Baoji Fengquan Mountain

　　   Fengquan Mountain is situated in Liuchuan River in the western mountainous region of Baoji City, approximately forty kilometers from the city. The mountain features stunning landscapes, ancient trees that reach to the sky, and a dense concentration of temples, all set within an elegant environment. The Sacred Fengquan Cave, over 30 temples, and the mountain stream formed by the convergence of springs create a picturesque scene. The mountain enjoys convenient transportation, with the provincial Qiubei Highway running through it. From Baoji City, there are two routes—north and south—to reach the site. The northern route involves taking a bus from Baoji through County Gong, Shangwang, Sijie, and Nanguan Village to reach the mountain gate; the southern route entails taking a bus from Baoji East Bus Station via Xiashi, Liuchuan River, and Chezhe to arrive at Kuantan Village at the foot of the mountain.

　　   Fengquan Mountain is part of the Qinling Mountain range, classified as a shallow forested hill area, and was historically known as Xiling Mountain. In the fourth year of the Yongzheng reign during the Qing Dynasty, Wang Kun from Shangwang renovated the site and renamed it Fengquan Mountain, a name that has endured to this day. The main peaks include Ningcui Peak, Tianque Peak, and Liuxiu Peak. The clustered peaks are lush and verdant, with clear waters and fresh air, offering scenic views in all seasons. Tianque Peak is the highest, standing over 1,700 meters above sea level, and the scenic area covers approximately 100 hectares. Major architectural structures and temples include the Jiulong Temple at the mountain’s base, as well as the Amitabha Buddha Hall and the Nine Sons Bodhisattva Hall halfway up Ningcui Peak, all majestic and imposing. The annual Incense and Flower Festival is held from the tenth to the fifteenth day of the sixth lunar month, attracting a continuous stream of pilgrims and tourists from Qianyang, Long County, Feng County, and Baoji.

　　   Legend has it that in the early years of the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Taizong Li Shimin married the sister of his general Changsun Wuji, whose hometown was Sunjia Village in Xiangquan Commune of what was then Baoji County. After Li Shimin ascended the throne and became emperor of the Tang Dynasty, he bestowed the title of Empress on Lady Changsun. When Empress Changsun traveled from Baoji via Chezhe to visit her family in Xiangquan, she passed by Fengquan Mountain. There, she saw the winding green mountains and overlapping emerald ridges. As Buddhism was widely practiced during the Tang Dynasty, she petitioned the emperor to fund the construction of temples. The earliest temple built was at the foot of Fengquan Mountain, where nine mountain ranges converged like nine dragons, gathering at the mountain's base. Thus, the Jiulong Temple was first constructed, followed by the development of Fengquan Mountain.

　　   In 1992, ancient broken bell fragments were unearthed at Jiulong Temple, inscribed with the text “Jiulong Temple was renovated during the Tai Ding era of the Yuan Dynasty,” proving that Fengquan Mountain had already been thriving long before the Yuan Dynasty. Further expansions took place during the Qing Dynasty’s Kangxi reign, and although the site suffered damage during the Cultural Revolution, it has since been restored. To this day, Jiulong Temple and Fengquan Mountain still house nearly a hundred halls, pavilions, and towers, documenting the rise and evolution of Chinese Buddhist culture in Baoji over the past millennium. Over the past twenty years of reform and opening up, continuous renovations have been carried out, with roads, water, and electricity infrastructure improved, and major temples, pavilions, towers, monks’ quarters, and guest buildings restored to their former glory. Since the 1990s, visitor numbers have increased year after year. Fengquan Mountain has now been listed as one of the scenic attractions in Chencang District, Baoji City.

　　   The most prominent and beautiful sights of Fengquan Mountain are Tianque Peak, Yuxiu Peak, and Ningcui Peak, which are shaped like a penholder. The highest among them, Tianque Peak, stands at 1,474 meters above sea level. The area is covered with flourishing white-bark pines that remain green all year round. From the mountaintop, one can enjoy panoramic views of the Qinling Mountains, the Wei River, Jifeng Mountain, the Western Zhen Wushan Mountain, and Qianyang Ridge. Major attractions in the Fengquan Mountain scenic area include: the Twenty-Four-Bend Mountain Road, the Tianque Summit Viewpoint, the Divine Spring of Fengquan, the remarkable cave-temple wonder, the luminous stone cave amid dark clouds, the camphor and pine trees scattering powder-like pollen, the colorful pavilions framed by sunset clouds, the bamboo groves with speckled stems, the towering stone pillars, the Red Leopard Cliff, the forest where golden pheasants dwell, the misty Fengquan scenery, the shaded spot untouched by sunlight even in midsummer, the cliffside spot for worshiping Guanyin, and the Thousand Buddha Cave beneath the Hanging Curtain Cliff.

　　   Transportation Guide

　　   Scenic Area Address: Liuchuan River, Chencang District, Baoji City, Shaanxi Province

　　   Getting There: Take a bus to Liuchuan River within Baoji City, then transfer to a minibus to reach the site.