Ganzhou Tongtianyan Scenic Area

　　The Tongtianyan Scenic Area is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit, a National AAAA-level Tourist Attraction, and a Provincial-level Scenic Spot. It is situated 6.8 kilometers northwest of Ganzhou City, covering a total area of 6 square kilometers. Accessible directly via National Highway 105, the area boasts convenient transportation. Here, red cliffs stand timelessly, and the mountains and waters are serene and beautiful, characterized by four major features: “unique Danxia landform, profound grotto culture, numerous cultural relics, and pleasant ecological scenery.”

　　The main scenic spot, the Tongtianya Grottoes, was carved during the Tang Dynasty and flourished in the Northern Song Dynasty. To this day, it preserves 359 stone niche statues from the Tang to the Song Dynasties and 128 cliff inscriptions from the Song Dynasty to the Republic of China. It is the largest grotto temple in the southern Yangtze River region and also the southernmost grotto in China, earning it the expert title of “the No. 1 Grotto in the South.” Representative landscape spots include Wangguiyan (Forget-to-Return Cliff), Guanxinyan (Contemplation Cliff), Longhuyan (Dragon-Tiger Cliff), Tongtianyan (Heaven-Reaching Cliff), and Cuiweiyan (Jade-Green Cliff). Over the centuries, celebrities such as Su Dongpo, Wang Yangming, and Chiang Ching-kuo have visited, making Tongtianyan renowned both at home and abroad.

　　The newly developed scenic area from the late last century is closely connected to the Tongtianya Grottoes, representing a perfect blend of history and modernity, as well as harmony between nature and culture. The new area adds six functional zones: the Stone Carving Zone, Qingyuan (Love Garden), Longfengyuan (Dragon-Phoenix Garden), the Twelve Zodiac Garden, the Life Highlights Garden, and the Water Amusement Park, making it an ideal destination for leisure and vacation. Major attractions include a 23.66-meter-long Reclining Buddha on the red cliff, a 9.99-meter White Marble Water-Dripping Guanyin, statues of historical figures from Ganzhou, the Thousand-Buddha Cave, and the God of Wealth Temple.

　　Tongtianyan is located in the northwest suburbs of Ganzhou City, about 10 kilometers from the city center. It is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit, composed of marble-like rocky hills with many natural caves. One cave has a small hole in its roof, which legend says leads to the sky, hence the name. Major attractions include Tongtianyan, Cuiweiyan, Tongxinyan, Wangguiyan, Guangfusi Temple, Yupuchi Pond, Yidi Quan (One-Drop Spring), Yuyan Pavilion, Xichun Pavilion, and Qunyu Pavilion, among more than 10 sites. Tongtianyan is one of the ancient art treasuries of southern China, famed for having Jiangxi’s largest collection of stone niche statues, totaling 279 niches and 359 statues. These carvings mostly depict Buddhist figures and deities, predominantly from the Tang and Song periods. The statues are diverse in expression, exquisitely crafted, vividly lifelike, and considered treasures of ancient stone carving art. The site also houses 128 ancient inscriptions, the most of any famous mountain or scenic spot in the province. The inscriptions feature a rich variety of scripts, exquisite craftsmanship, and are prized examples of ancient stone calligraphy. With its deep valleys, murmuring springs, towering ancient trees, and a climate that is warm in winter and cool in summer, it is a popular summer retreat and tourist destination in southern Jiangxi.

　　Historical Background

　　Since the Tang Dynasty, the picturesque Tongtianyan has been developed as a grotto temple. By the Northern Song Dynasty, the creation of the Tongtianya Grottoes reached its peak. Although compared to many other grottoes in China, the distribution, size, number of niches, and scale of the statues here are not the largest, it is relatively the largest grotto in southern China and also the southernmost cluster of grottoes in the country, thus earning the title “No. 1 Grotto in the South.” Currently, it preserves 358 cliff statues from the Tang and Song Dynasties and 128 inscriptions from the Northern Song to the Republic of China, making it a precious treasure trove of grotto art.

　　Scenic Content

　　The Tongtianyan Scenic Area consists of two parts: the Ancient Stone Carving Zone and the Modern Leisure Zone. The Ancient Stone Carving Zone is the core and essence of the scenic area, mainly composed of five caves: Guanxinyan, Wangguiyan, Longhuyan, Tongtianyan, and Cuiweiyan.

