Shengtian Hongyan Mountain Scenic Area

Shengtian Hongyan Mountain Scenic Area

Shengtian Hongyan Mountain Scenic Area is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Hongyan Mountain is situated between Qingfu Town and KJiu Town in Gao County, within the coordinates of 28°21′~28°24′ north latitude and 104°26′~104°29′ east longitude, approximately 6 kilometers west of Qingfu Town. The mountain is 6.5 km long, up to 2.8 km wide, and reaches an elevation of 1008 meters at its highest point. It is named Hongyan Mountain (Red Rock Mountain) because the entire mountain is red.

The Hongyan Mountain range is mysterious and rugged, covered with lush vegetation. At the foot of the mountain, there are gently rippling fish ponds and terraced fields, making it a great place for leisure and recreation. There are many scenic spots on the mountain, among which "Banbian Temple," "Human Head Stone," "Magong Cave," "Dasi Shang," "Dog Crawl Rock," "-Stone," "Parrot Rock," "Nanjue Prophet," "Nanguang River Rock Tomb Cluster," and "Jinshui Bay" are the most famous. The path up the mountain consists of 1096 stone steps, and at the summit, there are cliff carvings to admire. Visiting the mountaintop during the hot summer provides instant relief from the heat. Staying overnight at the top offers a truly unique experience, like living in a heavenly palace, with clouds swirling below, surrounded by mountains, and all worries left far behind—it's truly a paradise on earth.

Many beautiful legends are associated with Hongyan Mountain, among which the story of the Human Head Stone is the most touching. Among the peaks of Hongyan Mountain, there is one mountain where two huge rocks stand tall on either side. Viewed from afar at the foot of the mountain, these two rocks resemble two human heads gazing at each other, hence the name "Human Head Stone." Legend has it that the "Man’s Head Stone" is named Zhang Haitang, and the "Woman’s Head Stone" is called Li Shuangxi. It is said that long, long ago, the husband and wife lived by the Youtan River at the foot of Hongyan Mountain and made a living by fishing. Zhang Haitang often consulted Yuan Tiangang to predict how many fish they would catch each day. Following Yuan Tiangang’s guidance, they caught a lot of fish every day, which led to a decline in the river’s fish population. This angered the Dragon King, who then sent a massive flood that washed away their home. With no other skills besides fishing, life became extremely difficult for the couple. One day, the two quarreled over domestic issues, and Zhang Haitang said he would become a monk at Yunfeng Temple on Hongyan Mountain, while Li Shuangxi insisted on becoming a nun. As they argued and walked, they soon reached the mountainside. Upon learning of this, the heavens sent down a rain of red color. When the red rain stopped, the couple had vanished, but two beautiful human head-shaped rocks appeared on either side of the mountain, standing tall and gazing at each other.

It takes about 1.5 hours to drive from Yibin to Banbian Temple, with good road conditions—all paved with cement. From Qingfu Town, there are daily buses to KJiu, making transportation very convenient. At the foot of the mountain, there are agritainment spots such as Hongyan Renjia, offering comfortable, quiet accommodations as well as local specialties and food. When various fruits such as peaches, plums, and persimmons are in season, visitors can also enjoy fruit picking.