Yanshan Scenic Area

Yanshan Scenic Area

The Yanshan Scenic Area is situated on the southern bank of the Luan River in the southern part of Luanzhou Ancient City and serves as a key supporting project of the Luanzhou Ancient City initiative. Officially launched in November 2009, it opened to the public in 2011. The main construction components included the rebuilding of the Yanshan Wenfeng Pagoda and the Bixia Yuanjun Temple, along with the development of scenic area facilities. These supporting facilities primarily consist of the overall site planning, as well as projects such as the mountain gate, scenic pavilions, pedestrian pathways up the mountain, squares, and protective structures. The construction and opening of the Yanshan Scenic Area represent a perfect integration of scenic development with cultural heritage preservation, further enhancing the cultural sophistication and urban character of Luan County while boosting the cultural tourism industry.

Yanshan Wenfeng Pagoda:

Historical records indicate that the Wenfeng Pagoda was initially built around the year 947 during the reign of Emperor Shizong of the Liao Dynasty, making it over 1,000 years old. The original pagoda had 13 stories and eight sides, stood 20 meters tall, and was constructed from brick. It was composed of three parts: the base, the body, and the spire. The base was a Sumeru pedestal made of stone slabs, the body was built from blue bricks, and the pagoda was solid inside. Each of the eight sides on every level featured hanging bells, presenting a majestic sight. The southern face bore the stone carving “Wenfeng Pagoda,” the northern side “Shooting at the Dipper and Ox,” the eastern “Cloud-Laddered Ascent,” and the western “Soaring to the Heavens.” After enduring centuries of wind and rain, the pagoda collapsed during the 1976 Tangshan Earthquake. The rebuilt Wenfeng Pagoda is an octagonal, 13-story, dense-eave style pagoda modeled after Liao Dynasty architecture, standing 32.67 meters tall. The pagoda's structure consists of seven stories, with an inner hollow space, and the lower three stories are open to visitors.