Phoenix Mountain Provincial Forest Park

Phoenix Mountain Provincial Forest Park

The Phoenix Mountain Provincial Forest Park in Santai County is a provincial-level forest park approved for establishment by the provincial forestry department in 1997. It is located at the intersection of the Tangba Highway and the Mianyu Highway, just a 40-minute drive from Mianyang, the emerging science city.

The mountain was named Phoenix because, as the Tang Dynasty poet Wang Bo wrote after visiting, “The ascending path resembles fish scales, and the shape is like a phoenix.” To its east across the Fu River is the East Pagoda, to its south is the Du Fu Memorial Hall near Niutou Mountain, to its north are the Qinquan Temple and North Pagoda Temple on Changping Mountain, and to its west stands the Qixing Tower on Santai Mountain. Together with attractions such as the Du Fu Thatched Cottage on Niutou Mountain, Qinquan Temple, Dafo Temple, and Duta Temple, it forms a scenic tourist route, making it a major leisure and entertainment destination for residents of Santai urban area.

Covering an area of about 520 acres, Phoenix Mountain Forest Park features terrain that is higher in the north and lower in the south, running in a northeast-southwest direction. Its highest elevation is 455.7 meters and the lowest is 378.8 meters, with a height difference of 76.9 meters. The park is covered with towering trees, interlacing branches, and lush green waves. The green coverage rate reaches 95.7%, with a forest canopy density of 0.9. The forest vegetation includes 50 families and 80 species, featuring fine trees and abundant greenery. There are mountain streams, clear springs under rocks, and murmuring flows of water. Roads crisscross and wind through the area, with birds darting about and various species singing in chorus. The entire woodland is enveloped in emerald mist and auspicious air, resembling a giant phoenix spreading its wings. From the mountaintop, one can overlook the splendid scenery of Zizhou: the mighty Kuifu River flowing eastward, and thousands of buildings scattered like stars, offering a refreshing and uplifting view.

Phoenix Mountain Forest Park not only boasts unique forest resources but also an exceptionally rich collection of historical sites and cultural relics, characterized by a distinctive historical and cultural identity rarely seen in the Beichuan region. Existing attractions include the "Tadan Well," the "Ben Tomb," the tomb of Wang Bi, the tomb of the anti-Japanese general Jing Jiamo, clusters of Han Dynasty cliff tombs, and the ancient Dongyue Temple. In recent years, Phoenix Mountain Forest Park has achieved remarkable results in park construction funding, infrastructure development, and scenic spot construction. It has driven and promoted the development of Santai’s tourism industry, contributing to the revitalization of Santai’s economy.