Wuling Mountains, Chongqing

Wuling Mountains, Chongqing

Wuling Mountains in Chongqing is a cultural tourism attraction.

Introduction The scenic spots of the Wuling Mountain Scenic Area can be divided into two main parts: the core scenic area and the peripheral area. The core scenic area mainly features Xiangshan Temple, Zhenwu Taoist Temple, and the Wuling Dangerous Peaks Stone Forest Cluster Sculptures. The peripheral scenic area extends eastward along National Highway 319 to the landscapes of Lianghui Dam and Meiziguan. Xiangshan Temple is located at the foot of the main peak of Wuling, on the old section of the east side of National Highway 319. Originally, it served as a place for pilgrims to bathe, meditate, and rest while visiting the mountain, hence the name Xiangshan Temple, also known as Jieguan Hall. During the Qing Dynasty, it also functioned as a posthouse on the stone pagoda-paved road. It covers an area of 1,067.3 square meters, with a built-up area of 554 square meters. The structure is made of wood and follows a rectangular, four-sided courtyard layout. Ascending the steps via Fuxing Bridge leads you to the temple’s entrance gate, guarded by the two deities Heng and Ha. The gate is constructed from a seven-pillar, three-bay wooden frame with a through-tenon system. At the center of the roof ridge is a porcelain inlay featuring the Chinese character “寿” (longevity), standing proudly atop the gate, exuding an ancient charm. Entering the gate, the first courtyard has a Buddhist stupa on the left side of the room, which is said to have been dedicated to the ancestors who built Xiangshan Temple and Zhenwu Taoist Temple, with incense burning day and night. On the right is the kitchen, and near the gate are the pigsty and rice mill. Further inside, on the second-level courtyard, there is a three-legged bronze cauldron in the center, with a diameter of 1.5 feet at the mouth and about 1.7 meters in height, used by worshippers for burning incense. To the left is the storeroom, to the right is the guest reception room, and further ahead is the main hall, consisting of five large rooms, housing statues of Guanyin Bodhisattva, Twelve Enlightenment Beings, and Twenty-Four Heavenly Deities. In front of the temple gate, remnants of a stone stele from the 18th year of the Daoguang reign in the Qing Dynasty (1838 AD), which was destroyed by fire and later restored in the 21st year, can still be found. Though the inscriptions have faded, their meaning remains discernible. The temple was burned down in the 32nd year of the Republic of China (1943) and rebuilt in the 35th year (1946). Next to the gate, there is also a Qing Dynasty stone stele recording the dismissal of Yang Chengrong, a military officer of the Qianlong Camp in Qian-Upland, and a newly erected county-level cultural relics protection unit marker for Xiangshan Temple. Due to the temple’s enduring popularity over the dynasties, many renowned scholars and literati have left behind valuable calligraphy, paintings, and couplets, contributing a rich cultural heritage for future generations. A prominent couplet at the temple gate reminds visitors to chant scriptures, meditate, and seek the paths of immortals. It reads: “The land nurtures a forest that opens the path to enlightenment; people come here to follow the traces of the immortals.”

Xiushan County, Chongqing