　　Upon entering the scenic area’s mountain gate and walking along a stone path paved with flagstones, stepping across stone slabs, skirting a mountain pond, climbing stone steps, and passing through a quiet valley, you will suddenly come upon a secluded cave. Lush with trees and rugged in paths, this is where the famous Ming Dynasty philosopher Wang Yangming gave lectures. Moreover, within the large cave there are smaller ones. In the smaller cave, Master Yangming taught his disciples Chen Jiuchuan and Zou Shouyi his philosophy of “extension of innate knowledge,” emphasizing self-cultivation and asserting that “the principles of all things are none other than those within our hearts” and that “clarity of mind is the Heavenly Principle.” Therefore, later generations named his lecture site “Guanxinyan (Contemplation Cliff).” Wang Yangming, also known as Wang Shouren, was a native of Yuyao, Zhejiang, and a renowned Neo-Confucian scholar of the Ming Dynasty. In the 11th year of the Zhengde Emperor’s reign (1516 AD), he served as the Pacification Commissioner of Southern Jiangxi in Ganzhou and later rose to the position of Minister of War in Nanjing. At that time, Wang Yangming quelled the “Chen Hao Rebellion” in southern Jiangxi. In his leisure time, he built a hut at Guanxinyan to teach, accepting 23 disciples including Zou Shouyi. His teachings in Ganzhou laid the theoretical foundation for the development of Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism.

　　Walking up the stone steps, halfway up the mountain, there is a naturally eroded Danxia tunnel. In the peak of summer, visitors feel a refreshing breeze here, instantly relieving weariness and making them reluctant to leave—thus the name “Wangguiyan (Forget-to-Return Cliff).”

　　Qingyuan (Love Garden)

　　Human emotions—brotherhood, marital love, camaraderie, affection, and romance—all intertwine. Let us step into the next attraction, “Qingyuan.” Look, the wind-blown stone archway, from moving winds and stones to moved hearts and actions, brings to life the various human emotions in Tongtianyan’s Qingyuan. Accompanied by blue skies, white clouds, and fragrant grass, lie down on the lawn and fully enjoy the beauty of nature. A series of vibrant plant art sculptures such as “Mandarin Ducks Playing in Water,” “Hearts United,” “Cupid’s Arrow,” and “First Love” offer delightful reflections for you to indulge in, to release, and to let your imagination wander. Additionally, on the green lawns of Qingyuan, a 9.99-meter-tall Water-Dripping Guanyin receives the prayers of people from all over.

　　Longfengyuan (Dragon-Phoenix Garden)

　　Adjacent to Qingyuan is Longfengyuan, a Neolithic site where archaeologists have collected stone axes, adzes, arrowheads, a large number of processed stone fragments, and pottery shards with decorative patterns such as basket weave and cord marks. This proves that human activity existed in Tongtianyan over four thousand years ago.

　　At the high point of Longfengyuan stands a 12.99-meter-tall Ruyi Pagoda, engraved with the four characters “Feng Tiao Yu Shun” (Good Weather and Prosperity). With the development of tourism, the Tongtianyan Scenic Area has added a series of recreational spots, including an ecological maze, a splashing cascading fountain, a dry splash pool, the Life Highlights Garden, the Tongtian Osmanthus, a hundred-meter corridor, and the Twelve Zodiac Garden.

　　When you are about to end your day’s journey and return to Wangguiyan, you will surely feel the urge to never leave. The refreshing breeze blows away the fatigue of the trip, leaving you with a heart reluctant to depart, making you reflect on the perfect combination of ancient history and modern garden design.

　　Today, Tongtianyan attracts visitors from all over with its beautiful pastoral landscapes, unique Danxia landform scenery, and its distinctive historical and cultural charm.

　　Here, whether you are worshipping Buddha, admiring ancient inscriptions, boating on Tongtian Lake nestled in tree-lined valleys, or ascending to Qunyu Pavilion atop the peak to gaze at the Gan River, you can appreciate the elegant charm of this southern grotto and feel the rich cultural atmosphere of the Song City.

