Baihuayan (White Flower Rock)

Baihuayan

Baihuayan is one of the three famous rocks in Guangfeng, perched atop a high mountain at the junction of three provinces. A solitary peak rises abruptly, with the rock face standing about a hundred meters tall. From the summit, the view is expansive — you can see across three provinces, taking in vast stone forests and deep, serene gorges. The Ming Dynasty literary scholar Lü Huai once studied here and inscribed the three characters “Bai Hua Yan” (White Flower Rock) on the top of the rock. During the reign of Emperor Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty, County Magistrate Fu Erbao inscribed the four characters “Bie Yi Dong Tian” (A Unique World Apart), along with other inscriptions left by literati through the ages, including “A Blessed Land Beyond the Ordinary,” “Now at the True Immortal Buddha Rock,” “The Finest Peak in the Southeast,” and a five-character regulated poem by Lü Huai.

The “Guangfu Temple” within the rock was first built during the Tang Dynasty, having been destroyed and rebuilt many times. The current structure dates back to the Qing Dynasty. Outside the temple gate stands the famous “Four Echo Valley,” nestled against the cliff face — a shout here will produce four distinct echoes. On the wall behind the main hall, a complete set of Ming Dynasty murals is preserved to this day, depicting the Twenty-Four Immortals with vivid expressions and lively forms. These murals hold significant historical and artistic value.