Shehu Mountain

　　   Shehu Mountain is situated in Shetianqiao Town, standing at an altitude of 496 meters with over 1,600 acres of forested area. It borders Shuangfeng to the east, connects to Hengyang to the south, links to Qidong to the west, and leads to Shaoyang to the north. The serene Zhen River meanders from west to east around the mountain and through the town. The Hengbao Highway centers around Shetianqiao, with roads leading east to Loudi and west to Guilin. Located just 20 kilometers from the county seat, the mountain enjoys convenient transportation.

　　   On Shehu Mountain stands a well-known temple, originally called “Yunlin Ancestral Hall” more than 1,200 years ago, featuring a large horizontal plaque inscribed with “Yunshan Temple.” Later, during the Tang Dynasty, it was rebuilt and renamed “Yunlin Temple,” with an imperial plaque personally bestowed by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. Since the Song Dynasty, it has been commonly referred to as the “Shehu Mountain Temple.” The temple’s most famous deity is the Great Luo Bodhisattva. Legend has it that a healer surnamed Shen, during a time of great hardship, took refuge in a cave near Luoyang on the eastern outskirts of Shaoyang City—known as the Luoyang Cave—and later moved to Shehu Mountain. There, he used his medical skills to help the people, earning their deep respect. In gratitude, they built him a temple for spiritual practice and to aid all beings. On the eleventh day of the eighth lunar month in the fourteenth year of the Tianbao era, he ascended to heaven and became a king. The people created a statue of him, which they have worshipped and offered incense to ever since.

　　   The current temple complex covers a construction area of over 600 square meters, including a main hall, rear hall, and auxiliary halls totaling eight rooms, as well as nine rooms for restaurants, shops, and living quarters. This year, 190,000 yuan has been invested to build two new pavilions and other traditional structures. To this day, visitors and worshippers flock here from all directions. The mountain is often shrouded in incense smoke, with people eagerly drawing lots, praying to the gods, making offerings, and offering vows. Pilgrims en route to Mount Heng for worship always make a stop here to offer return incense. The site remains perpetually active with incense and a steady stream of visitors.