Wuma Mountain

Wuma Mountain

The Wuma Mountain Scenic Area is located 5 kilometers east of Zanhuang County. To the south, it faces Walong Mountain across the Jishui River, and to the north, it stands opposite Wanhuashan Mountain across the Huaihe River. Stretching about 5 kilometers from north to south and 2 kilometers from east to west, it serves as a natural barrier to the eastern part of Zanhuang County. The main peak has an elevation of 340 meters. From the mountaintop, you can gaze westward at the majestic Taihang Mountain range and eastward at the vast North China Plain. It is the nearest scenic spot to Zanhuang County. Wuma Mountain is a historically significant mountain in Zanhuang. In the second year of the Jianyan era during the Song Dynasty (1128 AD), Ma Kuo, the defender of Hezhou, supported Zhao Zhen, the son of Emperor Huizong of Song and the Prince of Xin, and built a stronghold here to resist the Jin invaders, rallying support from both the He and Yellow River regions. In the sixteenth year of the Jiading era (1223 AD), Peng Yibin, the commander of Daming, fought a major battle against the Mongol army led by Shi Tianze here and died a martyr. The mountain is named after the Five Horse Stones found on it.

Wuma Mountain is part of the Taihang Mountain range extension, with its main body composed of sedimentary quartz sandstone; the eastern side features limestone formations such as Duxiu Mountain and Zhangliang Mountain. The vegetation mainly consists of thorns, Chinese honeylocust, and white wild rye. In ancient times, Wuma Mountain had many structures, all located on its eastern side, including Nanding, Beiding, and Yuhuangding, among which the Junze Gong Temple was the most famous. Most of these buildings were abandoned in the 1930s and 1940s. On the northern cliffs of the mountain, there is the Guanyin Stone Hall, built in the eighth year of the Yuanfeng era during the Song Dynasty (1085 AD).

White Horse Spring is located at Yunling Temple on Wuma Mountain in Zanhuang. The spring water is clear and shallow. Rather than gushing out, White Horse Spring consists of two wells built with light red siliceous sandstone, which is why people also call it the “Paired Wells.” Wuma Mountain has long been a popular site for temple fairs with flourishing incense offerings. Devotees regard this mountain as a branch of the renowned Cangyan Mountain. Every year on the 17th day of the third lunar month and the 15th day of the tenth lunar month, nearby villagers and pilgrims from Yuanshi, Gaoyi, Zhaoxian, and Baixiang flock here to offer incense, along with tourists, often reaching tens of thousands of visitors.