Beixiang Mountain

Beixiang Mountain

Guide Beixiang Mountain is located to the north of Longde County. It is steep and towering, standing majestically, and earned its name because it resembles an elephant. The elephant’s head faces west, its trunk slightly curled, a gap in the hillside forms its ears, four earthen mounds serve as its feet, and its tail tilts slightly northward. Legend has it that when King Wu of Zhou attacked King Zhou of Shang, Bodhisattva Samantabhadra helped break through the Yellow River Formation. On his way west to the Western Paradise, his mount, the elephant, transformed into this mountain.

According to Master Miaoling, the abbot of Kongtong Mountain, “Bodhisattva Samantabhadra rode a white elephant from the East Sea to visit the venerable master at Guangji Temple. Upon arrival, out of respect for his teacher, he had the white elephant kneel down, bow its head, and press its palms together in worship. He then left the elephant there, which remained still as if asleep, eventually transforming into a mountain—now commonly known as Beixiang Mountain.” Introduction: Beixiang Mountain is home to Xiangshan Park, which features a traditional arch-style entrance gate and stone steps leading up the slope. Visitors can climb to the summit and then loop back around. Midway up the mountain lies a temple, while at the top stands a pavilion inscribed with the phrase: “View a thousand homes by day, admire ten thousand lamps by night.” The mountain is covered with pine, cypress, and peach trees. In spring, blooming peach blossoms create the effect of crimson clouds swirling around the slopes.

At the foot of Beixiang Mountain, there used to be a memorial temple dedicated to Han Wei, a famous Song Dynasty general who fought against the Western Xia. The temple no longer exists. Beixiang Mountain serves as a natural barrier to the north of Longde County, with the Lanzhou-Xi’an Highway cutting through the valley below. In August 1935, during the Long March, the 25th Army of the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army seized this 2,313-meter-high mountain, quickly capturing Longde County and defeating the defending enemies. In 1980, the county government built the Beixiang Mountain Martyrs’ Cemetery on the “forehead” of the mountain, covering an area of 14 acres. The cemetery is the resting place of veteran Red Army soldier Li Youlu, as well as martyrs Zhang Baojiang and Zhang Xinsheng, who sacrificed their lives during the self-defense counterattack at the Vietnam border in 1984.

Guyuan City, Ningxia