Liangping Dongshan National Forest Park

Liangping Dongshan National Forest Park

Liangping Dongshan National Forest Park is a national-level forest park.

Liangping Dongshan is a national forest park and a national science education base. Located southeast of Liangping County in Chongqing, it is approximately 180 kilometers from downtown Chongqing and 60 kilometers from Wanzhou. The Chongqing-Yichang Expressway and National Highway 318 pass through the scenic area. It is a natural scenic area that combines forest and lake landscapes. Dongshan, historically known as Gaoliang Mountain, is part of the Daba Mountain Range and got its name because it lies to the east of the Liangping Basin. It was officially established as Dongshan National Forest Park in 2001 with approval from the State Forestry Administration.

Liangping Dongshan Forest Park covers a total area of 3,780 hectares. The scenic area features dense forest vegetation with abundant trees, shrubs, and grasses, highlighted by the integration of mountains, water, and forests. It embodies a blend of "majestic, rugged, elegant, serene, and wild" landscapes, making it a suburban destination near Chongqing that boasts peaks, pools, waterfalls, lakes, mist, caves, and forests. It uniquely combines natural scenery with cultural elements such as mountain fortress culture, temple culture, historical legends, modern orchards, and ecological values, forming an important part of the "Yangtze River Three Gorges International Golden Tourism Belt." The park hosts 135 plant families, 363 genera, and 492 species, including a rich variety of ornamental plants beyond numerous woody and herbaceous species, creating a captivating landscape dotted with wild fruits, colorful foliage, and exotic flowers. The favorable ecological environment provides an ideal habitat for wildlife, with over ten species of mammals, more than a hundred bird species, over ten reptile species, and a large number of forest insects living within the forested areas.

With numerous ancient fortress ruins, it has become a cultural corridor for fortress heritage in Liangping and even across Chongqing. Liangping Dongshan serves not only as an important site for scientific research, camping, and education but also as a destination integrating eco-tourism, leisure, summer retreats, adventure sports, and health wellness. Major attractions include: Gaoliang Towering Greenery, Bodhisattva Summit Temple Ruins, Watchtowers, Turtle Rock, Southern City Mist, Shuangbao Fortress, Garden Fortress, Anning Fortress, Nanhua Fortress, Luodou Fortress, Panlong Cave (one of the Eight Scenic Spots of Liangshan), White Lotus Cave, Old Dragon Cave, Cliff Spring Waterfall (another of the Eight Scenic Spots of Liangshan), Baozhu Mountain, Hundred-Step Staircase (an ancient post road), Fangweng Gorge, Ancient Ginkgo Tree, Huge Vitex Tree, Shuanggui Lake, Panlong Lake, Fragrant Valley, and Eden. Bodhisattva Summit features undulating mountains towering into the clouds, with ancient fortresses and modern military facilities that are majestic and spectacular; Panlong Cave boasts a network of karst caves, steep cliffs, bizarre rock formations, ancient trees, an old post road, cliff inscriptions, the coiled dragon cave, cliff spring waterfall, and has been celebrated by legendary poets, all adding to its mystique. The serene Dongming Lake is like a bright mirror reflecting the blue sky, white clouds, cliffs, and green trees, presenting a breathtakingly beautiful scene. The scenic area hosts flower viewing tours from March to April, fortress culture and forest bathing tours from June to September, the Shuanggui Cultural Tourism Festival and senior fishing competitions in October, and fruit-picking sightseeing tours (Liangshan pomelo and navel oranges) from November to December.

Major Attractions:

Gaoliang Towering Greenery: Located on Dongshan Mountain within the scenic area (historically known as “Gaoliang Mountain”), this is one of the “Eight Scenic Spots of Liangshan” with a history of over 1,400 years. Legend says this is a place where dragons and tigers lie hidden. With trees reaching to the sky, lush greenery connecting to the heavens, and verdant hues resembling orange clouds hanging in the sky, it is thus named “Gaoliang Towering Greenery.” A poem praises it: “Towering green upon Gaoliang, the embroidered beauty of Dongshan stretches long. Twenty li of rocky fortress walls, with mist-stained green shades enduring long.”

