Zisong Mountain

　　Zisong Mountain is located at the junction of Lintao County and Kangle County, about 30 kilometers south of Lintao County, covering a vegetation area of over 3,000 acres. Here, undulating peaks are covered in lush greenery, and the mountain is rich in forests. It produces dozens of medicinal herbs such as red astragalus and dangshen, as well as a variety of wild animals including river deer and pheasants. The main scenic area, Niangniang Hall Bay, is surrounded by cliffs on three sides, with green grass and red flowers growing on the rocks and birds singing joyfully. The ancient buildings constructed here during the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty were all destroyed in the wars of the Republic of China. In recent years, newly built antique-style structures such as Ziyun Cave, Niangniang Hall, General Hall, Bodhisattva Hall, and Jade Emperor Pavilion are either located within caves or atop perilous peaks. Stone steps and railings crisscross the mountainsides and mountaintops, forming a spectacular and majestic landscape. Standing on the Jade Emperor Pavilion, you can see white clouds drifting beneath your feet. Looking around, you will see Lotus Mountain to the south in full bloom like a lotus flower, and the Tao River to the north winding like a jade belt—truly a magnificent and awe-inspiring sight.

　　What makes Zisong Mountain most famous are the "Hua'er" folk songs and the Hua'er festivals. Because Zisong Mountain is located in an area inhabited by multiple ethnic groups including Han, Hui, and Tibetan peoples, and lies in the overlap zone between the northern Tao-Si style of Hua'er and the Hezhou style, the Hua'er festivals here are uniquely colorful and stand out from the rest. Every spring when flowers are in full bloom, Zisong Mountain kicks off the Hua'er festival season in Lintao and Kangle counties with its annual festival held on the 28th day of the third lunar month, which is followed by the Lotus Mountain Festival. Then, on the 6th day of the sixth lunar month, it ushers in the climax of the Hua'er celebrations, attracting tens of thousands of visitors from nearby cities, prefectures, and six or seven surrounding counties who come from afar to hike, sing, trade, and explore local culture. During the Hua'er festivals, the mountains are covered with tents, flower umbrellas flutter in the wind, and the crowds are immense, with singing echoing like tidal waves. If you have the chance to visit, you can not only immerse yourself in the vibrant ethnic culture, but also sit anywhere you like to taste local delicacies such as chopped offal hot pot and sweet fermented rice wine. Your soul will be purified and your emotions elevated here. As one poem describes:

　　In the green hills of Long, I hear songs sung,

　　As maidens sing 'neath fading light;