Guanshan Scenic Area

Guanshan Scenic Area

Guanshan Scenic Area is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Guanshan Scenic Area, a national AAA-level tourist attraction, is situated within the Cangma Mountain Provincial Scenic Spot. It borders the sea to the east, facing Lianyungang’s Huaguo Mountain, and lies beside the clear waters of the Shu River to the west. As one of the peaks of the Cangma Mountain range, its main peak stands at an elevation of 288.2 meters. To the west is Ma Mountain, and to the north is Yanwu Mountain; the two peaks stand opposite each other in a saddle shape. It is named after a peculiar peak formed by a huge rock on the northern side of the main peak, which rises to an elevation of 299.5 meters and resembles the crest of a phoenix. People standing atop the Cangma Mountains at dawn and watching the sunrise over the sea, with the sky ablaze in red clouds, see Guanshan enveloped in a mystical golden glow, shining brilliantly like the sun—hence it is also called Taishan (Great Mountain). According to the inscription on the stele of the Dongpan Guanyin Buddhist Temple, Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty visited this mountain during the Jiachen year of his reign and had the Taishan Temporary Palace built here, though only ruins remain today. The Guanshan Immortal Cave is a prime example of its legendary past. With its serene and beautiful environment, Guanshan became widely known as the place where immortals such as Yin Xi—a disciple of Laozi, the founder of Taoism and transmitter of the Dao De Jing—and other eminent figures throughout history including Xu Ze, Zhang Liang, and Xu Shu—cultivated themselves and attained immortality.

The Guanshan Immortal Cave Scenic Area is an important part of the Linshu Cangma Mountain Provincial Scenic Spot. “Guanshan Fairyland” and the region’s foremost scenic wonder among the “Eight Scenic Spots of Yizhou,” “Layered Greenery of Cangshan Mountain,” not only boast breathtaking natural scenery but also carry profound historical and cultural significance, together forming the splendid natural and human landscapes of southeastern Shandong. It borders the sea and faces Huaguo Mountain to the east, leans against Cangshan Mountain and the Shu River to the west, and is backed by Yanwu Mountain to the north. On the northern side of the mountain’s summit is a peculiar peak formed by the uplift of a massive rock, with the main peak reaching an elevation of 299.5 meters. Its shape resembling the crest of a phoenix gives the mountain its name, Guanshan. Before the devastating Ju-Tan Earthquake of 1668, it was said that people standing atop the Cangma Mountains at dawn, watching the sunrise over the sea with the sky full of red clouds, would see the serene Guanshan Mountain, isolated in the ocean, bathed in a mystical golden light, shining brilliantly like the sun—thus it was called Taishan. According to the stele of the Dongpan Guanyin Buddhist Temple, Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty visited the mountain in the Jiachen year and had the Taishan Temporary Palace constructed here, although only ruins remain. As the saying goes, “A mountain need not be high—it is famous for its immortals.” Guanshan has become world-renowned for attracting eminent figures such as Yin Xi, a disciple of Laozi (the founder of Taoism and transmitter of the Dao De Jing), as well as Xu Ze, Zhang Liang, and Xu Shu, who cultivated themselves in its peaceful and elegant natural surroundings and attained immortality.

The Immortal Cave, also known as the Fairy Cave, is located on the northern side of Guanshan’s main peak and consists of two cave chambers arranged vertically, one above the other. It faces the sea. Legend has it that Han Dynasty military strategist Zhang Liang and the famous Three Kingdoms general Xu Shu successively cultivated themselves here and became immortals, hence the name Immortal Cave. The upper and lower caves are about several meters apart. Ancient relics remain inside the caves. The “Linyi County Annals” describe it as being “no more than ten square meters in volume, yet containing naturally formed stone beds and chairs that are smooth and glossy, as if often used by people.”

