Antelope Gorge Forest Park

Antelope Gorge Forest Park

Guangdong Antelope Gorge Provincial Forest Park was established in 2003 with approval from relevant provincial authorities. Located in the eastern suburbs of Zhaoqing, it is 80 kilometers from Guangzhou. Once completed, the scenic area will form a “Golden Triangle” tourist route together with the Seven Star Crags Scenic Area and Dinghu Mountain Scenic Area, realizing the vision proposed by revolutionary predecessor Tao Zhu during his inspection of Zhaoqing.

The two banks of Antelope Gorge are flanked by Lanke Mountain and Antelope Mountain. According to the Wanli-era "Zhaoqing Prefecture Annals" (written by Ye Chunjii, a Juren scholar in the 31st year of the Jiajing reign who rose to the position of Hubu Langzhong), “The Spiritual Sheep — according to ancient local records, there were spiritual sheep in the Gaoyao Gorge Mountains. Whenever they emerged and cried out, wind and rain would follow, hence the gorge was thus named.” It is also called Zhaoqing Gorge. In ancient times, the river course of the West River lay to both the southeast and northwest of Antelope Mountain, forming two gorges known as Shuangyang Gorge. By the Tang Dynasty, the northwest gorge of Antelope Mountain had silted up, becoming a dry gorge, while the southeast gorge was called Lingyang Gorge, later changed from “Ling” (torrent) to “Yang” (sheep), becoming Lingyang Gorge. In the first year of the Baoli era of the Tang Dynasty (825 AD), Li Shen wrote in his "New Records of a Visit to the Stone Chamber" as Antelope Gorge. It is 7.5 kilometers long, 200–400 meters wide, with an average depth of 48 meters and a maximum depth of 77 meters.

Since the Tang Dynasty, Zhaoqing’s “Little Three Gorges” (Antelope Gorge, Dading Gorge, and Sanrong Gorge) have been famous scenic destinations, with Antelope Gorge being an essential stop for literati and poets traveling to Zhaoqing throughout the ages. Notable literary figures such as Yang Heng and Xu Hun of the Tang Dynasty, and Su Dongpo and Li Gang of the Song Dynasty, lingered in Antelope Gorge and left behind numerous poems and writings. Due to its superior natural landscape and rich historical and cultural heritage, it has been rated as one of the “Eight Scenic Spots of Zhaoqing” through the dynasties. During the Qing Dynasty, Li Liangji (style name Quanbai) once composed a poem depicting the sails returning through the gorge: “Several layers of sails hang in the setting sun, myriad cloud-covered cliffs lock the Antelope Gorge. Mountains encircle the river mouth embracing a lone boat, the heavens press down on the tides revealing short masts. Misty shadows embrace the boat amid spring’s green waters, forest hollows moor ropes in dusky haze. By the Wishful Wife Rock, it seems people still dwell, yet more heartrending are the broken oars of returning sails.”

The scenic area also boasts many cultural sites: the Goat Path of Qiaoshan Mountain (an ancient plank road) records the love and tears of the boat trackers; ancient artillery batteries and trenches, utilized in both the Guangdong-Guangxi War and the Anti-Japanese War; the Monument to Anti-Japanese Heroes, cliff inscriptions, the ancient Qingfeng Pavilion stele pavilion, the Tang Dynasty Qiaoshan Temple, the Song Dynasty Longhua Qing, Fubo Gongzi Temple, Wenshu Temple, and other historical ruins all bear witness to history. The “Old Pit Cave Site” at Yanpen, the authentic birthplace of Duan Inkstone — China's renowned inkstone — has been listed as part of the fourth batch of cultural relics protection units in Guangdong Province. The park features a rich variety of natural landscapes: steep mountains, such as Lion Entering the Dragon Gate and Fierce Tiger Entering the Mountain, which strikingly resemble their namesakes; narrow river channels with rapid currents; refreshing river breezes; lush forests on both banks; birdsongs and floral fragrances; cascading streams and waterfalls; misty, dreamlike scenery — all inviting exploration and wonder, leaving visitors enchanted and reluctant to leave. There are also numerous historical legends, such as the Treasure Hidden in Lanke, the Legend of Bao Gong Throwing His Inkstone to Form an Island, the Legend of the Returning Ape from “The Story of Sun Ke,” and the Legend of the Wishful Wife Rock, all of which tell poignant and moving tales that tug at the heartstrings. The Ming Dynasty Zhuangyuan (top imperial examination scholar) from Guangdong, Lun Wenxu, once wrote a poem in memory of the Wishful Wife Rock: “A fair maiden of white stone stands by the sea, the sky her canopy and the earth her bed. The sun, a precious mirror, shines upon her each dawn; the moon, a bright lamp, illuminates her every night. For a thousand years she has not combed her dragon-phoenix coiffure, for ten thousand years she has not changed her silken robes. Pitiful, she never sees her husband’s face, sorrowfully leaning by the river, heartbroken to the core.”

The park perfectly integrates its natural landscapes with rich natural and cultural features, which is truly rare. As Guangdong strives to build itself into a province strong in culture, and Zhaoqing works diligently to create a “Thousand-Li Tourism Corridor,” Antelope Gorge Forest Park stands as a key highlight. Its development and completion will inject boundless vitality into the tourism industries of Zhaoqing and even Guangdong. Star Lake, Dinghu Mountain, Antelope Gorge, and Yan Zhou’s Bao Gong Tower together form a new tourism destination in Zhaoqing. We welcome participation in the park’s construction, valuable suggestions, and joint efforts to explore these abundant tourism resources, providing society with an ideal travel destination blessed with beautiful natural ecology and rich cultural significance.

Source: Guangdong State-Owned Forest Farm Service Center