Ancient Architectural Complex of Mengding Mountain

Ancient Architectural Complex of Mengding Mountain

The Ancient Architectural Complex of Mengding Mountain is a cultural relic protection unit of Sichuan Province.

Ancient Architectural Complex of Mengding Mountain (Mingshan District)

Ya’an’s Mengding Mountain has a long history and culture. As the birthplace of world tea culture, it has been bestowed with many illustrious titles. The mountain is home to a vast complex of ancient buildings and numerous cultural relics scattered across its slopes.

The Heavenly Ladder Ancient Path is located between the Yuwang Palace halfway up the mountain and Tiangai Temple, featuring 1,456 stone steps ascending along a slope of 30°–50°. An ancient saying goes: “The cloud ladder leads to the heavens,” hence the name "Heavenly Ladder." Legend has it that in the past, after successfully taming the floods, Yu the Great led his people to Mengding Mountain to offer sacrifices to the heavens, passing through this very path.

Tiangai Temple was originally built during the Han Dynasty and renovated in the Song Dynasty. It faces the surrounding mountains and is encircled by 12 ancient ginkgo trees that are over a thousand years old. At its center stands the Stone Pillar Hall—Tea God Hall—built during the Ming Dynasty. This is the place where Wu Lizhen, the progenitor of Meng tea, planted tea. The hall enshrines a full-body statue of Wu Lizhen, the Tea Ancestor.

The Shiyu Lingquan An Stone Memorial Archway, also known as the Yin-Yang Stone Archway, was renovated in the Ming Dynasty during the Tianqi reign year Ren (1622). The left gate is carved with two lions playing with a ball, the right gate with two phoenixes facing the sun, and the middle with two dragons playing with a pearl. Legend has it that only the emperor could pass through this gate. The archway is adorned with exquisite openwork carvings that remain elegant despite being over 300 years old.

The Ancient Meng Spring, also called the Sweet Dew Well, has a history of over two thousand years. It is said that Wu Lizhen dug this well between two mountains to irrigate the tea plants. The well is several feet deep, with an inexhaustible supply of water. Beside it stand two steles inscribed with “Ancient Meng Spring.” The stone railings are engraved with a design of two dragons playing with a pearl.

The Sweet Dew Stone House is located on Sweet Dew Peak to the left of the Imperial Tea Garden. It is a Ming Dynasty structure made entirely of stone. With stone pillars, stone walls, stone brackets, and a stone roof, it lets in light but not rain—an exceptionally unique architectural style. Legend has it that this site was originally where Wu Lizhen, the Tea Ancestor, rested while planting tea. In the 19th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1540), the monk Hongyin built the stone chamber for commemorative worship.

The five peaks of Mengding Mountain resemble a lotus flower, with the Imperial Tea Garden situated right at its center. Over 2,000 years ago, Wu Lizhen, the Sweet Dew Master of the Western Han Dynasty, planted spiritual tea seeds here. Since the Tang Dynasty, tribute tea has been harvested from this garden, and in the 13th year of the Chunxi reign of Emperor Xiaozong of the Song Dynasty, it was officially named the "Imperial Tea Garden." The garden is enclosed by stone railings, with a double-door stone gate at the front and stone inscriptions on both sides reading “Water from the Heart of the Yangtze River, Tea from the Summit of Mengding.” The horizontal plaque reads “Imperial Tea Garden.”

Yongxing Temple was originally built during the Three Kingdoms period by the Indian monk Kongding. It was initially named “Dafanyin Yuan” (Great Brahma Sound Courtyard) and was later renamed “Yongxing Temple” in the Qing Dynasty, meaning “ever-prosperous.” It has a history of over 1,700 years. During the Song Dynasty, the monk Budong from the Western Regions came to Sichuan and, seeing the misty peaks of Mengshan exuding the grandeur of Mahayana Buddhism, chose to reside there. With great compassion, the master compiled esoteric and exoteric scriptures into the “Great Repentance Text” and the “Mengshan Food Offering Ceremony.” These works resonated with the spirit of the times, spread widely, and became essential evening rituals for all Buddhist sects, gaining popularity both in China and abroad. Thus, Yongxing Temple became the birthplace of the “Mengshan Food Offering Ceremony.” At the same time, starting from the Tang Dynasty, generations of eminent monks at Yongxing Temple engaged in tea planting, tea production, and integrating tea into Zen practice, using tea to enhance meditation and vice versa, thus making it the birthplace of Mengshan Zen tea culture.

Zhiju Temple was historically a dedicated site for producing tribute tea for the emperor. Tea leaves harvested from the Imperial Tea Garden were sent here for processing, where high monks would sit in meditation and chant sutras to produce the tribute tea.

Includes: Yongxing Temple, Sweet Dew Stone House, Tiangai Temple, Zhiju Temple, Ancient Meng Spring, Qianfo Temple, Wenchang Temple, Thousand Buddha Cliff Carvings, Coiled Dragon Stone Carvings, Mengshan Stone Carvings, Red Army Stone Slogans, Red Army Trenches

Protected Area: Extends 20 meters beyond the current boundaries of the cultural heritage sites.

Construction Control Zone: Extends 50 meters beyond the protected area.