Fengding Mountain

Fengding Mountain, also known as Ehu Mountain, is a branch range of the Wuyi Mountains. It stretches northward from the Fenshui Pass at the Fujian–Jiangxi border and culminates in the scenic area of Ehu. The scenic zone spans a total area of 1,378 hectares, covered in lush forests, alive with birdsong and floral scents, featuring steep peaks, deep valleys, and gurgling springs and waterfalls that bring motion to the tranquility. The poem "The Village Festival" by Tang Dynasty poet Wang Jia, recorded in the anthology *A Thousand Poems*, goes: “At the foot of Ehu Mountain, the rice crops grow fat; pigsties and chicken coops stand facing each other, doors ajar. The mulberry and tung trees cast long shadows as the Spring Festival disperses; every household supports a drunken reveler on their way home.” This vividly depicts the beautiful pastoral scenery and simple folk customs of the area. During the Dali era of the Tang Dynasty, Master Dayi, a disciple of the eminent monk Mazu Daoyi from Hongzhou (modern-day Nanchang), came here to establish a monastery and propagate Buddhist teachings, greatly enhancing the mountain’s fame. The site was honored with an imperial plaque bestowed by Emperor Dezong of Tang, inscribed “Ehu Fengding Chan Monastery,” which was later renamed “Renshou Chan Monastery” during the Jingde era. Owing to its growing renown and strategic location as a key junction of Fujian, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi provinces at the time, the mountain was chosen by Zhu Xi, Lü Zuqian, Lu Jiuling, and Lu Jiuyuan in the second year of the Chunxi reign during the Southern Song Dynasty (1175) for an influential scholarly exchange and debate, historically known as the “Meeting at Ehu.”