Luocheng Park

Luocheng Park

Luocheng Park is located at the foot of Phoenix Mountain to the north of Luocheng Maonan Autonomous County in Guangxi, covering a total area of 20 hectares. The park features lush greenery, shaded paths, birdsong echoing through the quiet hills, winding stone trails, and pavilions for rest, making it an ideal destination for leisure, vacationing, and sightseeing.

◆Attraction Introduction

Phoenix Mountain, standing at an elevation of 534 meters, is the protective mountain of Luocheng. According to local county records, “the mountain takes its shape naturally, with a higher head and a slightly lower tail, resembling a phoenix—hence the name Phoenix Mountain.” The county town at the foot of the mountain is rectangular in shape, resembling a book, thus earning the poetic name “The Vermilion Phoenix Holding a Book,” which is one of the eight scenic views of the county. The scenic poem describes: “The vermilion phoenix holds a book in all seasons except winter.”

Luocheng was the first place where Yu Chenglong, known as the “Integrity Official of His Era,” began his official career. The park has several large banyan trees, two of which are said to have been personally planted by Yu Chenglong. To commemorate him, the people of Luocheng erected a statue of Yu Chenglong in the park for visitors to admire. Behind the statue, the stone wall features many inscriptions worth viewing.

Passing through the park’s main gate and ascending the steps, you will reach Duojisi Temple, a historic site with over 400 years of history. On either side of the temple gate stand two massive banyan trees, each requiring five people to encircle, their canopies spreading wide. It is said that one is male and the other female, both having stood here for a thousand years. Inside the temple, there is a complex of structures including the Mahavira Hall, the Heavenly King Hall, the Chanting Hall, the God of Wealth Hall, the Disaster Relief Hall, the Dining Hall, and the Guest Hall. At the highest point of the temple stands a 10-meter-tall outdoor bronze statue of Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy, with water dripping from her hands.

Following the path upward, you will reach the mountainside, where a white corridor shaded by vines and branches is built. Standing by the railing, you can enjoy a close-up panoramic view of the county town, or look farther to see the “Seven Stars Embracing the Moon” landform: a mountain rising from the ground like a half-moon, surrounded by seven peaks. Beneath this moon-shaped mountain lies Kaiyuan Temple, the oldest historically documented Buddhist temple in Luocheng.

In front of the park, the No. 1 County Primary School still retains remnants of the Ming Dynasty city wall.