Jinfo Mountain Scenic Area

Jinfo Mountain Scenic Area

Jinfo Mountain Scenic Area is a national scenic spot and a AAAAA-level tourist attraction.

Jinfo Mountain is situated in Nanchuan District in the southern part of Chongqing, within the Dalaoshan Mountain Range. Also known as Jinshan, it was historically referred to as Jiudi Mountain. The mountain range comprises 108 peaks across the Jinfo, Qingba, and Baizhi ranges. Covering a total area of 1,300 square kilometers, the scenic area is planned across 441 square kilometers, with a protected zone spanning 522 square kilometers. Its main peak, Fengchui Ridge, rises to an elevation of 2,251 meters, making it the highest peak in the Dalaoshan Mountain Range. Jinfo Mountain stands majestically at the northern end of this mountain system like a soaring dragon’s head. Long renowned as one of the Four Famous Mountains of Shu, Jinfo Mountain is celebrated for its grandeur. The phrase “How towering is the golden Buddha, looming ethereally amidst the rosy clouds” captures its most splendid image. On summer and autumn evenings, when the setting sun casts its slanting glow, the layered cliffs are bathed in golden radiance, resembling golden-bodied Buddhas emanating dazzling rays—an extraordinarily magnificent and beautiful sight, from which the name “Jinfo Mountain” (Golden Buddha Mountain) is derived. Jinfo Mountain features classic karst landforms. Due to its unique geographical location and climatic conditions, it buffered the impact of Quaternary glaciers in ancient times, preserving relatively intact primeval ecosystems from various geological eras. The area harmoniously integrates mountains, water, rocks, forests, springs, and caves, embodying grandeur, wonder, seclusion, danger, and beauty. It has been recognized by experts both domestically and internationally as a natural scenic area of immense development value. Boasting distinctive natural landscapes, a rich diversity of rare flora and fauna, dramatically shaped rocky formations, mysterious and profound cave systems, ever-changing meteorological phenomena, and precious cultural relics, Jinfo Mountain has been designated as both a National Key Scenic Area and a National Forest Park.

Natural Landscapes of Jinfo Mountain

Jinfo Mountain boasts majestic, beautiful, and enchantingly serene scenery. Dozens of mountain ranges stretch across peaks and valleys, with over 100 steep peaks standing tall. Natural formations such as Lion’s Mouth, Zhenzi Mountain, Thumb Mountain, Monkey Mountain, and Incense Burner Mountain are exquisitely crafted by nature, remarkably lifelike. Deep gorges and canyons—including Qiaohé Dam, Dragon Bone Stream, Badu Water, Lianghekou, and Dayakou—feature dramatic “one-line sky” views, exhibiting awe-inspiring grandeur and peril. There are also towering rock formations like Eagle Beak Rock, Spinning Rock, Nose-Piercing Stone, Thousand Buddha Rock, and Guanyin Rock. The area is dotted with vividly shaped stone forests, stone bamboo shoots, fallen rocks, Golden Rooster Rock, and Buddha Head Rock...

Jinfo Mountain is home to numerous natural caves scattered across the landscape. Among them, the ancient Gufo Cave, situated on the belly button of the Sleeping Buddha Mountain, is the most famous. Vast, deep, and mysterious, this cave features mountains, rivers, and dams within it, with caves within caves in a multi-layered, interwoven layout. There are also stalactite-draped caves such as Yan Yun Cave, Dabao Cave, and Heifeng Cave, all with peculiar and fantastical shapes. There’s the fabled Fairy Cave, said to be left behind by the Seven Fairies; the plunging and perilous Jinfo Cave that descends a thousand feet; as well as Lao Long Cave, Mingfo Cave, and Taoyuan Cave... As recorded by scholar Zhou Boyin in his 1806 work “A Pre-Visit Ode to Jinfo Mountain”: “Its wonders include the palaces of dragons and spirits, the dwellings of immortals, the marvels of wood, stone, feather, and fur, and the spirits of wind, snow, thunder, and rain. But above all, its sheer dangers often render it unreachable by human footsteps.”

