Hongshan National Forest Park

Hongshan National Forest Park

Hongshan National Forest Park is a national-level forest park.

Located in the suburbs of Chifeng City in the southeastern part of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and adjacent to the Yingjin River, it is 3 kilometers southwest of downtown Chifeng, 420 kilometers south of Beijing, and 220 kilometers from Chengde. The area enjoys convenient railway and road access.

The park was approved by the Ministry of Forestry in November 1991 as a national forest park, covering an area of 65,000 mu with a forest coverage rate of 39%. The entire park is divided into four sections: Hongshan District, Beishan District, Dongshan District, and Xishan District. Each area is home to a rich variety of typical northern tree species, mainly including black pine, spruce, larch, poplar, willow, elm, oak, and birch, creating a rare forest landscape on the Inner Mongolian grassland. In addition, there are also various medicinal plants and wildlife.

The park also features numerous natural and cultural landscapes. The most prominent attraction is the red-colored rocks of Hongshan, after which both the mountain and Chifeng City are named. There are a total of 47 peaks in the park, with majestic natural formations that create many lifelike shapes, such as the Leaning Mountain Buddha, Reclining Camel Peak, General Stone, One-Line Sky, and Golden Toad Gazing at the Moon. Hongshan is honored as China’s premier cultural mountain and is one of the birthplaces of Chinese civilization and dragon culture, preserving many historical relics such as ancient sun god statues, ruins of the Yan State Great Wall from the Warring States period, cultural remains from the Liao and Jin dynasties, and the Mulan Stele. The ancient jade dragon unearthed here is known as the “No. 1 Dragon under Heaven” and enjoys international fame.

In recent years, new artificial attractions have been added to the park, including the Buddha Pavilion, Dragon’s Saliva Pool, Moon-Inviting Pavilion and Stele Corridor, Wind-Listening Pavilion, and Maitreya Buddha statue. Other planned attractions include the Ancestors’ Village, Stele Forest, and Fishing Pond. Currently, the park offers high-end restaurants, Mongolian yurt-style accommodations, and other service facilities. It also features unique folk tourism activities with a Mongolian grassland flavor, such as horseback riding, camel trekking, and Mongolian long-song performances, as well as traditional Mongolian foods like whole roasted lamb, hand-held lamb, milk tea, cheese, and yogurt.