Qishan Guan Village

Qishan Guan Village

A provincial-level featured tourism village. Located at the foot of Qishan Mountain, a provincial forest park. It is home to the beautiful myth and legend “The Rotten Chessboard on Qishan,” celebrated through the ages; the wild cursive calligraphy “Mystery of Mysteries” inscribed by Xue Suo, a successful candidate in the imperial examinations during the Ming Dynasty; and a Taoist temple where Daoist Qiu Chuji of the Song Dynasty once meditated. Qishan is an extension of the Culai Mountain range, stretching from north to south, with its highest peak at an elevation of 596 meters. At the mountaintop, there are giant stone chess pieces, a stone chessboard, and a “Rotten Chessboard” scenic spot formed by diabase intrusions.

Qishan Guan Village gets its name from the “Guan” (Taoist temple) and is also one of the birthplaces of Taoist culture. Today, many Taoist temples still remain in the village. The Back Palace of Qishan and the Jade Emperor Temple are somewhat well-known locally, among which the Jade Emperor Temple is the most unique. A temple fair is held here every year on the 18th day of the third lunar month. Currently, the Taoist architecture and grotto complexes of Qishan are still well preserved. The Xue Suo Stele located west of the village is one of the representative structures of Taoist cultural architecture. The stele stands 3.13 meters high, 1.18 meters wide, and 0.42 meters thick. On the front side is inscribed the four running-cursive characters “Mystery of Mysteries,” written by Xue Suo, a famous calligrapher of the Ming Dynasty who called himself a “Taoist.” His brushwork is uniquely archaic, his style bold and unrestrained, with strokes soaring like dragons, leaving viewers to believe only an immortal could have created it.

The name “Qishan” includes both “Guan” (pronounced guàn, fourth tone) and “Qi” (chess). Coming to Qishan Guan, you will naturally see two peaks—these are the Qishan mountains, and the space between them is known as “Chess Piece Valley.” On the northern rocky face of Chess Piece Valley, there is an oval-shaped sandstone that closely resembles a chess piece. Even more interestingly, beneath the Chess Piece Stone lies a massive flat rock, whose fissures form a grid across the surface, resembling a giant chessboard. It is this natural chessboard that gave rise to the touching legend of “The Rotten Chessboard on Qishan.”

Aside from the beautiful legend of “The Rotten Chessboard on Qishan,” what attracts people the most is the “Qishan Stir-Fried Chicken.” With its rich flavor, rustic charm, and great value, Qishan Stir-Fried Chicken draws food lovers from all directions. The dish uses free-range local chickens raised in the woods, slaughtered fresh, and slow-cooked over a small fire with firewood. Visitors sit around tables under the shade of trees, enjoying the mountain and water scenery while savoring the delicious stir-fried chicken—a truly unique experience.

Address: Qishan Guan Village, Lixin Town, Laiwu City

Featured Scenery: At the mountaintop, there are giant stone chess pieces, a stone chessboard, and a “Rotten Chessboard” scenic spot formed by diabase intrusions

Tour Route: Qishan Guan – Xuan Zhi You Xuan Stele – Chess Piece Stone

Supporting Service Facilities:

Under construction

Visitor Service Center: Under construction