Dengzhan Mountain

Dengzhan Mountain

Introduction To the west of Pengyang stands a strikingly tall mountain, with steep and lofty ridges standing majestically — this is Dengzhan Mountain, commonly known as West Mountain. The mountain connects to the east with the city, and the city leans on the mountain to the west, forming an integrated whole.

During the Tang Dynasty, Pengyang was the seat of Baiquan County, where a city was built. By the Song Dynasty, due to military defense needs, the city walls were expanded, forming the current layout. By the Ming Dynasty, the administrative setup was abolished, and Pengyang City suffered repeated disasters such as warfare, banditry, and earthquakes. The fortress fell into disrepair and gradually became desolate. Although the town has faded away, the grandeur of the city walls remains. In the past, because temples were built in the mountain, it was also called West Mountain at the Goddess Temple.

There is also a legend about the origin of Dengzhan Mountain. It is said that in the late Qing Dynasty, a feng shui master from Hubei, nicknamed Zhao Mazi, passed through Pengyang. After surveying the area, he noticed that West Mountain had a unique terrain, standing opposite Lotus Mountain to the east and Aoshan Mountain to the north, forming a triad of peaks, with the Ru River flowing eastward through the valley. The mountain embraced the ancient city and resembled a lampstand, making it a rare geomantic treasure. He told the locals: “West Mountain is a lampstand formation, governing the rise and fall of Pengyang. If you add oil to the lamp and place a wick, letting the oil fill the lamp, Pengyang will prosper.” People at the time did not understand his words, but the name “Dengzhan Mountain” spread from then on.

Ningxia Guyuan City