Baoding Mountain

Baoding Mountain

Jiandu’s Baoding Mountain is located in Jiandu County, Chongqing, and is recognized as a “Municipal Forest Park of Chongqing.” It boasts exceptionally beautiful natural scenery and has long been known as a “Famous Mountain of Eastern Chongqing.”

Also called Baoding Mountain, Mingfeng Mountain, and Chuoyashan, Baoding Mountain is situated at the junction of Gao’an Town and Shahe Township, more than 30 kilometers from the county town. The mountain stretches from northeast to southwest and has an elevation of 1,063 meters. It is part of the Daba Mountain range and is the main peak of the Jinghua Mountain. Mingfeng Mountain got its name because its sharply pointed peak resembles a phoenix stretching its neck and calling out. Since the Tang Dynasty, Taoist priests have built a Taoist temple here—Qingfeng Temple—which was converted into a Buddhist temple, Guangxiang Temple, during the Qing Dynasty. Both Taoism and Buddhism regard it as an ideal place for spiritual cultivation, giving it a religious and historical heritage of nearly 1,400 years. In the 25th year of the Republic of China (1936), a calligraphy piece with the two characters “Baoding” (Treasure Tripod), gifted by Yin, a scholar from Shahe Township and a remnant official of the Qing Dynasty, was engraved on the stone step beneath the incense table at the front of the temple. Since then, it has been called Baoding Mountain.

Around the main peak of Baoding Mountain, numerous peaks surround the area, covered with lush forests and offering serene and profound scenery. Along the mountainside, there were historically built structures from the Tang Dynasty and the Ming and Qing Dynasties, including Guangzu Temple, Octagonal Pavilion, Main Hall, Samantabhadra Hall, Laojun Hall, Child-Giving Hall, Great Buddha Hall, Twelve Halls, and the Mahavira Hall—all constructed with wood and stone, featuring elegant designs. The Octagonal Pavilion and the Mahavira Hall each hung a large iron bell, especially the one in the Octagonal Pavilion, which had a diameter of 2 meters and weighed over 1,000 kilograms. Its craftsmanship was exquisite, and on clear days, its sound could carry for dozens of meters. None of these structures remain today. The Octagonal Pavilion is the highest point on Baoding Mountain, and from there, one can see into the counties of Zhongxian, Fengdu, Liangping, and Changshou. On the eastern side, there is a cliff called Diaoya (also known as Sheshen Cliff), where one can watch the sunrise. Below it is a small cave about 3 meters high and 1 meter wide, believed to be the place where the Zen masters Leizu and Dazhi “ascended to immortality.” Further away lies Nanjing Pond, approximately 30 square meters in size, with ice-cold water that neither rises nor dries up throughout the seasons. Legend says there is a golden bell inside, visible only to those with good fortune. A poem from the Jiandu County Annals of the Qing Dynasty’s Guangxu reign reads: “Long heard this place is truly a sight to behold; now atop the mountain, the world feels vast. Backed by cliffs a thousand feet sheer, facing endless wilds where homes cluster. Long to leap onto monkeys or cranes, gaze down till scholar's hats fall off. Most of all, amidst the clear bell chimes, seems one might take wing and meet a flying phoenix.”

Baoding Mountain is rich in tourism resources. Its natural landscape is hailed as Chongqing’s “Huangshan”—featuring welcoming pines, sea of clouds, misty scenes, sunrises, reclining Buddhas, millennium-old king azalea trees, purple azaleas, and red azaleas. Its cultural landscape is considered the “Emei of Eastern Chongqing”—with longstanding Taoist and Buddhist culture, temples, clay sculptures, reliefs, calligraphy, historic sites such as the Octagonal Pavilion and pagoda tombs. There are also attractions like Feilong Village, the Tang Dynasty Scholar Tomb and unearthed second-grade relics, the Xiama Ancient Village primitive human settlement site with Shang Dynasty jade artifacts, summer retreats, and snow viewing, totaling 34 scenic spots and areas.

Baoding Mountain Forest Park still retains some historical relics, is covered with lush forests, and is home to many species of birds, making it a great summer retreat.

Current status of the scenic area: Baoding Mountain’s unique terrain, beautiful natural scenery, and deep historical and cultural heritage make it a rare tourist attraction in Chongqing. It features famous natural landscapes such as Baoding Purple Azaleas, Red Azaleas, Baoding Sunrises, Baoding Moon Viewing, Millennium Azalea King, and uniquely shaped pines, rocks, and cliffs. Cultural highlights include 300 Steps, Guangxiang Temple, Octagonal Pavilion, Nanjing Hall, Dazhi Pagoda, and the Ancient Tea Horse Road. Fun activities include mushroom picking, wild fern gathering, crab catching, and wild fruit harvesting.

Accommodation and Dining: At the Baling Monument halfway up Baoding Mountain, Baoding Mountain Villa offers services such as a dining area, accommodation, conference hall, karaoke lounge, and teahouse. Guangxiang Temple has a small shop where meals can also be taken. Alternatively, visitors may bring their own tents for camping and lodging.

Best Seasons: Baoding Mountain has something to offer all year round. Purple azaleas bloom around late April to early May, red azaleas in mid to late May, red leaves and seeds in mid-November, and snow can be enjoyed in winter.

Travel Route: Chongqing – Jiandu County – Gao’an Town – Tiaoshi – Baoding Mountain

Friends coming from Chongqing: Please take the exit for Jiandu Taiping Interchange on the Yuwan Expressway and enter the Jiandu-Zhong Expressway. Exit at Gao’an Town in Jiandu County—turn left—go straight for a few hundred meters—then turn right toward Tiaoshi—then to Baoding Mountain. The full journey from Chongqing to Baoding Mountain takes about two and a half hours (including about half an hour on the all-cement road leading to the mountaintop of Gao’an Baoding Mountain).