It is worth mentioning that during the War of Resistance against Japan, Comrade Liu Shaoqi, the people’s leader, stayed in Dongpan Village at the foot of Guanshan while inspecting and guiding work in Shandong. One day in May, Comrade Shaoqi climbed Guanshan with great interest. Deeply moved by the serene natural beauty before him, he gladly inscribed the eight elegant characters “Guanshan Fairyland, Blessed Land of Caves and Heavens” at the entrance of the Immortal Cave. He also remarked humorously with a smile, “If we all work together, once our cause succeeds, I too will become an immortal.” As time passes, the image and laughter of the people’s leader remain as fresh as the Guanshan Fairyland, becoming a much-told anecdote.

Changchun Temple is nestled in the embrace of the rising sun, situated between Guanshan and Yanwu Mountains, covering an area of nearly 100 acres. It is surrounded by cliffs on its eastern, western, and northern sides, with deep forests and blue streams, and blessed with drifting auspicious clouds. Luo Cheng, a general of the Sui and Tang rebel forces, once trained troops here. To this day, remnants such as a military drill platform, a general mustering platform, and fortress walls at the mountaintop can still be found. It is said that after General Luo rebuilt the temple on the foundation of Changchun Temple, it was renamed...

“Yanwu Temple.” During the Song and Yuan dynasties, Qiu Chuji, the renowned founder of the Longmen Sect of Taoism, preached and chanted scriptures here and styled himself “Changchun Zi” (Master of Eternal Spring). The temple houses structures such as the “Three Pure Ones Pavilion,” the Thousand Buddha Pagoda, and the Scripture Lecture Platform. The “Continued Linyi County Annals” records: “The Three Pure Ones Pavilion has two ginkgo trees.” One of them is located within the courtyard of Changchun Temple and remains well preserved to this day. It is over 2,100 years old, stands 24 meters tall, has a trunk about 7 meters in height, and a maximum circumference of 7.7 meters—so thick that it takes five people to encircle it. Its branches are lush, providing shade over 200 square meters. A stele from the eighth year of the Great Jin era (227 AD) records that the tree was planted by Xu Ze, making it the oldest ginkgo tree in Linyi City. The other tree stands about 20 meters outside the front wall of the temple. An ancient stele states that this tree was “planted by Yin Xi.” It has a history of nearly 2,500 years. This tree was destroyed during the war turmoil of the 1940s. A decade later, a new sprout emerged from its roots. This is the ginkgo tree in front of the temple, now standing 21 meters tall with a diameter of 1 meter, upright and thriving. It vividly embodies the Taoist cosmological view that “all things in the universe are ever-living, endless, and cyclical.” The eminent contemporary painter Mr. Zhang Wenjun, upon seeing this ancient, weather-beaten tree, remarked with deep emotion: “This is a living fossil of our nation’s historical culture, and it should be cherished and protected with utmost care.”

Guanyin Buddhist Temple, also known as Yiyang Guanyin Monastery, is located by the Lotus Bay of Phoenix Terrace on the sunny southern side of Guanshan within the Linshu Cangma Mountain Provincial Scenic Spot in southeastern Shandong. Originally built during the Sui and Tang dynasties, it is a renowned ancient temple celebrated far and wide. It primarily enshrines the Buddha, Guanyin Bodhisattva, and the Eighteen Arhats. Local folklore says that praying here is especially efficacious, with prayers answered and wishes fulfilled. Temple inscriptions record that even before the Song and Yuan dynasties, Guanyin Buddhist Temple was a highly prestigious Buddhist sacred site, enjoying immense incense offerings and throngs of devotees. Between the sixth year of the Yuanyou era of the Yuan Dynasty (1346 AD) and the nineteenth year of the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty (1893 AD)—a span of 600 years—the temple was renovated five times by both government and private efforts, attesting to its significant status. Starting in 2003, Mr. Li Peimei, a well-known local figure, strove to rescue the nation’s historical and cultural heritage and promote Buddhism. Traveling across the country, he sought guidance from multiple Buddhist scholars and invested over 4 million yuan—his life savings from running his own stone company—for many years—to restore the 120-acre Yu Sheng Yuan (provisional name) Guanyin Buddhist Temple on the original site. Mr. Li frankly stated, “I do not seek to leave vast wealth for my descendants, but hope the Buddha’s light will shine upon all beings.” He resolutely donated the temple to the Buddhist Association to express the devout faith and reverence of believers toward the Dharma.