Maji Mountain Scenic Area

Maji Mountain Scenic Area

Maji Mountain Scenic Area is a national AAA-level tourist attraction.

Maji Mountain Scenic Area is located 10 kilometers north of Junan County, covering an area of 50 square kilometers with the main peak standing at an elevation of 662.2 meters. It is an important part of the Junan Reclining Buddha Scenic Spot and a radiant jewel and vibrant blossom among the magnificent landscapes of Mengshan and Yishui.

Maji Mountain rises abruptly from the ground, majestic and imposing, with a grand aura. Surrounded by emerald waters, the mountain hues blend seamlessly with the lake reflections, shimmering and hazy, resembling a fairyland scene. The area features undulating green ridges, steep and elegant peaks, strikingly unique rocks scattered across the landscape, perilous cliffs and precipitous walls, deep valleys echoing with gushing springs, high waterfalls shrouded in mist and clouds, lush pines and cypresses covering the mountainsides, intertwined vines, competing mountain flowers, and birds singing in chorus. The mountain’s grandeur, the rocks’ peculiarity, the peaks’ steepness, and the scenery’s beauty are truly rare both in China and abroad, giving rise to the sayings of “Four Wonders,” “Four Oddities,” and “Four Beauties.”

　The Four Wonders are: reeds growing on Horse-Mouth Rock, thousands of silver fish swimming in the Heavenly Lake, green-backed and red-bellied toads, and black soil on the mountaintop with no visible bottom.

　The Four Oddities are: Maji Mountain resembles the Tiantai Mountains from all four sides, the mountaintop is shorter than the mountainside, tens of thousands of huge boulders seem to have fallen from the sky, and red wildflowers bloom all over the mountain like those in northern Shaanxi.

　The Four Dangers are: seventy-two Eagle-Sorrow Ravines where even soaring eagles take three days to fly through; eighty-one Sky-Supporting Peaks, each towering into the clouds; thousand-foot cliffs as if cut by knives, which even monkeys fear to approach; and ten-thousand-zhang sheer cliffs that seem to roll down like curtains, chilling even the hearts of immortals.

　The Four Beauties are: emerald waters on three sides and mountains on four, cascading springs and waterfalls hanging across the land, sea of clouds lifting the red sun, and ancient pines and vines resting with the moon.

　Maji Mountain boasts breathtaking scenery and numerous attractions, including the General’s Platform, Star-Observing Platform, Yangguang Gorge, Chessboard Array, the former site of Ganlu Temple, Golden Toad Spring, Golden Turtle Offering Auspiciousness, the azure waters of the Heavenly Lake, Martial Arts Stone, and Nuwa Stone.

The most eye-catching feature is undoubtedly the symbol of Maji Mountain—Horse-Mouth Rock. This landmark consists of three massive natural stones, each nearly 100 meters tall, stacked together. It gets its name from its resemblance to the open mouth of a neighing horse. Viewed from afar, it stands proudly at the highest point on the southern side of the mountain. About a hundred feet above the ground, the rock rises abruptly with sheer cliffs on all sides, yet it is covered with dense reeds that resemble the mane of a steed—hence the origin of the character “鬐” (mane) in the mountain’s name. Through the changing seasons, these reeds have thrived luxuriantly for millennia, leaving visitors from around the world amazed and full of praise.

　The Heavenly Lake at the foot of Maji Mountain boasts a vast expanse of water, covering an area equal to three West Lakes. With its misty waves and pure, sweet water, it resembles a sapphire-blue skirt adorning Maji Mountain, enhancing its exceptional beauty. The lake is home to precious birds such as swans, wild geese, mandarin ducks, and cormorants, making it a natural wildlife reserve.

Maji Mountain rises abruptly from the ground, majestic and imposing, with a grand aura. It is surrounded by the azure waters of the Heavenly Lake, which is larger than three West Lakes. The mountain hues blend seamlessly with the lake reflections, shimmering and ethereal, resembling a fairyland scene.

