Yuntai Mountain Forest Park

Yuntai Mountain Forest Park

Yuntai Mountain Forest Park is a provincial-level forest park, featuring Yuntai Mountain and Ma’eryan Lake as its main attractions. Located 25 kilometers northwest of Nanxi County, it borders Yibin City and Zigong City, covering a total area of 13.06 square kilometers (approximately 20,000 mu). The terrain consists of deep hills with an average elevation of 450 meters. There are five streams of varying sizes within the area, all converging into Ma’eryan (Reservoir), then flowing through the dam into Xinqiao, eventually reaching the Huangsha River and joining the Yangtze River.

Yuntai Mountain boasts majestic peaks, elegant ridges, and towering trees. Attractions include the Dragon Lantern, Lion, Sand Monk, Monkey Rock, Child-Making Nest, Bench Ridge, Reef Nest Mountain, Ping’an Fort, Jian Mountain, Yunxian Cave, Qianli Slope, Sedan Roof Fort, Ma’er Lake, Lianyun Temple, and Shen Shen Cliff. Cracks in the rocks at the main peak have formed three interdependent stone formations. Yuntai Mountain is an ideal destination for summer retreats and tourism. The area is filled with birdsong and floral fragrance, and ancient trees reach skyward. Yuntai Ancient Temple, originally built during the Ming Dynasty, features grand halls and thrives with incense offerings. It attracts worshippers and tourists from far and wide, earning the nickname “Little Emei.”

Yuntai Mountain is home to many historical relics that evoke nostalgia, among which Yuntai Temple is the most renowned. The predecessor of Yuntai Temple was the Yuntai Academy during the Yuan and Ming Dynasties. Ming Dynasty scholars from Nanxi, such as the imperial examination graduates Wang Chen and Tang Zuo, once studied here diligently, leaving behind countless timeless literary works. After being converted into a temple, it underwent continuous expansion and renovation, growing into a grand temple with three main halls. As a sacred Buddhist site in southern Sichuan, it is often referred to as the “Little Emei.” Nearby, there are the ruins of Yong’an Fort and Ping’an Fort, with high fortress walls entwined by ancient trees and vines. Yuntai Mountain was once a strategic military stronghold. In 1918, Zhu De led the Yunnan Army to suppress bandits who had taken refuge in Yuntai Temple. The site of the copper coin mint—Zhu De’s mint factory during his time stationed in Nanxi—is located in Tongjiagou at the foot of Yuntai Mountain.