Shenguang Mountain Scenic Area

Shenguang Mountain Scenic Area

Shenguang Mountain Scenic Area is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and a national forest park.

Shenguang Mountain, with an elevation of 360 meters and a prominent height of 100 meters, is covered in towering ancient trees, features winding paths through serene landscapes, and boasts numerous historical relics. It has long been a favored destination for literati and artists throughout the ages. For over 800 years, it has been a tradition to visit Shenguang Mountain on the Double Ninth Festival for hiking, worship, and ceremonial gatherings. However, as time passed and dynasties changed, the original temples, pavilions, and pagodas fell into disrepair due to weathering. In the 1980s, sites at the southern foot of the mountain—including Mochi Pond and the temples of Shigu King, Baisha King, and Sanshan King—were either renovated or rebuilt, restoring them to their former glory. Only ruins remain of Shenguang Temple and other historic sites. In 1984, Master Shi Shan Guang, abbot of Thailand’s “Longfu Temple” and an overseas Chinese from Thailand, initiated and led the fundraising effort to rebuild Shenguang Temple, which has since been completed and opened to the public.

Originally known as “Nanshan,” “Guabang Mountain,” and “Tieqi Peak,” it was later renamed “Shenguang Mountain” following a legend from the Tianxi era of the Song Dynasty. A local scholar named Luo Mengjiao (who ranked third in the imperial examinations in the eighth year of Tian Sheng and later served as an imperial counselor and Hanlin academician) dreamt that a mountain deity showered him with multicolored auspicious light to aid his studies, leading to the name change.

The scenic area includes: Shenguang Temple, Ancestral Master Hall, Mochi Temple, Shigu King, Wangxing Pavilion, TV Transmission Tower, Cimu Pavilion, Baisha King, Sanshan King, and the Memorial Pavilion of General Li Zhen. It serves as an ideal destination for appreciating natural scenery and exploring religious culture.

Shigu King: From the western mountain pass of Shenguang Mountain, after climbing 117 stone steps, you will find a thousand-year-old banyan tree and an ancient teahouse. Beside them originally stood a massive rock, known as "Shigu King." Legend has it that Shigu King was an ancient ethnic hero of Xingning who was revered as a deity for his meritorious service in defending his homeland. To commemorate this legendary hero, later generations built a shrine and a temporary palace nearby. Above the shrine hangs a horizontal plaque inscribed with golden lacquered characters reading “Yangu Tianquan,” which can be separated and interpreted as “Shankou Yiren, Shigu Wang” (literally, “One person at the mountain pass, Shigu King”).

Ancestral Master Hall: Located above Shenguang Temple, the Ancestral Master Hall consists of a main hall and surrounding corridors, covering a total area of 3,000 square meters with a built-up area of 1,150 square meters. The hall houses over 100 Buddhist statues of various sizes.

Shenguang Temple: Originally named “Caoyuan Temple,” it is the birthplace of the Hengshan Hall branch of the Linji School of Buddhism (its founding patriarch, Monk Muyuan, secular name He Nanfeng, was a native of Shimǎ). Shenguang Temple was built in the Northern Song Dynasty in 1058 AD but was destroyed in 1958. It was rebuilt in 1987 in the architectural style of Thai temples.

The new Shenguang Temple covers an area of 8,000 square meters with a built-up area of 2,050 square meters. The temple complex includes the Heavenly King Hall, Mahavira Hall, Scripture Depository, Guanyin Hall, and Dizang Hall. The Mahavira Hall houses five hundred arhats, and the surrounding walls feature splendid murals depicting the Buddha's path to enlightenment, creating a magnificent and awe-inspiring atmosphere.

Mochi Pond and Tanhua Academy: Nestled in a mountain hollow on the eastern side of Shenguang Mountain, beside Mochi Temple, lies a stone spring. The spring water gushes forth continuously from between the rocks, remaining clear, pure, and sweet in taste. According to the official records of Xingning from the Ming Dynasty’s Zhengde era, the Song Dynasty scholar Luo Mengjiao used to study here in his youth, often practicing calligraphy by the pond and washing his inkstone in the water, which turned completely black, hence the name “Mochi Pond” (Ink Pond). Luo Mengjiao studied diligently and achieved the prestigious rank of Tanhua (the third-place scholar in the imperial examination), later being appointed as a scholar-official. To commemorate him and inspire future generations, a Tanhua Shrine was built beside the pond, which was later converted into the Tanhua Academy.

Mochi Temple: Adjacent to the Mochi Pond and Tanhua Academy stands the ancient Mochi Temple. The temple is home to Guangdong’s largest Thousand-Armed, Thousand-Eyed Guanyin statue and the 500 Arhat statues housed in the newly constructed Mahavira Hall completed last year. The exquisitely crafted and majestic statues attract a continuous stream of visitors every day.

Location: Shenguang Village, Fuxing Subdistrict, Xingning City, Meizhou, Guangdong

Fuxing Subdistrict: Historically known as Xixiang, Fuxing was established as an administrative unit in 1937 and officially became a subdistrict in November 2004, serving as a model area for urbanization in Xingning City. Bordered by Ningxin and Xingtian to the east, Wuhua’s Zhuan Shui to the west, Diaofang to the south, and Xinbei to the north, Fuxing spans a total area of 34.94 square kilometers. It currently governs 10 administrative villages and one neighborhood committee, with 9,424 households and a population of over 35,000. In 2006, it achieved a GDP of 352 million yuan, with an average rural annual income of 4,595 yuan.

　During the Ming Dynasty, Xingning City was divided into four districts centered around Xingcheng: east, west, south, and north. Fuxing was historically known as Xixiang (West District). … Fuxing Subdistrict detailed information++