Guangzhi Mountain in Licheng

Guangzhi Mountain in Licheng

Guangzhi Mountain

At the border between Licheng County and Xiangyuan County stands Guangzhi Mountain, which has an elevation of 1,807 meters. Commonly known as Guangzhinao and also called Zhongyang Mountain, the area benefits from its outstanding natural environment. Following the liberation, Licheng County set up a medicinal herb farm here to promote economic development. They planted dozens of valuable medicinal plants including high-quality Codonopsis pilosula, Forsythia suspensa, Astragalus membranaceus, and Bupleurum chinense. The mountain is also home to many lively and adorable sika deer, whose playful antics are a delightful sight.

Commonly known as Guangzhinao and also referred to as Zhongyang Mountain, Guangzhi Mountain is situated at the junction of Licheng and Xiangyuan counties, reaching an elevation of 1,807 meters. The mountain is towering and precipitous, with cliffs as sheer as if cut by a knife, and peaks that soar into the sky. In spring and summer, the area is covered with lush green forests, filled with birdsong and fragrant blossoms, creating an exceptionally enchanting landscape. Nestled among these verdant mountains and pine trees is the thousand-year-old Laojun Temple. Originally built in the first year of the Jiatai 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 indestructible form and bestowed upon him fiery golden eyes. The existing structures of Laojun Temple include a dressing tower, a theater stage, and several side rooms. A hike up the mountain path from the temple leads you through layered rocks and wild greenery. After walking about two li, you will reach the summit, which consists of two peaks about 20 meters apart, connected by a 9-meter-high man-made sky bridge. These two peaks rise high into the clouds, each crowned with 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, visitors can gaze out from the mountaintop across the 800-li expanse of the Taihang Mountains, with their countless peaks and ridges in layers of lush green. 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 vast numbers of worshippers. Guangzhi Mountain not only features beautiful scenery and fascinating folk legends, but it is also a revolutionary site with a glorious history. During the War of Resistance Against Japan, when the Eighth Route Army advanced to the North China front and established the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Base Area with the Taihang Mountains as its stronghold, the rear hospital of the Eighth Route Army headquarters was stationed here.

Type: Mountain

Recommended visiting time: About 1 hour