Jinfo Mountain Scenic Area

　　Jinfo Mountain is situated in Nanchuan District in the southern part of Chongqing and belongs to the Dalou Mountain Range. Also known as Golden Mountain, it was historically called Jiudi Mountain. The mountain range consists of Jinfo, Qingba, Baizhi Mountain, and 108 peaks. Covering a total area of 1,300 square kilometers, the scenic area spans 441 square kilometers, with a protected zone of 522 square kilometers. The main peak, Fengchuiling, stands at an elevation of 2,251 meters, making it the highest peak of the Dalou Mountain Range. Jinfo Mountain dominates the northern end of this mountain system like a proud dragon’s head. Long renowned as one of the Four Famous Mountains of Shu, Jinfo Mountain is celebrated for its majestic beauty. “How towering is the Golden Buddha, looming ethereally amidst drifting clouds and mist” is a poetic description of its grandeur. On clear summer and autumn evenings, the setting sun bathes the layered cliffs in golden radiance, as if numerous gilded Buddha statues were emanating brilliant rays of light — a spectacular and breathtaking sight, from which the name “Jinfo Mountain” (Golden Buddha Mountain) originates. The area features typical karst landforms. Due to its unique geographical location and climatic conditions, it buffered the impact of Quaternary glaciers in ancient times, thus preserving relatively intact primeval ecosystems from different geological eras. Integrating mountains, water, rocks, forests, springs, and caves, and embodying grandeur, wonder, seclusion, danger, and beauty, experts both in China and abroad have rated it as a natural scenic area of immense development value. Jinfo Mountain is recognized as a National Key Scenic Spot and a National Forest Park, thanks to its distinctive natural landscape, diverse rare flora and fauna, strikingly rugged rock formations, mysterious deep cave systems, ever-changing weather phenomena, and precious cultural relics.

　　Natural Landscapes of Jinfo Mountain

　　Jinfo Mountain boasts majestic, beautiful, and profoundly enchanting scenery. Its ridges and valleys stretch across dozens of mountain ranges, with over 100 steep peaks standing tall. Natural wonders such as Lion Mouth, Zhenzi Mountain, Thumb Mountain, Monkey Mountain, and Incense Burner Mountain are exquisitely formed, looking almost crafted by heaven. Deep gorges and canyons including Qiaohé Dam, Dragon Bone Stream, Badu Water, Lianghekou, and Dayakou feature “one-line sky” views that are both awe-inspiring and precipitous. Other highlights include the towering Eagle Beak Rock, Spinning Rock, Nose-Piercing Stone, Thousand Buddha Rock, and Guanyin Rock. There are also vividly shaped stone forests, stone stalagmites, “flying stones,” Golden Rooster Rock, and Buddha Head Rock. Jinfo Mountain is dotted with natural caves, among which the ancient Gufo Cave, located on the belly of the Sleeping Buddha rock formation, is the most famous. This grand and profound cave features mountains, rivers, and dams within it, as well as caves within caves, layered intricately. Noteworthy are the Yanzhong Cave, Dabao Cave, and Heifeng Cave, with their upside-down stalactites and bizarre shapes. There’s also the Fairy Cave, said to be left by the Seven Fairies; the Jinfo Cave, which drops a thousand feet down into eerie depths; and other caves like Laolong Cave, Mingfo Cave, and Taoyuan Cave. As scholar Zhou Boyin wrote in his 1806 work *A Record of an Earlier Visit to Jinfo Mountain*, “Its wonders include dragon palaces, celestial halls, peculiar wood, stone, feathered beings, and the spirits of wind, snow, thunder, and rain. But above all, its perilous nature means many places remain untouched by human footsteps.”

　　Meteorological and Hydrological Landscapes of Jinfo Mountain Jinfo Mountain is celebrated for its picturesque scenery and pleasant climate. It has a subtropical humid monsoon climate, characterized by short winters, early springs, long summers, concurrent rainfall and heat, and significant vertical climate variation. In hot summer months, while the average temperature in Nanchuan urban area is around 26°C, and 28°C in Chongqing, Jinfo Mountain remains a cool 17°C. The area receives an average annual rainfall of 1,400 mm, mostly concentrated in summer. Frost occurs on about 26 days per year, while foggy conditions last roughly 260 days. The average annual relative humidity is 90%. Snowfall generally occurs from mid-November to March of the following year. Because of these special climatic conditions, the mountain often experiences rapidly forming and dissipating cloud seas with rolling waves, or clear skies after rain — with clouds, rain, sunlight, fog, snow, and wind creating uniquely beautiful meteorological phenomena. These include Golden Buddha Sunset, White Mist Clearing, Baizhi Red Rain, Golden Mountain Remnant Snow, Golden Mountain Sea of Clouds, and Dragon Maiden Pearl Tossing. The abundant rainfall also contributes to many stunning hydrological landscapes. Notable sites include the ever-flowing “One Bowl of Water,” the sound-sensitive Shizhong Spring, as well as majestic waterfalls like Longyan Waterfall, Shuicaiyan Waterfall, and Three-Tiered Waterfall — each cascading dramatically, as if silver rivers fell from the heavens or colorful silk ribbons danced in the air. The area offers lush mountains and clear waters, crisscrossed streams, picturesque bridges over flowing water, and shimmering reflections. A famous feature is the presence of cold, warm, and hot springs all visible along the same water section.

