Yongxi Scenic Area

Yongxi Scenic Area

Yongxi Scenic Area

Yongxi Town is the political, economic, and cultural center of Nayong, boasting abundant tourism resources and a rich historical and cultural background. It is home to three designated tourist hotels: Nayong Hotel, Liangyuan Grand Hotel, and Jinyong Grand Hotel, making it an important gateway for Nayong County’s openness to the outside world. The central Yongxi scenic area has been listed by the county Party committee and government as one of the four key scenic areas in the county, primarily centered around Yongxi Park and radiating outward to include attractions such as Dahaidam and La’aozhong Fish Cave River.

Yongxi Park is our first stop. Commonly known as “Shanwang Temple” or “Monkey Rock,” it is famous for its temple fairs and clustered animal-shaped rock formations. Located north of the county town, it is less than 1 kilometer from the New Square. The completion of the New Square at the entrance has become a beautiful gateway to Yongxi Park. The square is paved with multicolored pentagonal tiles forming various patterns—circles, rectangles, diamonds, trapezoids, and more. At the very center of the square, a circular fountain sprays water droplets that shimmer in a dazzling array of colors under the glow of colorful lights, creating a spectacular sight. From the square, a winding cement road leads directly to the main gate of Yongxi Park. First, you’ll see a “Great Buddha’s Hall” adorned with red, yellow, blue, and green hues, standing tall amidst thousand-year-old pine trees. Next, two golden jade pillars bear a couplet that reads: “One towering peak stands like a bronze guardian of the northern gate; two emerald gorges resemble the jade palaces of the South Sea,” showcasing the hall’s majesty and sanctity. Then, to the left of the hall is a winding path with twelve turns, hence called the “Twelve Bends,” which leads all the way to the Danay Highway. The path is flanked by thorny thickets, with year-round dripping rock water, known for its reputation as “purified water from the South Sea.” Legend has it that since liberation, a Buddhist-devout woman used to fetch drinking water here year-round, living to over 100 years old before passing away. To commemorate her, she was buried at the “Shanwang Temple,” where a centenarian monument was erected. Though the tomb was damaged during the Cultural Revolution, the story remains widely told. Therefore, on the annual “February 19,” “June 19,” and “September 19”—the birthdays of Guanyin Bodhisattva—people flock here from all directions to worship, eat vegetarian, and drink the water, praying for peace and longevity.

Detouring around either side of the “Great Buddha’s Hall,” a secluded forest path leads straight to the edge of the cliffs. Standing atop the rocks and looking around offers a refreshing and delightful view, especially the vivid animal-shaped rock formations that are truly captivating. To the right is Tiger Mountain, where the “tiger” reveals its snow-white fangs, sticks out its long tongue, and sits quietly against the mountain, guarding the “Great Buddha’s Hall” day and night. In front is Dragon Mountain, with its majestic body and dazzling scales, looking just like a real dragon, its head hidden in the mist. Viewed from the Masanglin Highway, the dragon’s body appears straight, with its mouth, horns, eyes, and whiskers rendered even more lifelike. To the left is a standing clam, known as “Little Solitary Mountain,” with its head leaning toward the rapids and its tail spread across the sandbank. Towering dozens of meters high and stretching over a hundred meters, the edges of the clamshell appear to open and close, with layered soil marks on the shell surface clear and distinct. By the clam’s head, on the riverbank, a dark gray heron stands at the edge of the canyon, matching the height of the clam mountain, stretching its long neck toward the river. Right in front of Monkey Rock, an eagle is seen spreading its wings and taking off from the mountainside, with its head and wings visible, and one can even faintly make out its sharp, iron-like beak—this is the famed Eagle Mountain. If you look carefully and stand from different angles, various animal-shaped rock formations will come vividly to life before your eyes, allowing you to fully appreciate and enjoy the beauty bestowed upon the human world by nature.

After visiting the Yongxi Park attraction, it’s just a 6-kilometer drive along the road from Nayong County to Zhangjiawan to reach the Dahaidam attraction.