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Hongya Mountain Scenic Area

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Hongya Mountain Scenic Area is well-known among devout worshippers and visitors from over ten nearby provinces for the "Temple of the Goddess of Earth" (后土皇帝庙) and its stunning natural scenery. Commonly referred to as "Grandma Temple" or "Houshan Temple," it enshrines the “Heaven-Endorsing, Earth-Governing Goddess.” According to existing inscriptions, the temple was first built in the early Eastern Han Dynasty. Legend has it that when Wang Mang pursued Liu Xiu to the foot of Hongya Mountain, he was saved by the Goddess of Houshan. After Liu Xiu ascended the throne, he decreed the construction of this temple. Through successive expansions by emperors and Taoist devotees, by the time of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the site comprised over 50 palaces and temples, forming a grand Taoist architectural complex, often hailed as the “Largest Temple in North China.” On the first and fifteenth days of each lunar month, worshippers visit to offer incense, with peak numbers on the 15th days of March, July, and October. In 1987, the Houshan Temple was designated as an open Taoist activity site. Over the past decade, numerous pilgrims and local villagers have spontaneously raised funds to restore the religious structures, resulting in 26 temple buildings of various kinds. Since reopening, it has welcomed over 150,000 visitors annually, becoming a key destination for experiencing Taoist cultural heritage. Hongya Mountain features steep terrain, evergreen pines and cypresses, streams winding at its base, the rippling waters of Ma’tou Divine Lake, and year-round snow at its summit. The “Hongya Snowscape” is one of the famous ancient scenic views of Yan.

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Hongya Mountain Scenic Area is well-known among devout worshippers and visitors from over ten nearby provinces for the "Temple of the Goddess of Earth" (后土皇帝庙) and its stunning natural scenery. Commonly referred to as "Grandma Temple" or "Houshan Temple," it enshrines the “Heaven-Endorsing, Earth-Governing Goddess.” According to existing inscriptions, the temple was first built in the early Eastern Han Dynasty. Legend has it that when Wang Mang pursued Liu Xiu to the foot of Hongya Mountain, he was saved by the Goddess of Houshan. After Liu Xiu ascended the throne, he decreed the construction of this temple. Through successive expansions by emperors and Taoist devotees, by the time of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the site comprised over 50 palaces and temples, forming a grand Taoist architectural complex, often hailed as the “Largest Temple in North China.” On the first and fifteenth days of each lunar month, worshippers visit to offer incense, with peak numbers on the 15th days of March, July, and October. In 1987, the Houshan Temple was designated as an open Taoist activity site. Over the past decade, numerous pilgrims and local villagers have spontaneously raised funds to restore the religious structures, resulting in 26 temple buildings of various kinds. Since reopening, it has welcomed over 150,000 visitors annually, becoming a key destination for experiencing Taoist cultural heritage. Hongya Mountain features steep terrain, evergreen pines and cypresses, streams winding at its base, the rippling waters of Ma’tou Divine Lake, and year-round snow at its summit. The “Hongya Snowscape” is one of the famous ancient scenic views of Yan.

Transportation: The Hongya Mountain Scenic Area is located in Matou Village, Liujing Township, 15 kilometers from Yixian County. The road from the Beijing–Baoding Highway to Lijiafen Road is a third-grade highway, while the remaining section consists mostly of fourth-grade roads and hardened rural roads. County public buses reach the Liujing Township government. The distance from Lijiafen Road on the Beijing–Baoding Highway to the mountain’s parking lot is 9.3 kilometers.