　　Flora and Fauna of Jinfo Mountain Jinfo Mountain’s rich animal and plant resources support 150 species of wild animals, including 113 subspecies. Among them are 37 types of rare birds and mammals, accounting for 67.2% of Sichuan Province’s 55 protected animals and 22% of the national total. The area is home to 10 species under first-class national protection, including the leopard, South China tiger, clouded leopard, Lady Amherst’s pheasant, and black-leaf monkey. Second-class protected species include 11 types such as the rhesus macaque, pangolin, tufted deer, forest musk deer, and black bear. There are also 15 third-class protected animals, including the small Indian civet, crimson bird, sunbird, golden hill myna, orange-footed flying squirrel, and South China fox. Jinfo Mountain’s ancient and pristine geology, natural resources, and mild climate have nurtured countless rare and precious living creatures, making it a biological treasure trove rich in biodiversity. The vertical distribution of vegetation zones, due to large elevation differences, includes subtropical coniferous forests, mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forests, deciduous broad-leaved and evergreen forests, primeval forests, bamboo stands, shrubs, and meadows. Rare ancient plants are regionally distributed, forming unique ancient plant communities with distinct layers. Beneath towering trees lie 100,000 mu (about 6,666 hectares) of square bamboo forests and various shrubs, with ferns and mosses widespread. In late spring and early summer, a riot of blossoms creates vibrant floral displays. Experts have identified over 5,000 types of plant species here, including more than 250 ancient species, 136 endemic species, 82 rare and endangered species, and 52 precious plants. Among them, four are under first-class national protection, 18 under second-class, and over 30 under third-class. The “Five Treasures of Jinfo” include the silver fir, square bamboo, large-leaf tea, Queen of Azaleas, and ancient ginkgo. The silver fir, often called the “panda of plants” surviving the Quaternary glaciers, is unique to China and exceptionally precious. Square bamboo shoots are thick, crisp, and tender — a delicious mountain delicacy exported worldwide. Over 2,000 ancient tea trees prove that Bashu (Sichuan and Chongqing) is the birthplace of world tea culture. The Queen of Azaleas stands 12 meters tall with a trunk circumference of nearly 4 meters — so massive it takes three people to hug. It’s truly the “Queen of Azaleas” globally. The mountain hosts 33 species and over 300,000 azalea bushes. The ancient ginkgo stands 26 meters tall with a trunk circumference of 11.6 meters, revered locally as the “White Fruit Goddess.” The dove tree, Chinese torreya, and small bugleweed are hailed as the “Three Treasures of Jinfo,” while ginseng, bamboo rice, and tabasheer are known as the “Three Essences of Jinfo.”

　　Other Resources of Jinfo Mountain Beyond tourism, Jinfo Mountain boasts abundant resources in medicinal herbs, bamboo and timber, and minerals. It is rich in economic crops like tea, flue-cured tobacco, konjac, and off-season vegetables. Out of 5,099 plant species, 4,180 are medicinal herbs, with large-scale cultivation of species like Phellodendron, Coptis chinensis, Gastrodia elata, Eucommia ulmoides, Saussurea costus, and Gallnut. The mountain produces 20,000 cubic meters of timber and 7,000 tons of bamboo annually. Its 150,000 mu of square bamboo forests yield over 5,000 tons of square bamboo shoots each year — a rare green food dubbed the “Best of China.” Jinfo Mountain is also rich in mineral resources. Its bauxite reserves exceed 50 million tons, ranking first in Chongqing and featuring high purity and exceptional quality rare even nationally. Due to its unique terrain, the area also possesses abundant water and hydropower resources. Average annual groundwater runoff is 220 million cubic meters, and surface water flow reaches 973 million cubic meters per year. It serves as a major source for both the Wujiang and Qijiang river systems. With significant elevation drops, it holds strong potential for hydropower generation.