Chaozhou Golden Hill

Chaozhou Golden Hill

Golden Hill, also known as Jincheng Hill, is located in the northern part of the city area, facing the Han River, with an elevation of 60 meters. It earned its name due to its shape resembling an inverted cauldron. During the Tang and Song dynasties, Golden Hill served as the site of the prefectural and state administrative offices.

Cliff inscriptions are one of the hill’s scenic highlights, with 30 surviving engravings that serve as travel records, historical accounts, landscape descriptions, or poetic verses. Among them, the Song Dynasty calligraphy of the famed master Mi Wuzhang on the western side of the southern slope, inscribed with the words “First Mountain,” is truly breathtaking. The hill also preserves relatively intact ancient city walls from the early Ming Dynasty.

The cliff inscriptions on Golden Hill were recorded as only thirty pieces during the 1984 cultural relics survey. Nevertheless, their rich content and high historical value remain undeniable. These inscriptions include the Song Dynasty master calligrapher Mi Fu’s inscription of “First Mountain,” the “Jincheng Hill Record” by Wang Han, the military governor of the region during the Dazhong Xiangfu era of the Song Dynasty, documenting the development of Golden Hill, the “Zheng Shen City Wall Construction Record” from the Zhihe era, and the important historical inscription “Yang Bing Luan” by Wang Yongwen of the Yuan Dynasty, which recounts the quelling of a military rebellion. In addition, there are calligraphic works such as Zhu Xi’s inscription “Zhuo Wo,” Yuan Dynasty’s “Qing Hui Tong Qu,” and Ming Dynasty’s “Feng Tai Bi Li,” along with landscape inscriptions, imperial examination name inscriptions, and poem carvings. The cliff inscriptions of Golden Hill are not only precious historical materials for Chaozhou’s past but also a grand showcase of calligraphic art within the Golden Hill scenic area.

Northern Pavilion Buddhist Lamp — One of Chaozhou’s Eight Scenic Spots

The Northern Pavilion Buddhist Lamp is the collective name for a group of pavilions located at the eastern foot of Golden Hill in Chaozhou. The scenic area was established in the Song Dynasty, took shape in the Ming Dynasty, and has undergone various cycles of prosperity and decline throughout history. It lies against Golden Hill and faces the Han River. Legend has it that the Buddhist lamp once hung in front of the pavilion and shone far and wide at night, visible from the upper reaches of the Han River at Lu Lake, 15 li upstream, to the Sanyuan Pagoda at the Jiangdong rapids downstream, and from the land route east to Nanwudong in Zhangxi, Raoping, to the south at Fuyang Market in Chao’an. This made it a notable landmark for night navigation on the river. Due to the sharp turns and turbulent currents of this section of the Han River, which churned like boiling water, ancient sailors, upon seeing the guiding lamp, would focus their minds, realizing that the destination—Chaozhou Prefecture—was near and that they needed to navigate the rapid waters with extra caution. Though in perilous conditions, they always arrived safely. The sailors attributed their safety to the clear guidance of the lantern light, and the divine lamp became a widely praised symbol among locals and travelers to Chaozhou. Folklore adds even more color to the legend: one night, while the emperor in the capital was sound asleep, he was suddenly illuminated by the radiant glow of a Buddhist lamp shining directly over his dragon bed. Upon waking, he determined the light originated from a distant corner of the southern region. Overjoyed, he ordered a search in that direction. It was identified as the Northern Pavilion Buddhist Lamp of Chaozhou. From then on, the lantern on the pavilion transformed from a navigational beacon to a divine lamp, and eventually was revered as a sacred Buddhist lamp.

The Legend of the “Northern Pavilion Buddhist Lamp”

The Buddhist lamp refers to the lantern that was once hung from the mast in front of the pavilion. At night, its light shone far and wide. From the Han River, it could be seen from Lu Lake, 15 li upstream, to the Sanyuan Pagoda at the Jiangdong rapids downstream, and from the land route, from Nanwudong in Zhangxi, Raoping, in the east, to Fuyang Market in Chao’an in the south. It became a guiding beacon for night navigation on the river. Because this stretch of the Han River features sharp bends and turbulent, bubbling currents, ancient ships, upon seeing the guiding lamp, would focus intently, realizing that the destination—Chaozhou Prefecture—was near and that they needed to be extra cautious amid the rapid waters. Despite the dangers, they always arrived safely. The sailors credited their safe passage to the lantern’s clear guidance, and the divine lamp became a widely praised symbol among locals and travelers to Chaozhou. Folklore adds even more color to the legend: one night, while the emperor in the capital was sound asleep, he was suddenly illuminated by the radiant glow of a Buddhist lamp shining directly over his dragon bed. Upon waking, he determined the light originated from a distant corner of the southern region. Overjoyed, he ordered a search in that direction. It was identified as the Northern Pavilion Buddhist Lamp of Chaozhou. From then on, the lantern on the pavilion transformed from a navigational beacon to a divine lamp, and eventually was revered as a sacred Buddhist lamp.