Yongde Xiangen

　　Xiangen, also known as the Earth Buddha, is located in Yongkang Town, about 50 kilometers from the county seat. The soil is primarily red and yellow earth, mostly gravel-like in texture. There are over 200 such formations, covering an area of 0.1 square kilometers. They appear both carved and uncarved, with bizarre shapes resembling ancient towers that have stood for millennia or exquisitely sculpted jade pillars. Varying in height, the tallest stands over 30 meters, making it a true wonder. Every year on the 15th day of the first and third lunar months, tens of thousands of visitors come to burn incense, worship, and attend the Xiangen Festival.

　　An Ancient County Wonder—Yongde Xiangen, commonly called the Earth Buddha, is situated in central Yongde, in Yongkang Town, about 50 kilometers from the county seat. The soil is mainly red and yellow earth, largely gravel-like, and it is the foremost of Yongde’s three scenic highlights. Some formations resemble a gathering of immortals descending to earth, others like ancient towers that have stood for millennia, some like exquisitely carved jade bamboo, and others like ancient fortresses four thousand years old. From a distance, the area looks like a small green town with reddish-brown tiles. There are over 200 formations, covering 0.1 square kilometers. They look both carved and uncarved, with strange shapes like ancient towers or elaborately sculpted jade pillars. Varying in height, the tallest rises over 30 meters, truly a spectacle. A poem describes it: “In Yongde’s Earth Buddha mountain, a painting stands tall; neither sun nor rain can make it fall. Through lightning speed and cosmic affair, through endless years, its beauty grows rare.” Later, a distinguished visitor inscribed: “A unique wonder of China, shared by all humanity.”

　　Address: Yongde County, Lincang City, Yunnan Province