The Spectacular Stone Scenery of Qilin Mountain

The Spectacular Stone Scenery of Qilin Mountain

Qilin Mountain, also known as Lingyan Mountain, gets its name from the ancient Lingyan Temple located halfway up the mountain. It is situated in Nancun, Zhourui Town, Dabu County, more than fifty kilometers from Dabu County’s urban area. The mountain is covered with dense foliage and scattered with dark-hued rocks—some rise sheer and towering, forming striking peaks; some resemble mythical creatures, vividly lifelike; others contain unusual caves winding inside; and some feature sheer cliffs fraught with danger.

Lingyan Temple

Lingyan Temple is located at the foot of Lingyan Mountain in Nancun, Zhourui Town, Dabu County, facing east. Originally called Qilin Mountain, the site was renamed after the ancient Lingyan Temple built halfway up the hill. According to the Dabu County Annals from the Republican Era, Lingyan Temple was first constructed during the Tang Dynasty and underwent renovation in the forty-ninth year of the Kangxi reign in the Qing Dynasty (

1710), featuring an earth-and-wooden structure. With a history of over a thousand years, it is one of the more renowned ancient temples in Dabu County. The temple enshrines Master Cankui and the Deity of Literature, both highly revered by scholars and poets throughout history. Surrounded by picturesque scenery and numerous historical relics, Lingyan Temple is home to peculiar stones and peaks, as well as many stone inscriptions. Among them, the most famous is the Qing Dynasty calligraphy by Song Xiang, a literary talent from Jiaying, inscribed with the words “Repent and Be Saved.” Other unnamed carvings include “Jade Sprout Peak,” “Jade Cave Pearl Cliff,” and “Sword Testing Stone.” There are also many stone caves and spring-fed waters.

The “Repent and Be Saved” Stone Inscription

The “Repent and Be Saved” stone inscription is located to the left of Lingyan Temple. A massive natural rock stands prominently here, engraved with the bold characters “Repent and Be Saved” (回头是岸), written in powerful and vigorous strokes. Legend has it that during the Qing Dynasty, Song Xiang, a literary genius from eastern Guangdong, was on his way to take the imperial examination in Chaozhou when he passed by Qilin Mountain in Zhourui. Suddenly learning that the boat at the Han River dock had already departed, he furiously wrote the four characters on the large rock.

The “Hanging Rock” and the “Heavenly Script Written by a Divine Brush”

Qilin Mountain is dotted with peculiar stones and numerous inscriptions, but the most mystical among them are the “Hanging Rock” and the mystery of the “Heavenly Script Written by a Divine Brush” found within the Stone House Ancestral Shrine. The “Hanging Rock” is located in the Stone House Ancestral Shrine—a natural cave-like stone house situated halfway up the mountain behind Lingyan Temple. This square-shaped stone house is about ten square meters in size, but what makes it remarkable is its roof, formed by a single huge rock that appears to be suspended in midair, tilting slightly forward as if it could fall at any moment. On the rock face is a cliff engraving featuring the six large golden characters “Namo Amitabha” (南无阿弥陀佛), with “Nan” (南) and “Fo” (佛) carved in intaglio, and the other four in relief—an extremely rare sight. At the entrance of the stone house lies a giant rock shaped like an ingot, inscribed with the three large characters “Ru Shi Guan” (如是观). Legend has it that when the founding monk of Lingyan Temple was constructing the temple, he invited Master Cankui to personally guide him. The master resided here in this stone house for ninety-nine days. As it is believed that the master transformed the rock into a dwelling for spiritual practice and chanting, locals refer to it as the Ancestral Shrine.

The “Heavenly Script Written by a Divine Brush” is found on a massive rock, as wide as half a basketball court, located halfway up the mountain behind Xizhu Temple. The back of the boulder is covered with regularly “written” characters—some resembling strokes, others shapes—circular, square, trapezoidal, or triangular—all deeply engraved into the rock, leaving onlookers in awe. Legend says that thousands of years ago, there was a local tale that two jars, one of gold and one of silver, were buried in the caves of Qilin Mountain. Villagers rushed to dig for them day after day, unknowingly disturbing the slumbering Qilin Immortal who had rested for millennia. Upon learning of the villagers’ intentions, the immortal led them to this boulder behind Xizhu Temple, where he used his hand to write several characters and uttered a verse: “Behind Xizhu Temple on Qilin Mountain, hidden lies the Qilin beyond the temple wall; those with fate who solve this mystery shall be blessed to claim the golden prize.” To this day, no one has been able to decipher the puzzle. No one knows if the two jars of gold and silver remain hidden. All that endures is this beautiful legend, passed down through generations.