Maji Mountain features undulating green ridges, steep and elegant peaks, strikingly unique rocks scattered across the landscape, perilous cliffs and precipitous walls, deep valleys echoing with gushing springs, high waterfalls shrouded in mist and clouds, lush pines and cypresses covering the mountainsides, intertwined vines, competing mountain flowers, and birds singing in chorus.

Maji Mountain boasts breathtaking scenery and numerous attractions, the most eye-catching of which is the symbol of the mountain—Horse-Mouth Rock. This landmark consists of three massive natural stones, each about 80 meters tall, stacked together. It gets its name from its resemblance to the open mouth of a neighing horse. At an elevation of 535 meters, it stands proudly at the highest point on the southern side of the mountain. Legend has it that during Yue Fei’s battle against the Jin invaders, despite his remarkable military achievements, he was betrayed and executed by the treacherous Qin Hui at the Wind and Wave Pavilion. His loyal steed, the White Dragon Horse, neighed in grief and fury, galloped here with Yue Fei’s spirit, and turned into this stone, its head raised toward the southern sky, never forgetting the fight against foreign aggression. Even today, locals claim to hear the mournful neigh of the horse late at night. For millennia, people have revered Horse-Mouth Rock as a sacred site, with many heroic individuals drawing inspiration from it to strive forward.

Horse-Mouth Rock rises 80 meters above the ground, and its surface is covered with dense reeds that resemble the mane of a steed—hence the origin of the character “鬐” (mane) in the mountain’s name. Through the changing seasons, the reeds thrive luxuriantly, leaving visitors from around the world amazed and full of praise.

The Heavenly Lake at the foot of Maji Mountain boasts a vast expanse of water, misty and boundless, with pure, sweet water. It resembles a peacock-blue battle robe adorning Maji Mountain, enhancing its majestic and graceful beauty. The lake is home to precious birds such as swans, wild geese, mandarin ducks, cormorants, and cranes, making it a natural wildlife reserve. Taking a speedboat around the lakeshore takes over two hours. The white waves stirred up by the boat resemble dragons surging through the water. Fish swim freely beneath the surface, and small boats carrying anglers drift across the lake, allowing visitors to forget the noise of the mundane world and feel as though they are in a heavenly paradise.

Maji Mountain is a magical mountain, as well as a heroic one. Yang Miaozhen, a heroine of the Southern Song Dynasty who resisted the Jin invaders, established her base here with an army of 100,000 elite soldiers, composing a heroic anthem proving that women can be as capable as men. To this day, the mountain still bears her hand-carved cliff inscription: “In the ninth year of Jiading, Lady Sanniang established her camp here at the foot of the mountain.” This is a nationally protected historical relic. At the mountaintop, there are ruins of Ganlu Temple, old military camps, stone mills and rollers used in daily life, remaining stone tablets, and ancient city walls. All of these evoke a deep sense of historical wonder among visitors.

Maji Mountain boasts rich vegetation, including wildflowers like Shandan (a type of poppy), azaleas, rhododendrons, winter jasmine, forsythia, creeping figs, and more. It is also home to over 300 types of valuable medicinal herbs recorded in the Compendium of Materia Medica. The area shelters rare birds and animals, such as golden toads with green backs and red bellies, transparent native silverfish, wild pigeons, pheasants, raccoon dogs, and otter rabbits. There are also trees, shrubs, and vines that even forestry professors struggle to identify. The fresh air makes visitors feel as though they’ve entered a giant oxygen bar.

The beauty of Maji Mountain Scenic Area is beyond the power of any words found in the Cihai (Chinese Encyclopedia) to describe; its splendor surpasses any masterpiece painted by artists throughout history. Come and see for yourself—you’ll be amazed to discover such stunning landscapes and breathtaking scenery in our great land, leaving you feeling spiritually uplifted and reluctant to leave.