Tianzi Ridge

Tianzi Ridge

Tianzi Ridge is located 21 kilometers west of Zijin County, at the junction of Yirong and Jiuhe Towns, covering an area of 20 square kilometers. Legend has it that the mountain was named after a tomb on the ridge whose descendants were destined to produce an emperor. In the late Ming Dynasty, it was renamed Tianzi Ridge (literally "Heaven Character Ridge"), and reverted to its original name, Tianzi Ridge, in 2007. The mountain is composed of granite, and its main peak stands at an elevation of 764 meters, connecting with the nearby Jigong Ridge. The mountain features historical sites such as the lecture grounds of Zhong Dingxian, the top scholar of the Ming Dynasty, as well as ancient relics like the Guanyin Temple, Confucius Rock, and Yangjing Stone Cave. At the summit, there are natural formations known as Immortal Stone, Immortal’s Footprint, Immortal Cutting Tofu, and Immortal Testing Sword. The mountain is covered with lush forests, and at its base lies the Fujuzhu Reservoir in Jiuhe, offering picturesque scenery.

Wanshou Temple is situated halfway up Tianzi Ridge and was first built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. Originally established as a nunnery by Monk Xingzong and named “Xianshou Nunnery,” it was renovated in the 23rd year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1684), with a construction area of approximately 150 square meters. In the 40th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1616), County Magistrate Zhang Guohu renamed it Wanshou Nunnery. A stone stele from the renovation still stands at the gate, inscribed with: “Rising a thousand zhang from the earth, towering above all peaks; reaching five feet from the sky, proudly marking the nobility of a single peak.” The couplet on the Buddha Hall reads: “The Buddhist teachings are profound and mysterious, like clouds hanging over the mountain—walk to the mountaintop and the clouds grow even more distant; the secrets of Zen are vast and boundless, like the moon floating on water—part the water and the moon seems yet deeper.” To the left of the nunnery lies a giant rock formation known as “Immortal Stone.” Beneath it is a winding natural cave. Legend has it that after Zhong Dingxian, the top scholar of the Ming Dynasty, failed in his attempt to overthrow the Qing and restore the Ming, he lectured and taught here, naming the cave “Confucius Rock.” The cave walls bear a couplet written by Zhong Dingxian: “The sounds of springs, birds, bells, and drums—all are illusions; the colors of mountains, waters, grasses, and trees—all are emptiness.” In the late Qing Dynasty, Lan Xiangmei, a selected scholar from Qingxi, invited literati to form the “Nine Elders Society” at Xianshou Nunnery, where they bonded through poetry and song. Surrounded by overlapping ridges, dense forests, and beautiful scenery, Wanshou Nunnery underwent renovations in 2007 and was renamed “Wanshou Temple,” with a road now leading up to the temple.