Wenchang Baohu Ridge

Wenchang Baohu Ridge

The main peak stands over 220 meters above sea level, making it the second highest peak in northeastern Hainan Island (after Tongguling), and has long been celebrated as one of Wenchang’s renowned mountains. Stretching from north to south, Baohu Ridge features a rugged landscape, resembling a giant embracing a tiger. The southern part is the head of the ridge, shaped like a tiger’s head, while the northern end resembles a tiger’s hindquarters. In the middle, the ridge curves downward gracefully with slight elevations, resembling a colossal figure riding a tiger and hugging its neck. The ridge’s cliffs rise boldly by the sea, exuding a majestic and awe-inspiring presence, as if carved by an axe. The mountain is strewn with grotesque rocks and towering, precarious stone formations that inspire fear. Notably, the massive Eagle Stone appears as if it might fall or take flight, yet remains firmly lodged on the eastern side of the ridge, embodying the resolve and grandeur of a tiger-hunting warrior and showcasing the magnificence of nature’s creation. The northern and southern peaks complement each other—one offers views of the surging sea waves, the other of the sun rising, presenting contrasting yet equally spectacular vistas. The crevices and valleys among the rocks are lush with trees, forming shaded canopies of green, dotted with wildflowers that bloom vibrantly in all seasons. Wild fruits such as shannu (mountain milk), shanjiao (mountain banana), shanzhu (mountain bamboo), niusuo (chestnuts), maidan (a local Hainan term), chilan (red orchid), and yelan (wild olive) ripen seasonally, offering year-round foraging. A local children’s rhyme goes: “The herding boy should never go hungry, eating shannu and then banana; having niusuo and then maidan, only realizing it’s over after chilan.” To the west of the ridge, two mountain streams trickle down, flowing eastward toward the villages of Lingjiao and Baoxiao. These streams originate from granite crevices deep within the lofty mountains, providing a constant, melodious flow of crystal-clear, sweet-tasting water. At the base of the southern side of the ridge lies a moon-shaped pool, said to be where the tiger came to drink. In 1960, the Nanling Reservoir was built here, expanding the water surface even further. To the northeast of Baohu Ridge lies a small, mystical hill known locally as “Guanyin Ridge.” According to ancient texts, in the 33rd year of the Wanli era during the Ming Dynasty (1605 AD), an earthquake struck Qiongzhou, causing 73 villages in Puqian to sink. Baohu Ridge rose over a hundred feet as a result. Legend has it that after the ridge grew taller and touched the heavens, angering the Thunder God, he struck it, breaking off a piece. This broken fragment landed to the northeast of the ridge, forming a smaller hill—today’s Guanyin Ridge.

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Approximately 5 kilometers north of Wengtian Town, Wenchang City, Hainan Province, by the seaside