　　Travel Details

　　Key Attractions: Overview — Guanxinyan — Wangguiyan — Longhuyan — Tongtianyan — Guangfu Chanlin — Cuiweiyan — Modern Leisure Zone

　　Guanxinyan (Contemplation Cliff)

　　Upon entering the scenic area’s mountain gate and walking along a stone path paved with bluestone slabs, stepping across stone slabs, skirting a water pond, climbing stone steps, and passing through a quiet valley, you will suddenly come upon a secluded cave. Lush with trees and rugged in paths, this is where the famous Ming Dynasty philosopher Wang Yangming gave lectures. The site features a large cave enclosing a smaller one. Inside the smaller cave, Master Yangming taught his disciples Chen Jiuchuan and Zou Shouyi his philosophy of “extension of innate knowledge,” emphasizing self-cultivation and asserting that “the principles of all things are none other than those within our hearts” and that “clarity of mind is the Heavenly Principle.” Therefore, later generations named his lecture site “Guanxinyan.” Wang Yangming, also known as Wang Shouren, was a native of Yuyao, Zhejiang, and a renowned Neo-Confucian scholar of the Ming Dynasty. In the 11th year of the Zhengde Emperor’s reign (1516 AD), he served as the Pacification Commissioner of Southern Jiangxi in Ganzhou and later rose to the position of Minister of War in Nanjing. At that time, Wang Yangming was quelling the “Chen Hao Rebellion” in southern Jiangxi. In his leisure time, he built a hut at Guanxinyan to teach, accepting 23 disciples including Zou Shouyi. His teachings in Ganzhou laid the theoretical foundation for the development of Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism.

　　Wangguiyan (Forget-to-Return Cliff)

　　Walking up the stone steps, halfway up the mountain, there is a naturally eroded Danxia tunnel. In the peak of summer, visitors feel a refreshing breeze here, instantly relieving weariness and making them reluctant to leave—thus the name “Wangguiyan.” Regarding this Danxia tunnel, a beautiful and touching story is passed down.

　　Since ancient times, Ganzhou City has been a place of beautiful mountains and waters, yet it had never produced a famous figure. Why? According to feng shui beliefs, it was because the downstream outlet of the Gan River was too large, allowing good fortune to flow away northward with the river. As a result, nearby regions like Ji’an downstream of Ganzhou produced many notable individuals. In ancient times, a celestial being tried to preserve Ganzhou’s good feng shui. He selected two particularly beautiful immortal mountains from the Penglai fairyland, intending to place them alongside the existing Zhushan Mountain on the east and west banks of Chutan to lock the water outlet. But when the immortal was carrying the mountains near Tongtianyan, he was spotted by the local earth god. Seeing the two magnificent fairy mountains, the earth god thought, why not keep them here? So he imitated a rooster’s crow. Immortals cannot work during the day for fear of being seen by mortals and unable to return to the heavens. Just as the immortal was carrying the mountains, he heard the rooster crow, thinking dawn had arrived, and hastily dropped the mountains and left. Since then, the two fairy mountains have remained in Tongtianyan. To this day, within the scenic area, both Wangguiyan and Lifoyan have through-caves, said to be created by the bamboo poles the immortal used to carry the mountains.

　　Legend aside, in reality, tens of thousands of years ago, this area was once under the sea. Later, due to tectonic movements, the land rose and the seawater receded. After years of erosion by wind and rain, it became what it is today. Looking up, the layered rock strata are traces left by seawater erosion. See how, in the depths of the red bedrock valleys, dense forests thrive, brimming with vitality. This is a typical representation of Danxia landform.

　　On the steep cliff to the left of Wangguiyan, there is a massive inscription, 3.5 meters tall and 2.3 meters wide, featuring six large characters in clerical script, created by Li Dazheng of the Southern Song Dynasty. Bold and majestic, it resembles the sun and moon traversing the sky. Li Dazheng was from Jian’ou, Fujian, in the Southern Song Dynasty, and was a close friend of Xin Qiji. He once served in Ganzhou as the Supervisor of Minting (an official in charge of coin production). At that time, Ganzhou was one of the national centers for minting coins, indicating that over eight hundred years ago, Ganzhou already had a thriving economy and advanced metallurgy industry. Look above and to the side of this inscription—you’ll see a statue of an arhat, said to have been commissioned by Li Dazheng himself to guard the inscription. With unwavering focus, it is exquisitely lifelike and dutifully watchful.

