Mount Jingting

　　Situated on the banks of the Shuiyang River, 5 kilometers north of Xuancheng City. Originally named Zhaoting Mountain, it was renamed Mount Jingting in the early Jin Dynasty to avoid the naming taboo of Emperor Wen of Jin, Sima Zhao. It is part of the Huangshan Mountain range, stretching over a hundred li from east to west, with 60 peaks of varying sizes. The main peak, Yifeng, stands at an elevation of 317 meters. The Southern Qi poet Xie Tiao wrote in his poem “Visiting Mount Jingting”: “This mountain stretches a hundred li, merging with the clouds in the distance; where hermits find refuge, spirits dwell.” The Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai visited this place seven times and left behind the verse: “Gazing at each other, neither of us grows tired — only Mount Jingting.”

　　At the entrance of Mount Jingting stands an ancient-style arched gate inscribed with the three characters “Mount Jingting” written by Chu Tunan, as well as poems by Li Bai and Chen Yi penned by renowned calligraphers. Inside the gate stands a statue of Li Bai, majestic and ethereal. In Zhaoting Lake sits Zhaoxin Pavilion, with various decorative pleasure boats dotting the water’s surface. A path along the lakeside leads directly to the Twin Pagodas Temple Scenic Area. Ascending from the Twin Pagodas, in March you’ll find pear blossoms white and peach blossoms red, with fields of rapeseed flowers glowing golden — a scene straight out of a painting. As the mountain rises higher, dense woods envelop the area. Climbing up the stone steps from the Ancient Zhaoting Archway and walking through the bamboo forest trail, you’ll reach the Lüxue Tea House. Further up the mountain lies the Taibai Solitary Seating Pavilion. This spot is the highlight of Mount Jingting’s scenery, with the nearby Cuiyun Nunnery and Lüxue Tea House, and rhododendron flowers of every hue covering the mountainsides and cliffs. For those who wish to go further, ascending to the mountaintop rewards you with a breathtaking panoramic view: to the northeast, Nan Yi Lake shimmers endlessly, blending water and sky; below the mountain, the winding Shuiyang River bustles with boat traffic; to the south, the river town paints a picturesque scene of high-rises; and to the north, fertile fields stretch as far as the eye can see.

　　The under-construction Hongyuan Temple nestles at the southern foot of Mount Jingting. With its elevated terrain, lush forests, gentle breezes, surrounded by peaks and embraced by a river, it is a naturally blessed site. The predecessor of Hongyuan Temple was Guangjiao Temple, founded during the Tang Dynasty's Dazhong era by the eminent monk Huangbo. Over the dynasties, it produced many eminent monks who spread Buddhist teachings widely. It was destroyed in warfare in modern times, leaving only the Song Dynasty “Twin Pagodas,” which are now national cultural relics. Approved by both the provincial and municipal governments, the temple was relocated and rebuilt in 2004, and renamed “Hongyuan Temple.”

　　Since ancient times, it has been favored by literati and scholars, who left behind numerous poetic verses. “Even landscapes need talents to praise them,” and thus Mount Jingting became renowned both in China and abroad. For over a thousand years since the Southern Qi poet Xie Tiao served as prefect of Xuancheng, Mount Jingting has been a poetic hub in the Jiangnan region where “poetry flowed daily.” Here, Xie Tiao composed famous lines such as “The sunset clouds scatter like brocade, the clear river smooth as silk” and “This mountain stretches a hundred li, merging with the clouds in the distance,” pioneering a new style of landscape poetry. The Tang poet Li Bai wrote 45 poems about Mount Jingting, among which “Sitting Alone on Mount Jingting” became an eternal masterpiece: “All birds have flown away, so have the lone clouds. We gaze at each other without tiring — only Mount Jingting.” Generations of literati followed in the footsteps of Xie and Li, coming to Mount Jingting to create art. From the Tang to the Qing Dynasties, over 300 calligraphers and painters left nearly a thousand works here. When visiting the mountain, take a rest at the “Taibai Solitary Seating Pavilion,” sip a cup of the famous “Jingting Lüxue” tea, and you’re sure to be inspired with bursts of creativity. Comrade Chen Yi once wrote a poem about Mount Jingting: “By Mount Jingting the oars sound soft, rain drizzles on river and sky like a dream; do the poetic souls of Li and Xie still linger? The lake light breaks through ten thousand years of sorrow.” In the early Jin Dynasty, it was renamed Mount Jingting to avoid the naming taboo of Emperor Wen of Jin, Sima Zhao. It is part of the Huangshan Mountain range, stretching over a hundred li from east to west, with 60 peaks of varying sizes. The main peak, Yifeng, stands at an elevation of 317 meters.

　　The Twin Pagodas of Jingting embody the charm of Song Dynasty pagodas while also reflecting many traditional features of Tang Dynasty architecture. Both pagodas are square-shaped, approximately 20 meters tall, and each has seven stories. The eastern pagoda is slightly larger than the western one, measuring 2.65 meters per side, while the western pagoda measures 2.35 meters per side. The ground floor of both pagodas has doors on three sides — the eastern side of the eastern pagoda and the western side of the western pagoda have none — while the upper floors all have doors on all four sides. The outer walls of the pagodas are occasionally adorned with Buddha figurines made of brick, and four pairs of such figures can still be seen on the fifth floor of the eastern pagoda. The pagoda eaves feature brick-and-wood structures, with wooden flooring inside. The eaves display ornamental brackets, and the walls are inlaid with lotus patterns, exuding the solemn atmosphere unique to Buddhism. The base of the pagodas features white reliefs, with no central pillar or other architectural decorations. These ancient pagodas are rare nationwide and have long drawn the attention of ancient architecture experts. On the inner walls of the second floor of both pagodas are horizontally inlaid steles inscribed with regular script calligraphy of the “Avalokiteshvara Mantra” by the Northern Song Dynasty literary figure Su Shi. The text ends with the signature: “On the 27th day of the second month in the fourth year of Yuanfeng, Huangzhou Tuanlian Vice Commander and Meiyang’s Su Shi inscribed this to present to the Monk Heng of Xuancheng Guangjiao Temple.” Su Shi’s calligraphy holds significant value in the history of Chinese calligraphy.