Qichun Henggangshan Forest Park

　　Henggangshan Forest Park, situated in the southeastern part of Hubei Province, is a provincial-level forest park approved by the former Ministry of Forestry in 1992. It spans the border areas of three counties—Qichun, Wuxue, and Huangmei—covering an area of 7.24 square kilometers, with over 90% forested land and a forest coverage rate of 58.1%. The highest peak reaches 863.5 meters. The area boasts beautiful natural scenery, ancient towering trees, and abundant flora and fauna.

　　As early as over 1,300 years ago, Henggangshan was a major site for Taoist and Buddhist activities in the regions of Jing, Wu, and Yu. Grand temples were built here, including the majestic and spectacular Zhenwu Temple, which belongs to the Wudang Sect of Taoism and was first constructed during the late Sui and early Tang dynasties.

　　In 621 AD, the Yun Gai Temple ("Heaven Covers the Clouds to the Temple") belonged to the Jiuhua Sect of Buddhism and was built during the flourishing Tang Dynasty in 753 AD. Today, there are nearly thirty temples of various sizes.

　　Qichun Henggangshan Forest Park is located at the border between Qichun County and Wuxue City in Hubei Province. Approved by the National Forestry Department in 1992, it covers a total area of 5,235 mu with a forest coverage rate of 86.7%. As early as over 1,300 years ago, Henggangshan was a key location for Taoist and Buddhist activities in the regions of Jing, Wu, and Yu. Grand temples were constructed here, including the majestic Zhenwu Temple of the Wudang Taoist Sect, built during the late Sui and early Tang dynasties in 621 AD, and the Yun Gai Temple ("Heaven Covers the Clouds to the Temple") of the Jiuhua Buddhist Sect, built in 753 AD during the flourishing Tang Dynasty. Today, there are nearly thirty temples of various sizes.

　　Since ancient times, Henggangshan has been a renowned destination for Buddhist and Taoist tourism as well as a natural summer retreat. The park features ancient temples dating back to the Sui and Tang dynasties, with a history of over 1,500 years. Throughout history, literati, eminent monks, and scholars have traveled to Henggangshan and left behind inscriptions and records. Notable figures include Xu Xiake, Li Bai, and Du Fu. Stone carvings and inscriptions still remain on the mountain. The Fourth Patriarch of Zen Buddhism, Daoxin, became a monk here in his childhood, a fact specially recorded in the chronicles of the Yun Gai Temple on Henggangshan. Yu Chijingong, a founding general of the Tang Dynasty, visited the area and left poetic inscriptions. Wu Cheng'en, author of Journey to the West, wrote here on the mountain, and Li Shizhen gathered herbs on its slopes.