Guigang Nanshan Park

Guigang Nanshan Park

Nanshan Park is located about 3 kilometers southeast of the city and was expanded from the foundation of Nanshan Temple. It includes the Twenty-Four Peaks, centered around Temple Mountain, covering a current area of 1,354.6 mu, of which rocky mountains occupy 472.5 mu. It is one of the first batch of regional-level scenic spots announced by the People's Government of the Autonomous Region.

The Nanshan range includes Duzhai Mountain, Fengshan, Longshan, Guishan, Fenghuangshan, Liangmianshan, Zhanmao Shan, Jier Shan, Ma Shan, Lv Shan, Heng Shan, Xue Shan, Fenglang Shan, Santai Shan, Dazhong Shan, Chaohu Shan, Luo Shan, Lianhua Shan, Baihe Shan, Jian Shan, Xianglu Shan, Wangtian Shan, Wenbi Shan, and Shitou Shan, collectively known as the Twenty-Four Peaks. The peaks vary in shape, resembling humans or objects, arrayed like a painted screen.

Lion Head Peak, also known as Temple Mountain, stands 70 meters above sea level and is the most prominent of the Twenty-Four Peaks along the Yu River, resembling a lion in shape. The summit is covered with clusters of the natural plant “Dragon Bone Grass,” furry and bristly, blanketing the peak and vividly resembling a shaggy lion. At sunrise, Lion Head Peak looks just like an awakening lion bathing in the morning light, bowing to the rising sun, creating a strikingly lifelike and beautiful scene. “Awakening Lion Greeting the Sunrise” is the foremost scenic highlight of Nanshan.

There are 11 caves of varying sizes on Temple Mountain, distributed across the front and back of the mountain. The main cave is at the front, the largest, with a domed top and spacious interior. To its southeast is the Flowing Cloud (Rice-Coming-Out) Cave, to the northwest are the Guanyin Rock and Tongtian Cave, in front of which stand ancient structures such as Nanshan Temple and the Vajra Hall. Halfway up the mountain is the Halfway Pavilion, and at the summit is the Following Clouds Pavilion. The back mountain features two connected caves, Gexian and Zhenyi, collectively called Beiji Cave. On the northern mountainside, there is a small cave named Lüxian, behind the mountain lies a reliquary stupa and a cinnabar well, and on the western side in front of the mountain is the Gan Ye Pool, beside which grows a bodhi tree — the sacred “protective tree” of Nanshan. The area abounds with scenic spots and historical relics.

Since ancient times, Nanshan has enjoyed the reputation of being “the most beautiful in Guixian.” During the Cultural Revolution, stone carvings and Buddha statues were severely damaged.

From 1976 to 1985, the Autonomous Region Department of Culture allocated tens of thousands of yuan to restore Nanshan Temple. The county government also funded the construction of the Nanshan Cultural Relics Exhibition Hall.

From 1982 to 1985, the Guigang County Government invested a total of 700,000 yuan in developing Nanshan Park. This included the construction of two stone stairways in 1977, each 1.3 meters wide and totaling 451.92 meters in length, with railings added along the paths. In 1978, the martyrs' cemetery was expanded on the eastern side of Nanshan, featuring a Revolutionary Martyrs Monument, the tomb of Martyr Huang Zhang, and statues of Huang Zhang, Dong Quanhan, and Tan Shoulin. In 1984, a memorial archway gate and an 80-meter-long wall were built to enclose the main tourist area of Nanshan Park. In 1987, a concrete lakeside path, 3 meters wide and 490 meters long, was constructed, along with 400 square meters of concrete flooring within the park. In 1988, the county government further funded the construction of a 6-meter-wide, 400-meter-long main park road. Additionally, the park features the Xiangxiang Pavilion donated by Hong Kong compatriots and the Gongde Pavilion funded by local residents. Today, Nanshan Park is even more picturesque, blending classic charm with modern style, attracting visitors all day long.