Qingyun Mountain Tourist Area

Qingyun Mountain Tourist Area

The Qingyun Mountain Tourist Area is located in the northwest of Hexi Town. Qingyun Mountain lies in the center, flanked by Lion Mountain and Elephant Mountain. The three mountains are connected, forming a semi-encircling foothill that faces south with its back to the north. The southeast side features open and flat terrain, while Lion Mountain and Elephant Mountain stand like a mighty lion and a giant elephant guarding the entrance to Qingyun Mountain. The area boasts beautiful scenery, layered peaks, and flowing highland streams; the mountain features attractions such as the Purple Gold Lotus Pond, volcanic rock formations, Catfish Cave, Stone Turtle, and Sky Frog.

Dingguang Temple, originally named Qingyun Temple, is situated on the mountainside of Qingyun Mountain. It was first built in the fourth year of the Chongzhen era of the Ming Dynasty (1631), over 360 years ago. Stone tablets record that in those days, “devotees accumulated incense offerings for millennia, and monks expounded the Zen wisdom of myriad teachings.” This attests to the temple’s once thriving incense offerings and large monastic community. The temple is a renowned ancient Buddhist site in the Dongjiang region. It was renovated in the tenth year of the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty (1830), and underwent large-scale expansion after 1988. It now covers an area of 20 hectares, with a total built-up floor area of 25,000 m². The entire architectural complex extends from bottom to top and includes the Mountain Gate Stone, Memorial Archway, Cloud Pavilion, Stone Arch Bridge, Front Hall, Mahavira Hall, Zen Courtyard, Guanyin Pavilion, Scripture Lecture Hall, Scripture Depository, Patriarch Hall, and Blessings Hall. The main structure, the Mahavira Hall, is majestic in scale, covering 700 m² with a height of 14 m and an interior width of 237 m. Built in the style of the Ming and Qing dynasties with a stone and wood structure, the hall houses three deity statues and eighteen arhat statues, all carved from high-quality granite sourced locally on the mountain. Each deity statue stands 6.7 m tall and weighs 15 t, with solemn expressions and dignified, benevolent visages. The golden plaque inscribed with the characters “Mahavira Hall” was written by Zhao Puchu, former president of the Buddhist Association of China. The temple currently preserves historical and religious artifacts from the Ming and Qing dynasties, including stone tablets, stone carvings, wood carvings, and more.

Within the Qingyun Mountain area, there are also naturally scenic spots rich in legend, such as "Lion Mountain," "Elephant Mountain," "Yan Cave," and "Fire Crater Mountain."