Mount Lu

　　Introduction to Mount Lu       Mount Lu is located 5 kilometers south of Xichang City, rising abruptly near Qionghai Lake. With its majestic presence “supporting the sky with half its peak and forming a painted screen for the city,” it forms one of the major scenic areas in southwestern Sichuan along with Qionghai Lake, and is praised as the “Famous Scenic Spot of Southern Sichuan.” Also known as Frog Mountain, Mount Lu lies on the southern bank of Qionghai Lake, 5 kilometers south of Xichang City, and is one of Sichuan’s provincial-level scenic spots. It stands at an elevation of 2,317 meters. To the east lies the mirror-like Qionghai Lake, to the west the winding and picturesque Anning River, to the north the historic ancient city of Xichang, and to the south the towering Luoji Mountain. The mountain is covered with ancient trees, especially lush pines. Ancient people once described the scenery of Mount Lu and Qionghai Lake with the phrase “pine, wind, water, and moon”—the pines of Mount Lu, the winds of the Anning River, the waters of Qionghai Lake, and the moon over Xichang.

　　　　The mountain paths meander through the forest, lined with verdant pines and cypresses that guide visitors up to the summit. Amidst the dense shade lie more than ten ancient temples built during the Han, Tang, Ming, and Qing dynasties, including Guangfu Temple, Mengduan Shrine, Sanjiao Nunnery, Ancestral Master Hall, Guanyin Pavilion, Queen Mother Hall, Jade Emperor Hall, Qingyang Palace, and Wuzu Nunnery. These temples belong to Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism respectively. Despite their differing doctrines and philosophies, they have coexisted peacefully on the same mountain for thousands of years, each practicing their own faith—a phenomenon that is truly rare and unique in China. Among them, Guangfu Temple, the foremost temple on Mount Lu, is the largest complex, consisting of the Thousand Buddha Hall, Wenwu Palace, Kuixing Pavilion, Wanghai Tower, Feiliang Temple, Mahavira Hall, and others. It features exquisite design and grand scale. The temple preserves exquisite carving art, including a provincial-level protected cultural relics exhibition room of rare earthquake steles, poetic inscriptions by historical figures, as well as Ming Dynasty bronze and iron Buddha statues, a several-thousand-jin heavy large copper statue, and a pagoda-style incense burner. In front of the temple are ancient cypresses from the Han and Tang dynasties, with silver branches as sturdy as iron and twisting trunks soaring toward the sky—truly ancient and marvelous. From Wanghai Tower, the entire view of Qionghai Lake unfolds before your eyes. A famous poem by Ming Dynasty poet Yang Shen, who visited Mount Lu, goes: “Tonight I lodge on Mount Lu, startling the unguarded Heavenly Gate; who shattered the void, scattering stars across the human world?”—offering visitors rich food for thought.

　　 Liangshan, Sichuan