Grinding Mirror Platform

Grinding Mirror Platform

The Grinding Mirror Platform is fourteen li from Nanyue Town, facing the Halfway Pavilion across a valley, and lies beneath Yanzi Rock to the south of Zhurong Peak. It is the birthplace of the Southern School of Chan (Zen) Buddhism in China, renowned for the legendary tale of the Tang Dynasty eminent monk Huairang and the monk Mazu Daoyi from Jiangxi engaging in a mirror-polishing contest.

On the Grinding Mirror Platform stands Mazu An, a thatched hut built by Mazu Daoyi when he first came to Nanyue. Behind the platform is the Pagoda of the Seventh Patriarch, which is the tomb of Huairang. Behind the pagoda lies the old mountain path, flanked by a stone tablet inscribed “Huairang Path,” with 206 stone steps. Nearby are relics such as the Longshu Bridge, Guanyin Bridge, Magu Bridge, and a swimming pool. From the Grinding Mirror Platform, one can enjoy a panoramic view of Nanyue Town. Ancient pines twist around the platform, and a deep valley lies before it. A short rest here during midsummer instantly dispels the heat.

The Grinding Mirror Platform is located within the central scenic area of the Halfway Pavilion on Mount Hengshan in Hengyang, a major city in central-southern China. It earned its name from the story of Huairang, the Seventh Patriarch of Chinese Southern Chan Buddhism, who attained enlightenment after witnessing Mazu Daoyi from Jiangxi polishing a brick into a mirror. The site still preserves the carved stone inscription “Ancestral Origin,” marking the very spot where Huairang polished the mirror. Huairang’s tomb remains there to this day, along with an inscribed stela personally written by the Tang Dynasty Prime Minister Pei Xiu, reading “Most Victorious Wheel Pagoda.” The Grinding Mirror Platform has been a gathering place of cultural figures. During the War of Resistance against Japan, Zhou Enlai and Ye Jianying held the Nanyue Guerrilla Cadre Training Class here, and Chiang Kai-shek convened seven top-level military meetings at this location.

The Grinding Mirror Platform is a well-known mountain scenic area in China. As early as the 1930s, it was developed as a villa district for high-ranking officials and elites of the Nationalist Government. To the northeast of the scenic area, a tree-lined asphalt road runs parallel to the Halfway Pavilion, while to the south, a tree-lined gravel road leads to Fuyan Temple and Nantai Temple. From behind Fuyan Temple, a road branches westward, leading directly to Xiling. Roads extend in all directions, and a shortcut stone-paved walking trail leads directly to Tianzhu Peak and the Scripture Depository Hall. The Nanyue Hotel is situated here, featuring seven modern buildings with over 300 beds in total. It serves as a summer retreat on Mount Hengshan, hosting numerous important provincial and national conferences every year, as well as various diplomatic events.

Time Needed

Half an hour

Admission Fee

Included in the general scenic area ticket; no additional charge.

Opening Hours

Peak Season (April–October): 8:00–18:00

Off-Season (November–March): 8:30–17:30

Location

On Mount Hengshan, Nanyue District, Hengyang City, Hunan Province