Stone Seal

　　The Stone Seal tourist attraction is situated in Pingtang Town in the northeastern part of Xinyi City and is easily accessible. A stream flows through the scenic area, and the riverbed, which slopes from low on the left to high on the right, features two large rocks standing prominently. The historic site “Stone Seal Ancestral Temple” is built on the left rock. Constructed in the 57th year of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty (1792 AD), the temple remains well-preserved to this day.

　　The temple is surrounded by steep cliffs and deep valleys, overgrown with wild grass and trees. There are year-round clear water tanks (pools) and perpetually murky ones; an underground river that echoes with sound yet has no visible flow; a bucket-shaped pool where water flows but no inlet or outlet can be seen; as well as a “line of sky,” Fairy Stone, Bronze Drum Stone, Carp Stone, Seal Stone, Bamboo Shoot Stone, and a pot-like crevice wide enough to be a room yet narrow enough for a person to pass through. Inside, hanging rocks shelter large colonies of bats and swiftlets. There are also uniquely shaped rocks resembling a longevity immortal, turtles, deer, and cranes—all strikingly lifelike. Behind the temple lies a deep pool called Temple Back Pool, where the Seal Stone is located. Towering peaks stand opposite each other on either side of the temple—the Lion Mountain on the left and the Elephant Mountain on the right, commonly referred to as “the Stone Seal guards the water pass, with the lion and elephant standing watch on both sides.”

　　The town has invested nearly 10 million yuan to develop Lion Mountain and Elephant Mountain, establish the Stone Seal Scenic Tourism Area, and create the Stone Seal Economic Development Zone, covering an area of one square kilometer and integrating commerce, tourism, and service industries. Other attractions include Gai Pool and stone houses.