Wushan Scenic Area

　　Wushan Scenic Area is a comprehensive tourist destination integrating travel, sightseeing, leisure, entertainment, and shopping. Situated in Chencang District, Baoji City, it stands majestically on the southern edge of the Longshan Mountain Range, with a total planned area of 3,340 hectares. Established in 2000 and opened to the public the same year, the scenic area features over 30 tourist attractions, including the Five Peaks Scenic Zone (Huixian Peak, Lingying Peak, Zhenshi Peak, Daxian Peak, and Wangnian Peak), Water-Dripping Guanyin, Film and Television Base, Wushan Old Temple, Millennium Chestnut Forest, Zhenren Cave, Black Tiger Hall, Lingguan Hall, and Qixia Island, with a cumulative investment of 12 million yuan.

　　As early as the Zhou Dynasty, Duke Ling of Qin established the Upper Altar on the sunny side of Wushan to worship the Yellow Emperor, and the Lower Altar to worship the Flame Emperor. After Qin unified China, Emperor Qin Shi Huang held a Fengshan ceremony here. During the Han Dynasty, Wushan was revered as a sacred mountain, with six emperors conducting 23 Fengshan ceremonies here, including 13 visits by Emperor Wu of Han. In 594 AD (the 14th year of the Kaihuang era), Emperor Wen of Sui decreed the establishment of the Western Town Shrine, and in 596 AD (the 16th year of Kaihuang), he ordered the construction of the Wushan God Temple. After the Tang Dynasty, Wushan received further accolades for its ability to “summon clouds and rain, bringing relief to all regions,” leading to numerous imperial honors. Historical records mention over 200 poems about Wushan, along with more than 130 stone tablets from the Tang to Qing Dynasties, earning it the nickname “Little Forest of Stone Tablets.” However, these tablets were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. Ancient cliff inscriptions such as “Primordial Mystic Aura,” “Five Peaks Standing Gracefully,” and “Sunny Cliff Flying Rain” can still be faintly discerned today. In 1703, during the 42nd year of the Kangxi reign in the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Kangxi bestowed a golden plaque inscribed with “Five Peaks Standing Gracefully,” which brought Wushan widespread fame. The Kangxi-era “Imperially Commissioned Shaanxi General Gazetteer” featured Mount Hua and Wushan as Shaanxi’s renowned mountains, illustrated at the beginning of the volume, earning them the praise “Hua and Wushan Share Equal Height, Five Peaks Stand Gracefully.”

　　Wushan combines the grandeur of northern mountains with the elegance of southern landscapes. It boasts profound historical culture and rich natural scenery, particularly the Five Peaks Standing Gracefully (Zhenshi Peak, Daxian Peak, Lingying Peak, Huixian Peak, and Wangnian Peak), Wushan Sea of Clouds, Wushan Natural Scenery, Heaven and Earth Mystery Zone, Sunny Cliff Flying Rain, and the “Five Pools” (Zhenren Pool, Da Wu Pool, Leishen Pool, Yuhuang Pool, and Xizhen Ling Pool), the “Four Caves” (Zhenren Cave, Yuhuang Cave, Leishen Cave, and Canxia Cave), and the “Two Brocade Screens” (Da Brocade Screen and Xiao Brocade Screen). Daxian Peak, the tallest among the peaks, derives its name from its “steep, sky-piercing form, rising prominently with an air of solemn reverence.” Lingying Peak, shaped as if cleaved by an axe, has a clear spring gurgling at its base, famously known as “Xizhen Ling Pool.” Wushan has developed multiple scenic zones, including the Wushan Scenic Zone, Guancun Gorge Scenic Zone, Fangshan Scenic Zone, and Xuanya Mountain Scenic Zone, featuring over 100 attractions.

　　Wushan is the second most famous mountain in Shaanxi Province, often referred to as one of the “Two Huas” alongside Mount Hua. With its majestic peaks piercing the sky, breathtaking scenery, long history, abundant natural resources, and unique cultural landmarks, it has been regarded since ancient times as a sacred mountain that safeguards the nation and stabilizes the realm. It has served as a pilgrimage site for emperors, high-ranking officials, scholars, and common people alike. The integration of Wushan’s mountains, waters, forests, temples, cliffs, caves, pools, nests, mists, and sunrises creates a landscape of endless wonders. It forms a world-renowned spectacle that combines the peril of Mount Hua, the grandeur of Mount Tai, the uniqueness of Mount Huang, and the serenity of Mount Qingcheng. Not only is it famed for its ruggedness, majesty, towering presence, and beauty, but it also embodies the characteristics of southern peril, northern uniqueness, eastern elegance, and western seclusion.

　　Wushan is not only the birthplace and thriving ground of the Wuren people, a branch of the Yanhuang lineage, but also the earliest named sacred mountain in Chinese history. “A towering peak in the west, a marvel of nature’s creation,” Wushan features seventeen steep peaks that pierce the clouds, each uniquely shaped. The five major peaks stand together like lotus blossoms, each one both perilous and graceful. The magnificent natural landscape and rich cultural heritage blend seamlessly, making Wushan a place of breathtaking beauty, like a living painting.

　　Wushan boasts not only abundant natural scenery but also lush forest vegetation. It is home to over 830 plant species, including more than 350 tree species, over 370 medicinal plants, and around 300 types of wildlife, with a forest coverage rate exceeding 95%. This dense vegetation not only creates a healthy ecological environment for Wushan but also contributes to the area’s spectacular scenery.

　　Wushan Scenic Area is committed to protecting the ecological environment by organically integrating human culture with nature. It actively develops distinctive tourism projects such as adventure-themed culture, rural exploration, leisure vacations, and valley eco-tourism. These offerings allow visitors to appreciate the beauty of nature while gaining enriching experiences, fostering harmony between humans and nature.