Xiaojiuhua Scenic Area

　　   Xiaojiuhua is located two li northwest of Caishi Town in Ma'anshan and is an essential stop when driving from Ma'anshan to the Caishi (Ancient Town) Scenic Area. The mountain rises a hundred zhang high and spans 15 li in circumference. Legend has it that Kṣitigarbha once resided here, leaving behind many magical tales. As early as ancient times, a temple dedicated to Kṣitigarbha was built here, grand and magnificent, attracting endless streams of visitors. For thousands of years, on the 15th day of the first lunar month and the 30th day of the seventh lunar month, worshippers have come in an unbroken line. With its beautiful mountain scenery and thriving incense offerings, resembling the Jiuhua Mountain a hundred li away in Qingyang, it came to be known as "Little Jiuhua." Originally called Wangfu Mountain (Looking-for-Husband Mountain), local chronicles record: “The county and town annals detail how Little Jiuhua Mountain was known as Looking-for-Husband Mountain. It states: A stone about a person’s height, quite human-like in shape, bears the three characters ‘Looking-for-Husband Stone,’ each one chi and six cun in size, resembling either seal or clerical script.”

　　   Xiaojiuhua boasts enchanting scenery, featuring attractions such as Taibai Tower and Snail Tail. The mountain is covered with lush trees, and from Taibai Tower, one can view the surging Yangtze River. Moreover, the dense foliage provides an ideal habitat for wildlife: rabbits, hedgehogs, cuckoos, and woodpeckers live here peacefully alongside humans. Their chirps, some clear, others melodious, form another scenic highlight.

　　   Originally a cliffy hill standing by the river, Xiaojiuhua was formed through historical shifts in the Yangtze River’s course and sediment deposition. Jutting abruptly from the riverbank, the solitary peak stands tall and majestic, presenting a unique spectacle. Adjacent to the famous Caishi Ji Scenic Area, Xiaojiuhua overlooks the Yangtze River and gazes north toward West Mountain. Blessed with a subtropical monsoon climate, the area enjoys cool temperatures, spring-like seasons all year round, abundant sunshine, and plentiful rainfall. The subtropical environment fosters rich plant diversity, including evergreen conifers, mixed broadleaf and deciduous species, as well as planted forests. Many plants here are valued for their ornamental, cultivation, or breeding qualities—such as osmanthus, honeysuckle, and mountain plum—as well as wild medicinal herbs of high economic value.

　　   Xiaojiuhua Zhunti Temple is a scenic gem within Xiaojiuhua, initially built during the Tang and Ming dynasties. In the Chongzhen era of the Ming Dynasty, Zhunti Nunnery was constructed and later renamed Zhunti Temple, renowned for its garden-like beauty. Despite repeated wars, the temple’s incense offerings never ceased, undergoing several restorations, including a major renovation in the 23rd year of the Republic of China (1934) funded jointly by the Zeng brothers, wealthy merchants from Caishi. Until the early days of the People’s Republic, the site retained structures such as the Kṣitigarbha Hall, Zhunti Nunnery, Mahavira Hall, and ancient stone steps, truly making it a renowned Buddhist mountain in southern China. It began to decline before liberation and was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. From 1996 to 1998, through the joint efforts of municipal authorities and local Buddhist devotees, the temple was rebuilt under the direction of Master Weiqi. Now featuring the Vajra Hall, Thousand-Hand-Thousand-Eye Guanyin Hall, guest hall, vegetarian restaurant, monastic quarters, dining hall, monks’ and nuns’ dormitories, parking lot, liberation pond, water pump, and a Kṣitigarbha shrine with glazed tile roofing—all adorned with soaring eaves, painted beams, red doors, and carved windows—it presents a majestic, solemn, elegant, and serene presence. In 1991, it was designated as the city’s Buddhist activity center, and the city’s Buddhist association is also headquartered here.