Lotus Mountain in Luquan

Lotus Mountain in Luquan

Lotus Mountain is located 2 kilometers west of Luquan City. To the north, it faces the uniquely spectacular Baodu Fortress from afar; to the east lies the North China Plain, while to the south are the Hanzhong Fortress and Tumen Pass; to the southwest is Bai Lu Spring. The entire mountain stretches from north to south, with an elevation of 518 meters, and is a typical synclinal mountain structure. Its upper part is steep and upright, as if carved by knives and axes. When viewed from the eastern plains, it resembles a natural barrier stretching across the sky—an extraordinary sight.

Lotus Mountain belongs to the Taihang Mountain range. The mountain is composed of limestone, and various degrees of stalactite development can be found in caves and recessed areas known as "slab caves." Particularly notable is a cluster of stalactites hanging from a "slab cave" dozens of meters high on the southwestern side of the mountain, which resemble lotus flowers—hence the name Lotus Mountain.

Lotus Mountain and Hanzhong Fortress share the same landform but have different names, separated by a nearly 100-meter gap at the top. Lotus Mountain lies to the north, and Hanzhong Fortress to the south. The eastern and western slopes flanking the gap are lush with vegetation and boast uniquely beautiful scenery. On the eastern slope, there are ancient stone steps carved out for climbing, leading from the mountain foot up to the gap. Below the steps are structures such as the Lingxiao Pavilion, through which the stairs pass. At the gap itself stands the Tongxiao Pavilion. Passing through it, the stairs continue onto the western slope. Following the stairs downward leads to the Goddess Temple and the Sanhuanggu Temple.

The Goddess Temple, also known as the Bixia Shrine, is built on a platform of about three mu, facing south with its back to the north. It consists of a single slope with three rooms, constructed against a recessed "slab cave," making the shrine unique as it is inside the cave. The shrine enshrines Bixia Yuanjun, also called the Bixia Goddess. To the east of the shrine is a round pool with a diameter of 1.5 meters, commonly known as the "Lotus Pond." The famous lotus-shaped stalactite hangs just above the pond. In front of the shrine is a spacious temple courtyard, along with three east-side wing rooms that serve as living quarters for Taoist priests. At the front of the courtyard is a mountain gate. In the yard lie three Qing Dynasty stone tablets, placed to one side.

Hanzhong Fortress, sharing the same landform as Lotus Mountain but with a different name, is even more precipitous and historically more renowned. The Northern Song Dynasty’s “Taiping Yulan” contains an entry on “Hanzhong Mountain”: “The ‘Sui Dynastic Atlas’ states: ‘Hanzhong Mountain is round and steep, commonly called Hanzhong Platform, also known as Tumenkou. Heading west into Jingxing, it leads toward the road to Taiyuan—that is this place. There is also Hanzhong City, where Han Xin stationed his troops after defeating Zhao.’” The Jin Dynasty poet Yuan Haowen also wrote in his poem “New Residence in Luquan”: “From the head of King Han’s Fortress, the view is vast—the entire Zhao region’s grain is scarce.” This shows that its name originates from Han Xin stationing troops here during his campaign against Zhao. According to the Qing Dynasty “Huolu County Annals,” there was also a “Horse-Tying Post” on the mountain, the spot where Han Xin tied his horse.

On the mountainside south of Hanzhong Fortress lies another scenic site—the Laojun Cave. Originally a natural cave, it gained its name when ancient people carved three stone statues inside, including one of Laozi (the Supreme Old Lord), hence “Laojun Cave.” The cave faces south, with a stone arched entrance measuring 3.8 meters wide and 2.7 meters high. The interior plan is L-shaped: it extends 8.1 meters deep from north to south, is 6 meters high and wide; and stretches 40 meters from east to west, standing 2.1 meters high and 4 meters wide. Carved directly opposite the cave entrance on the stone wall are three deities: Laozi and two attendants. In front of the statues is a stone offering table, inscribed with “the eleventh year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty…” and “jointly erected by Tumen Village and Baijiayao of Huolu County, Zhending Prefecture.” From this, it is known that the statues were made during the Ming Dynasty.

In front of the Laojun Cave, there used to be pavilions and halls. The Qing Dynasty “Huolu County Annals” includes an essay titled “Record of the South Tower of Laojun Cave” written by Xie Degui, describing the construction of the pavilion and the seasonal scenery around it. The writing is vivid and is considered a fine piece of literature. The tower originally had two levels: the lower part featured a beamless arched ceiling with three arch doors, connected to the rear of the Laojun Cave, forming a structure with the tower in front and the cave behind. The upper level had a flush-gable tiled roof. On either side of the tower were three auxiliary rooms. Today, the pavilions and halls are all gone, leaving only remnants of walls and foundations. The stone statues inside the cave no longer have heads. A Qing Dynasty stone tablet, originally inscribed with a dragon-claw pine painted by Huagu, the then-county magistrate of Huolu, has been moved to Xitumen Village for preservation.

Transportation Guide

Scenic Area Address: Within Bailuquan Township, Luquan City, Hebei Province

Transit Routes: Take bus routes You 320, You 3, or You 5 within Shijiazhuang City, and get off at the terminal stop.