Meteorological and Aquatic Landscapes of Jinfo Mountain Jinfo Mountain is picturesque and enjoys a pleasant climate, characterized by subtropical humid monsoon weather. It features a short winter, early spring, long summer, concurrent rain and heat, and significant vertical climate variations. In the hot summer months, while the average temperature in Nanchuan urban area is around 26°C, and in Chongqing about 28°C, Jinfo Mountain remains a cool 17°C. The area receives an average annual rainfall of 1,400 mm, mostly concentrated in summer. Frost occurs on about 26 days per year, while foggy days average around 260. The relative humidity is about 90% annually. Snowfall generally occurs from mid-November to March of the following year. Due to these special climatic conditions, the mountain experiences sudden shifts in cloud cover—sometimes rolling waves of sea-like fog appear abruptly, while other times clear skies emerge after rain. Clouds, rain, rosy clouds, fog, snow, and wind together create uniquely beautiful and spectacular meteorological phenomena, such as Golden Buddha Sunset, White Fog Clearing, Birch Red Rain, Golden Mountain Remnant Snow, Golden Mountain Sea of Clouds, and Dragon Maiden Pearls. Abundant rainfall has also formed numerous beautiful aquatic landscapes. Notable ones include the perennially flowing “One Bowl of Water,” the sound-sensitive Shizhong Spring, as well as the majestic Longyan Waterfall, Shuicai Rock Waterfall, and Three-Tiered Waterfall, which plunge thousands of feet like silver rivers descending from the heavens or colorful silk ribbons fluttering in the wind. The area is verdant with crisscrossing streams, picturesque bridges over flowing waters, and shimmering reflections. A famous feature is the presence of cold, warm, and hot springs all visible along the same water section.

Flora and Fauna Resources of Jinfo Mountain The area’s abundant plant life supports a diverse wildlife population of 150 species, including 113 subspecies. Among them are 37 rare animal species, accounting for approximately 67.2% of Sichuan Province’s 55 protected animals and about 22% of the national total. There are 10 species under national first-class protection, including the leopard, South China tiger, clouded leopard, Lady Amherst’s pheasant, and black-leaf monkey. Second-class protected species number 11, such as the macaque, pangolin, tufted deer, forest musk deer, and black bear. Third-class protected species include 15, such as the small Indian civet, crimson bird, sunbird, golden hwamei, orange-footed flying squirrel, and south fox. Jinfo Mountain’s ancient, pristine geology, natural resources, and mild climate have nurtured countless precious living beings, making it a biological treasure trove rich in rare and diverse species. The vegetation zones are distributed vertically due to large altitude variations, featuring sub-tropical coniferous forests, mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forests, deciduous broad-leaved and evergreen forests, primeval forests, bamboo stands, shrubs, and meadows. Ancient and rare plants are regionally distributed, forming unique ancient plant community landscapes with distinct layers. Towering trees are accompanied by 100,000 mu of square bamboo forests and various shrubs, with ferns and mosses widespread. In late spring and early summer, a profusion of blooming flowers paints the landscape in vibrant colors. According to expert surveys, the area hosts over 5,000 plant species, including more than 250 ancient species, 136 endemic species, 82 rare and endangered species, and 52 precious plants. Among these, four are under national first-class protection, 18 under second-class, and over 30 under third-class. The “Five Treasures of Jinfo Mountain”—silver fir, square bamboo, large-leaf tea, Rhododendron King, and ancient ginkgo—are particularly notable. The silver fir is a rare survivor of the Quaternary glaciers, often dubbed the “panda of plants,” unique to China and exceptionally precious. Square bamboo shoots are thick, crisp, and tender, making them a delicious mountain delicacy exported overseas. Over 2,000 ancient tea trees serve as evidence that Bashu (Sichuan and Chongqing region) is the birthplace of world tea culture. The Rhododendron King stands 12 meters tall with a girth of nearly 4 meters—so large it takes three people to hug—and is truly the king of rhododendrons worldwide. Jinfo Mountain is home to 33 species of azaleas, both shrub and tree types, numbering over 300,000 plants. The ancient ginkgo tree reaches 26 meters in height with a girth of 11.6 meters, revered by locals as the “White Fruit Goddess.” Dove tree, Chinese torreya, and small insect grass are hailed as the “Three Treasures of Jinfo Mountain,” while ginseng, bamboo rice, and tabasheer are known as the “Three Essences of Jinfo Mountain.”

Other Resources of Jinfo Mountain In addition to its rich tourism resources, Jinfo Mountain also boasts abundant medicinal plant resources, bamboo and timber resources, and mineral resources. The area produces economic crops such as tea, flue-cured tobacco, konjac, and off-season vegetables. Out of 5,099 plant species, 4,180 are medicinal herbs, with large-scale cultivation established for species like Phellodendron, Coptis chinensis, Gastrodia elata, Eucommia ulmoides, Saussurea costus, and Gallnut. The mountain annually yields 20,000 cubic meters of timber and 7,000 tons of bamboo. Its 150,000 mu of square bamboo forests produce over 5,000 tons of square bamboo shoots each year—a green food product hailed as a “Chinese specialty.” Jinfo Mountain also has rich mineral resources, including over 50 million tons of bauxite reserves—the largest in Chongqing—known for their high grade and exceptional quality, which are rare even nationally. Due to its unique terrain, the area also possesses abundant water and hydroelectric resources. The average annual underground runoff is 220 million cubic meters, and surface water flow averages 973 million cubic meters per year, making it a key source for both the Wujiang and Qijiang river systems. With significant elevation drops, the area holds strong potential for hydropower generation.

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of National Scenic Areas