Xianyue Mountain

Xianyue Mountain

Xianyue Mountain, also known as Dingxian Mountain, stands at an elevation of 351.9 meters in the south of the Ceramic City. From its summit, visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the entire city, as well as the meandering Lushui River, rolling hills, and lush forests. In spring, the azaleas bloom brilliantly, and in autumn, the maple leaves turn fiery red, creating a picturesque landscape.

Legend has it that during the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Ding Lingwei, the magistrate of Jinyang County, resigned from his post to pursue Taoism. He traveled to Liling, where he built a Taoist temple on the mountain south of the city. After attaining enlightenment, he ascended to heaven on a white crane. The mountain was thus named Dingxian Mountain, and the temple Dingxian Temple.

During the Ming Chenghua era (1465–1487), Taoist priest Yao Anchan rebuilt Dingxian Temple. In the Qing Guangxu era (1875–1908), a Medicine King Palace was constructed on the site of the ruined temple. In 1933 (the 22nd year of the Republic of China), the site was converted into the Nanyue Palace, which became the largest temple complex in the region. It was destroyed by Japanese invaders in 1945, rebuilt after Japan’s surrender, and demolished again in 1958. Between 1986 and 2001, devotees donated funds to build the new Huguo Temple, with the front hall as the Heavenly King Hall, the middle hall as the Sacred Emperor Hall, and the rear hall as the Mahavira Hall. On the left side of the front hall lies Dingxian Temple, and the stone plaque inscribed “Dingxian Temple” is a relic from the original temple. On a massive rock (referred to as the Stone Altar in old records) to the left of the Mahavira Hall, weathering and manual carving have formed characters such as “Xianyue Mountain,” “Dingxian,” “Wangxian,” “Zhangxian,” and “Tathagata.”

In 1988, a broadcasting and television transmission tower for Liling City was erected at the mountain’s summit, with its antenna piercing the sky. Halfway up the mountain lies the Laozu Taoist Monastery, a three-section complex with the front section housing the Laozu Hall, the middle section the Sacred Emperor Hall, and the rear section the Three Pure Ones Hall.

In August 2001, the Lianyungang Xianyue Forest Park (provincial level) was established, covering a total area of 1,049.2 hectares.

Attraction Location

No. 143, Hubin North Road, Siming District, Xiamen City, Fujian Province