Hulushan Mountain

Hulushan Mountain

Hulushan Mountain derives its name from its appearance—a massive gourd lying on its back when viewed from south to north. It serves as both a tourist destination and a gathering place for cliff inscriptions, attracting literati and poets across dynasties who left their inscriptions carved into the rocks. The Hulushan Cliff Inscriptions rank among the two most famous stone inscription complexes in Guangdong Province (the other being the Seven Star Crags in Zhaoqing). Since the Tang and Song dynasties, numerous eminent officials and scholars have left their inscriptions here. Today, 138 cliff inscriptions remain, making it one of the three most celebrated stone carving sites in Guangdong. These inscriptions feature a variety of styles and scripts, including cursive, seal, and running scripts. Over time and through various adversities, by the time of the 1982 cultural relics survey, only 138 inscriptions were confirmed to still exist, all of which are available for visitors to view.

The most distinctive is the “Lake and Mountain Painting,” a 2-meter-tall inscription located at Nanyan Temple, signed by Chaozhou native Ding Bingxian from the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty. There are also cliff inscriptions such as Yu Xueqian’s “Doing Good Is the Greatest Joy” and Chen Yuqiang’s “Expand Your Vision,” spread across the rugged cliffs of the lake and mountain area, forming exceptional works that visitors admire and appreciate. Most of the Lake and Mountain inscriptions were created by famous individuals and scholars from various dynasties who traveled together, leaving behind inscriptions to commemorate their visits, composing poems to express their feelings, or etching their names on the “Pagoda of Wild Geese.” Originally, there were 15 inscriptions commemorating scholarly achievements, but only 3 survive today; poems from group outings remain from only a few instances, such as those by Ming Dynasty figures Xu Yiwei, Zhuang Cheng, Tang Boyuan, and Dai Jing. Solo inscriptions include those by Zhou Jun, Rui Hao, Fang Yao, and Zhu Bingshou. Additionally, there are many poems inscribed by visitors over the dynasties, among which the most renowned is “Inscription on the West Lake Wall” by Lin Dachuan on the rock face beside the Guying Cave Heaven: “The hues of water and mountains form a painted scroll; Truly, West Lake rivals the West Lady [Xi Shi]; This splendid site deserves to be praised through the ages—No need for Su Dongpo to claim its fame.”

The Lake and Mountain cliff inscriptions mostly consist of joint excursions by historic figures who inscribed their names or composed poems to express their sentiments, or recorded their names on the “Pagoda of Wild Geese.” Originally, there were 15 inscriptions related to scholarly honors, but only 3 survive today; poems from group travels are now limited to a few examples, such as those by the Ming Dynasty’s Xu Yiwei and Zhuang Cheng, and Tang Boyuan and Dai Jing; individual name inscriptions include those by Zhou Jun, Rui Hao, Fang Yao, and Zhu Bingshou; while the mountain has been frequented by poets throughout history, the most famous being Lin Dachuan’s “West Lake Inscription” on the rock beside the ancient Yong Cave Heaven: “The colors of water and mountain blend into a painted scene; Indeed, West Lake rivals Xi Shi in grace; This famed spot alone deserves eternal fame—No need for Su Dongpo to proclaim its beauty.”

Scenic spots around the lake and mountain, such as the Sword Gate, Immortal Trace Rock, Lake Rock, Living Men’s Cave, and Fishing Pavilion, were mostly destroyed over time, leaving behind only tales of “immortal traces” passed down through storytelling.

West Lake Subdistrict: Located at the junction of the old and new urban areas, West Lake Subdistrict is named after the nearby scenic West Lake.

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Jurisdiction

It governs six community neighborhood committees: Shangxiping Road, Xinghua Lane, Jiangxi Lane, Zengcuo Lane, Xirong Road, and Yueyuan. The total area of the subdistrict is 0.63 million square meters, with a population of 26,944 by the end of 2003.

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Major Roads

The subdistrict contains major roads such as Xiyuan Road, Xima Road, Kaiyuan Road, West Ring Road (West), North Ring Road, Xihé Road, Shangxiping Road, Daying Street, and Xirong Road.

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Honors

The subdistrict... Detailed information about West Lake Subdistrict ++