Qingyuan Golden Rooster Rock

Qingyuan Golden Rooster Rock

Golden Rooster Rock is located 5 kilometers along the Qinggao Highway in Qingcheng District, Qingyuan City, Guangdong Province. It is a historic scenic spot and religious site, serving as the headquarters of the Qingyuan Taoist Association. According to the *Qingyuan County Annals*, during the Kaiyuan era of the Tang Dynasty, a feng shui master reported to the Tang capital, Chang’an, that Qingyuan had a spiritual mountain where golden lingzhi mushrooms were found. Emperor Xuanzong of Tang then sent envoys to retrieve them, and the lingzhi was obtained here. When struck, it produced a metallic clang, hence the name “Golden Lingzhi Rock.” The *Guangdong General Annals* from the Ming Dynasty recorded that Golden Lingzhi Rock was unfathomably deep and was said to connect to the Yunmeng Marsh. The rock formation consists of three caves: one with a stone well dozens of zhang deep, whose opening connects to the sea; another with three standing stones on which water drips without wetting the ground below, where a cave houses stone swallows; and at the top, there are two pools—one large and one small. Ge Hong (also known as Ge Zhenchuan) of the Jin Dynasty secluded himself here to refine elixirs; during the Six Dynasties period, the recluse Lu Xiaozhang (also called Lu Du) also lived here, performing many miraculous deeds and earning a reputation for possessing Taoist magic. A pillow-shaped stone remains in the cave, still referred to by locals as “Lu Gong’s Resting Stone.”

The scenic area features a karst cave formed over 100 million years ago, named for the stalactite relief resembling a golden rooster on the cave hall’s stone wall. Literary figures throughout history, including Su Dongpo, Fang Xinxu, Tang Xianzu, and Qu Dajun, have left inscriptions and poems inside the cave.

Golden Rooster Rock boasts lush mountains and clear waters, with auspicious clouds drifting by. Through the exploration and cultivation of generations of sages—especially a decade-long restoration—it has become a sacred and blessed land in Qingyuan. Formed in ancient times, the rock is a remnant of the karst landscape after volcanic eruptions. The Golden Lingzhi Cave within the scenic area has over 1,680 years of cultural history. After walking through a nearly 100-meter sightseeing tunnel leading to the cave, you’ll arrive at the spacious cave entrance, where a natural skylight on the cave ceiling allows sunlight to shine directly down from dozens of meters above, like a bright lamp illuminating the entire cave. The main hall of the cave reaches about 30 meters in height from floor to ceiling, covering an area of more than 2,000 square meters, capable of accommodating hundreds of people.

The cave hall is wide and winding, filled with oddly shaped rocks in countless forms. The most striking feature is the pair of lifelike stalactite lions in the center of the hall. The hall is shrouded in ethereal white mist that shifts like clouds. The natural relief of a golden rooster on the cave wall, with its head held high and wings ready to fly, gives the cave its name. Inside the hall, there are caves within caves. Passing through a mysterious underground river and bottomless pit, visitors can climb the Hundred Steps Cloud Ladder to view masterpieces of nature such as Mother and Child Lion, Golden Bitter Melon, Golden Gourd, and Hanging Golden Bell.

Golden Rooster Rock stands at the southern foot of Bijia Mountain. Climbing to the summit offers a panoramic view of the city. The scenic area gathers heritage sites of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, making it a renowned “convergence of the Three Teachings.” It includes prayer sites such as the Golden Lingzhi Hall, the largest Wong Tai Sin Temple in northern Guangdong, the Ge Hong Immortal Temple, and the Three Pure Ones Hall, all of which enjoy perennial incense offerings.

Lu Gong’s Resting Stone

The Zhongsu Tower Museum is divided into six sections: the Ceramic Relics Gallery, the Four Treasures of the Study Gallery, the Unearthed Relics Gallery, the Antique Furniture Gallery, the Cultural Revolution Gallery, and the Calligraphy and Painting Gallery. It displays various relics unearthed in Qingyuan City, including Tang tri-color pottery, inkstones, ancient brush pots, imperial edicts, ancient paintings, and more.

Highlights of the scenic area: China’s first senior leisure tour—Wonder of the Cave. China’s blessing culture pilgrimage—Golden Lingzhi Temple. China’s Cultural Revolution historical education tour—Zhongsu Tower Museum. China’s first and largest collection with the strongest ethnic characteristics—Chinese Auspicious Culture Art Dragon Culture Collection Museum. A place integrating leisure, entertainment, and fruit tasting—Baiguoyuan Barbecue Area.

Address: 5 kilometers along the Qinggao Highway, Dongcheng, Qingcheng District, Qingyuan City

Type: Mountain, Historic Site, Temple

Opening Hours:

8:30–17:30

Ticket:

Ticket: 30 RMB