Guangzhishan Mountain
Introduction:
Guangzhishan, commonly known as Guangzhinao, is also called Zhongyang Mountain. It is located at the border between Licheng County and Xiangyuan County, with an elevation of 1,807 meters. This mountain is towering and precipitous, with cliffs as sheer as if cut by a knife, and its peaks rise high into the sky. In spring and summer, the area is lush with green trees, birdsong, and fragrant flowers, creating an exceptionally enchanting landscape. Amidst these verdant mountains and pine forests lies an ancient temple — the Laojun Temple. Originally built in the first year of the Jiaotai era of the Southern Tang Dynasty (958 AD), it is one of the oldest temples in the Shangdang region. The temple is dedicated to Laozi, the founder of Taoism, who is said to have forged Sun Wukong’s body into an iron-clad, diamond-hard form and endowed him with fiery golden eyes. The existing structures of Laojun Temple include a dressing tower, a theater stage, and several side rooms. Hiking up the mountain via a trail from the temple, you’ll pass layers of rugged rocks and wild greenery. After walking about two li (approximately one kilometer), you will reach the mountaintop, which consists of two peaks about 20 meters apart, connected by a 9-meter-high man-made sky bridge. These two summits, reaching high into the clouds, each host a temple — the Jade Emperor Hall and the Bixia Palace — which stand in striking contrast to each other, forming a magnificent sight. On a clear day from the summit, you can gaze across the vast expanse of the Taihang Mountains, with their countless peaks and valleys stretching as far as the eye can see. Twice a year, on the 15th day of the fourth lunar month and the first day of the tenth lunar month, grand traditional temple fairs are held, attracting countless worshippers. Guangzhishan boasts not only beautiful scenery and rich folk legends but is also a revolutionary site with a glorious history. During the War of Resistance Against Japan, the Eighth Route Army advanced to the North China front lines and, relying on the Taihang Mountains, established the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Base Area. The rear hospital of the Eighth Route Army headquarters was stationed here.
Changzhi City, Shanxi Province
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