Jingxing Qingliang Mountain Scenic Area

Jingxing Qingliang Mountain Scenic Area

Jingxing Qingliang Mountain Scenic Area is a national AA-level tourist attraction.

Qingliang Mountain is located in the western part of Jingxing Mining District, Shijiazhuang City, about 48.5 kilometers from downtown Shijiazhuang. The mountain is primarily composed of Lower Paleozoic limestone. Geologically, it lies on the western edge of the Jingxing Depression. Over millennia, the combined effects of internal and external forces have created a temperate karst landscape. Countless years of wind and rain erosion have endowed Qingliang Mountain with the majestic grandeur of northern peaks as well as the delicate and precipitous charm of southern landscapes. Due to its steep terrain, lush ancient trees, and beautiful scenery, the mountain is dotted with natural caves along its slopes and is home to perennial springs. In the scorching summer, visitors here are greeted by refreshing breezes and a serene atmosphere, making it an ideal summer retreat—hence the name “Qingliang Mountain” (Cool Mountain). According to the *Jingxing County Annals* (1931), Qingliang Mountain “features a massive stone terrace, within which stands a grand temple complex. At the foot of the mountain lies a lovely shallow spring. In seasons of abundant rainfall, the spring flows into a small river—a delightful sight.” This indicates that Qingliang Mountain has long been a renowned scenic site in the Jingxing area.

The mountain stretches from north to south, with its main peak, Haohan Village, rising 888 meters above sea level, serving as a highlight of Qingliang Mountain. The summit is elliptical, protruding nearly 100 meters, surrounded by sheer cliffs that make it difficult to climb. Only on the southeastern side is there a rugged stone path carved along the cliff face, known as the “Stairway to Heaven.” For those undaunted by the challenge, ascending via this path leads to the summit, where one can admire the ethereal Southern Heavenly Gate, the cloud-piercing stone forest, and the perilously steep Beauty Peak.

Looking west from the main peak of Haohan Village, the majestic Qingliang Mountain resembles a vertical cliff wall stretching across the western part of the mining district, known as the “Western Cliff Wall.” The silhouette formed by the mountain ridges resembles a beautiful woman lying on her back, gazing at the sky—an image so vivid and lifelike, especially when illuminated by the glow of sunset, that it becomes even more strikingly realistic and poetic. Hence, Qingliang Mountain is also called Beauty Peak. The reclining goddess’s head towers 100 meters high, and her body stretches over 2,000 meters, making it perhaps the largest natural rock formation of a reclining female figure in the world. By late autumn, the mountain’s fiery red sumac leaves blaze like flames or dusk clouds, creating an exceptionally enchanting scene. Qingliang Mountain also boasts its celestial stone forests of the Southern Heavenly Wonderland, the layers of white clouds above the dreaded Liu Xiu Cave, and the precipitous Stairway to Heaven carved into the vertical cliff walls—all of which leave visitors spellbound.

Qingliang Mountain not only captivates visitors with its breathtaking scenery but also attracts poets and scholars with its numerous mythical legends. Evidence from the many inscriptions and carvings left on the mountain confirms that as early as the second year of the Zhenglong era (1158) during the Jin Dynasty, travelers were already ascending the mountain to enjoy its views. Subsequently, oral literature centered around Qingliang Mountain spread widely among the people.

Qingliang Mountain is a famous Taoist mountain. According to inscriptions on the mountain, a Taoist temple called Baiyun Temple was built here during the Ming Dynasty, presided over by a Taoist priest named Gao Quanxin. Within the Huanglong Temple, the Wutianbao Hall enshrines the Jade Emperor, Laozi, and the Taoist Supreme Deity. Most of the mountain’s temples and pavilions are built along the cliffs, giving the impression of floating in midair. Ascending these structures, visitors standing atop hundred-foot cliffs may feel the ground tremble slightly beneath them, an exhilarating and awe-inspiring experience. White clouds often surround the pavilions, seemingly within arm’s reach.

