site in China, attracting monks and visitors from India, Silla (now the Korean Peninsula), Japan, and beyond. Many distinguished historical figures visited and left behind numerous stone tablets and cliff inscriptions. The ancient ginkgo tree, still thriving at the site of the old temple, along with over 100 stupas from Tang, Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties that house the relics of Zen monks, bear witness to this history. All things return to one source, and one should remember their origin. To restore and revive Qiyin Temple and rejuvenate the Buddhist spirit, the Qiyin Chan Temple was rebuilt and completed in September 2011 under the initiative and leadership of Master Yicheng, former president of the Buddhist Association of China. The sight of auspicious clouds surrounding the sacred temple and the sound of bells echoing through dawn and dusk has returned to the serene valleys of Yangshan. The completion of the International Hot Spring Zen Retreat Center will make Yangshan a destination where visitors can cleanse themselves in hot springs and purify their souls through Zen Buddhism.

[Time-Honored Farming Culture] The farming culture of Mingyue Mountain has a long and rich history. The term "terraced fields" originally came from Yangshan Mountain in Mingyue Mountain. The Tiangong Kaiwu, known as the encyclopedia of the 17th century and a comprehensive work on ancient Chinese agricultural technology, was authored by Song Yingxing from Fengxin, Yichun. Today, the Tiangong Kaiwu Park built at the foot of Mingyue Mountain transforms Song’s book into an experiential park that showcases ancient farming technology, offers hands-on traditional crafts, and promotes Chinese farming culture. The park includes three main exhibition halls: the Exhibition Hall, the Participation & Experience Hall, and the Performance Hall. Using modern methods to interpret ancient agricultural and manual technological advancements, the park aims to fully explore Yichun’s profound farming heritage and integrate it with modern tourism, providing visitors with an educational, entertaining, and engaging experience.

The Wugong Mountain–Mingyue Mountain Scenic Area in Jiangxi organically combines moon culture, Zen Buddhist culture, and farming culture, creating a cultural landscape where mountains and the moon blend, Zen and the moon connect, springs and the moon reflect, farming and the moon amuse, and people and the moon rejoice together. It is yet another shining jewel in the development of tourism in Jiangxi.

If you love me, take me to Mingyue Mountain. The romantic Mingyue Mountain warmly welcomes guests from all walks of life to visit, travel, relax, and vacation often.

Further Reading:

· The 29th Batch of National AAAAA-Level Tourist Attractions (October 2015)