Bodhisattva Summit: At an elevation of 1,062 meters, it looks towering and mysterious from afar. From the summit, all other mountains appear small, and the colorful, vast plains of southern urban areas unfold before your eyes. Li Ding wrote in “A Brief Talk on the ‘Eight Scenic Spots of Liangshan’”: “Standing atop the mountain, wrapped in mist and clouds, the fragrance of nature will intoxicate and enchant you. Gazing forward, the surrounding mountains and waters stretch for dozens of li, with rolling mountain ranges and vast forests like dragons playing among the woods.”

Buddha Cave Mountain: At an elevation of 742.1 meters, it features steep cliffs. A narrow gorge path leads straight down to the mountain foot. Climbing up feels like ascending to the heavens. The mountain is evergreen with pine and oak trees, and along the slopes and cliffs, bizarre rocks abound. At the summit, there are also a few rare tall iron-blue pines. There used to be a small temple built during the Qing Dynasty’s Daoguang era, with dozens of stone-carved statues still remaining. Surrounded by mountains, with sheer cliffs to the east and west, the summit offers breathtaking views that have made it a popular spot for both young and old to visit in spring and for hiking in autumn.

Ancient Cave Panlong: One of the “Eight Scenic Spots of Liangshan,” it consists of a water cave and a dry cave. The two caves are stacked vertically, with the water cave flowing year-round with mysterious, unfathomable depths that no one has yet fully explored. The dry cave features “two stones lying like coiled dragons on the water, their scales vivid as if alive.” At the cave entrance, a stalactite resembling a dragon’s tongue extends downward, almost merging with the ground, creating a spectacular view. Inside the cave, stalagmites and stalactites take on various forms, resembling a dragon’s organs—liver, gallbladder, heart—vividly crafted, as if a dragon were coiled inside. An ancient poem reads: “Many sought the flame to explore its wonders, the dark cavern’s illusions frightened the brave, asking elders who’d ventured through seven layers, none dared to explore them all.” During the Three Kingdoms period, the Shu general Zhang Bian once lived in seclusion and practiced Taoism here, later revered as the “True Man of Beneficence.” The Southern Song poet Lu You passed through here and left behind legends of three visits to Panlong Cave.

Cliff Spring Waterfall: One of the “Eight Scenic Spots of Liangshan.” The spring water cascades down from the Spray Cliff, falling about two to three hundred zhang (approximately several hundred meters), like thousands of white silk ribbons scattering across the sky, magnificent and grand. The Southern Song poet Lu You praised it: “From afar it looks like scattered pearl tassels, up close it roars like thunder, they say the water’s wonders are strange, meant to startle travelers.” Fan Chengda also called it “the world’s number one waterfall.” Standing before the cliff, gazing at the Milky Way-like ripples and the heaven-made painting, the earth-sculpted “Peach Blossom Spring,” the noise of the mundane world instantly fades, and you’re immersed in nature.

Ancient Post Road: The only passage from Liangping to Wanzhou (now Wanzhou District) in ancient times, Yangsen Avenue, was first built in the Western Han Dynasty and has a history of 2,000 years. Within Chengdong Township, this ancient post road—the “Ten-Thousand-Meter Green Leisure Corridor”—is still well preserved. The entire road is paved with bluestone slabs, averaging about 1.5 meters in width. It was historically used mainly by porters carrying rice down to Wanzhou to trade for salt, and by wealthy individuals riding horses to Wanzhou. Today, residents of Liaoyehe have planted tens of thousands of fruit trees along the road, greening the barren hills, adding flowers, building pavilions, and establishing rest stops (guest stations) specifically for urban dwellers to enjoy walking tours. Visitors can exercise, enjoy the scenery of Liaoyehe, and even ride a sedan chair.

Qili Gorge Reservoir: Located in Qili Gorge, Chengdong Township, Liangping County, 8 kilometers from Chengdong Township, it can be reached by vehicle or on foot via the “Ten-Thousand-Meter Green Leisure Corridor.” The reservoir’s elevation is 1,000 meters, with a water surface area of 120 mu. The reservoir is surrounded by nearly 10,000 acres of primeval forest and the bamboo sea of Qili Gorge. At the end of Qili Gorge live more than ten households in primitive tribes dwelling in earthen-wall or wooden plank thatched houses. Qili Gorge Reservoir boasts beautiful mountains and clear waters, serving as a habitat for various migratory birds and wildlife, as well as a tourist destination for leisure and summer retreats. The main activities available in this scenic area include fishing, picnicking, hunting, camping, and sightseeing.