The temples on Qingliang Mountain are divided into three levels. The first level is entered from the south, passing through a grand hall and a pavilion before reaching the “Merit Temple,” built in the sixth year of the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty (1470). Today, only remnants of the structure remain, with no statues left. Circling upward from here leads to the second level, suspended on the cliff edge. This level consists of three natural caves, the entrances of which once housed various deities, though their exact construction dates are unknown. On the wall of the southernmost and tallest cave is inscribed: “On the second day of the first month in the third year of the Zhenglong era, Chen ×× recorded this here.” Moving southward and circling upward again leads to the mountain’s main temple, the “Jade Emperor Temple.” A cave entrance carved into the cliff features a gate over 6 meters high and 12 meters wide, with the inscription “Baiyun Temple” (White Cloud Temple) across its lintel. Inside, stone tablets stand on either side. To the north lies a large stone terrace, where two massive stone tablets once flanked either side, though their current whereabouts are unknown. The terrace walls are covered with inscriptions and calligraphy dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties. Further north lies the Wutianbao Hall, built from bluestone with soaring brackets and arches. On either side of the main entrance are embedded square stone tablets: the northern one lists the names of benefactors from various counties, villages, and townships, while the southern one records: “The Jade Emperor Hall of the Yuhuang Temple, built by Huanglongxian in the Lingyan Shuangyang Cave of the Baiyun Temple on Qingliang Mountain, Gangtou Village, Dagang Township, Zhengding Prefecture, Zhili Province (modern-day Hebei), Great Ming State. The list of incense donors and nine divine horse riders is recorded below.” Both tablets were erected on the 25th day of the seventh month in the 48th year of the Wanli era (1620). Further north, past another temple gate, once hung an ancient iron bell whose resonant chimes could be heard throughout the surrounding villages—though it is now lost.

Ancient cypresses clinging to cliffs and peculiar peaks and rocks are another unique feature of Qingliang Mountain. In the crevices of the cliffs and around the Jade Emperor Temple grow hundreds of robust juniper trees, some twisting like dragons or phoenixes, others spreading like umbrellas in the clouds—each posture uniquely stunning. The mountain is also scattered with millennia-old stalactites eroded by water, their bizarre shapes resembling birds, beasts, flowers, or fish, limited only by the visitor’s imagination. It is also an excellent spot to view autumn foliage, as the sumac leaves turn fiery red in late fall, dyeing the forests in vibrant hues.

Qingliang Mountain is home to numerous karst caves and mountain springs, which have never dried up despite prolonged droughts. They bring vitality and a mystical aura to the mountain. Recently, a kilometer-long cave was discovered at the mountain’s base, named “Shuilong Cave” (Water Dragon Cave). The cave features uneven terrain, roughly divided into upper and lower levels. The main passage runs east-west, slightly curved, extending deep into the mountain’s core like a slumbering dragon. The cave contains smaller chambers within, with grotesque stalactites, stalagmites, stone pillars, and flowstones dotting its walls, accompanied by the melodious drip of spring water echoing like wind chimes. One of the cave’s most spectacular wonders is the “Taihang Grand Fissure,” a massive crack left by tectonic shifts—a natural scar stretching as far as the eye can see, its full length still unknown. In the summer of 1995, heavy rains caused three streams of water to gush from the cave, creating multiple waterfalls that lasted over a month—an extraordinarily rare phenomenon. A giant dragon head sculpture, 11.5 meters tall, now marks the cave’s entrance. The entrance opens into an artificial lake spanning about 8 acres, allowing visitors to boat into the cave through the dragon’s mouth. The lakeside, adorned with peach blossoms and willows, complements the mountain scenery, while the inscription “Qingliang Shengjing” (Cooling Paradise) on the cliff was penned by Wang Huaiguang, director of the Hebei Academy of Painting.

According to the *Jingxing County Annals*, “In the seventeenth year of the Republic of China (1928), during the Fengtian-Jin War, the Fengtian Army attacked Jin for over a month. Within Jingxing, the fiercest fighting occurred at Hamengbei on Qingliang Mountain in the Western Mountains.” Relics of the battle remain to this day. Additionally, the mountain’s summit bears two legendary marks: one called the “Immortal’s Handprint” and the other the “Yang Erlang Footprint,” both rooted in folklore. Qingliang Mountain is not only strategically rugged and scenically stunning as a summer retreat but also boasts ancient cultural relics of significant historical value.

Address: Western part of Jingxing Mining District, Shijiazhuang City

Type: Mountain

Recommended visiting time: 2 hours

Phone: 0311-82499110

Opening hours:

08:00-17:30

Ticket information:

Door price: 30.0 yuan