　　Among all the inscriptions at Wangguiyan (the Rock of No Return), the five-character poem by Wang Yangming, the Neo-Confucian scholar of the Ming Dynasty, is considered the most valuable. The poem reads: "Green hills are lovely wherever found; why must one’s homeland be the best? With leisure in body and peace in mind, even this world can seem a fairy isle. The western woods darken as day declines; why does the moon rise so early? Drunk, I lie on the cool stone bed; autumn clouds in the cave have yet to be swept away." It both depicts the scenery and expresses Wang Yangming’s complex psychological state. The phrase “cool stone bed” refers to the stone resting platforms on either side of the cave for visitors to rest on. This poem had a significant influence for over four hundred years afterward, and many literati who visited, out of admiration for Master Yangming, often composed poems in the same rhyme scheme as his.

　　Passing through Wangguiyan, a sudden expanse of green comes into view, with lush colors greeting your eyes. Looking up, you see steep cliffs soaring into the sky. Within these cliffs, there are 18 preserved inscriptions and six statues of the Eighteen Arhats. Look at this Northern Song Dynasty statue of the “Arhat Who Bestows Children.” He rests his left hand on his head, holds a qilin (a mythical creature) in his right hand, placing it on his lower abdomen, with his left leg crossed and right leg bent—a portrayal that brings joy and festivity.

　　Since some unknown year, a custom has emerged among the people of Ganzhou: married women of childbearing age stand with their backs to this arhat and throw small pebbles backward. If they hit the arhat’s genital area, it is believed they will surely give birth to a plump son. Elders say that praying for a child by throwing stones at this arhat is very efficacious. For centuries, though the arhat never enjoyed incense offerings, he endured countless pebbles and is now covered in scars, his original form unrecognizable. Some customs are superstitious. Nowadays, people’s views have changed—since families are allowed only one child, whether boy or girl, they are equally cherished as the continuation of life and the apple of their parents’ eyes. Almost no one throws stones here anymore. Awareness of cultural relic protection and environmental conservation has greatly increased. Our society should advocate such positive values. I hope everyone starts today, starts now, and together we cherish every blade of grass, every tree, and every cultural relic here!

　　As we walk, we admire these exquisitely crafted and uniquely expressive arhat statues. Some are weathered, others damaged. The arhat with palms pressed together and a string of Buddhist beads around his neck is the Bead-Rubbing Arhat. He is the best-preserved of the Eighteen Arhats, thanks to the local people. During the Cultural Revolution, they covered the entire statue with mud, thus preserving it completely.

　　Going further ahead, the building you see is the earliest dance hall in southern Jiangxi, built by Mr. Chiang Ching-kuo when he served as the Garrison Commander of the Fourth Administrative District of Jiangxi Province in Ganzhou. In 1939, Chiang Ching-kuo came to southern Jiangxi and promoted the New Life Movement. Tongtianyan is not far from Ganzhou City and boasts beautiful scenery. He had a dance hall built here, and every weekend he would bring his subordinates here to dance—this was part of his New Life Movement. There is also a summer mountain villa nearby. On the stone next to the dance hall, the six large characters “First Grotto in the South of the Yangtze” were inscribed by Yuan Qingyi, Chiang Ching-kuo’s former secretary. He did not go to Taiwan; after the liberation, he worked at a gearbox factory and is still alive today, often teaching children calligraphy.

　　Dragon Tiger Rock

　　Walking along the shaded path, you enter Dragon Tiger Rock. This is a Danxia cave about a hundred meters long, named for its golden dragon and twin tiger stone carvings. This statue is called the Dragon Tree King, the founder of the Madhyamaka school in Mahayana Buddhism, with the golden dragon and twin tigers as his guardian deities. To his left is carved a golden dragon, its hind body hidden in the rock, its front claws spread as if strolling leisurely. On the right are two white tiger stone carvings, seemingly playing around the Dragon Tree King. The entire sculpture forms a vivid “Dragon and Tiger at Leisure” scene. On the adjacent rock of this group of carvings are the three characters “Tongxin Yan” (Heart-Unison Rock), inscribed by Liu Zhaowen of the Ming Dynasty. At the time, after visiting Tongtianyan and seeing this group of carvings, he was moved to inscribe these words expressing his concern for the nation and people, hoping that the court would not engage in “dragon-tiger strife” but work together harmoniously to govern the country well. Also on the cliff are two more arhat statues—one subduing the dragon and one subduing the tiger—both belonging to the series of Eighteen Arhats along the Wangguiyan route and dating back to the Song Dynasty. Dragon Tiger Rock also has the highest concentration of cliff inscriptions in the Tongtianyan scenic area, with a total of 39 inscriptions from various dynasties. Their formats include inscribed names, records, poems, sculpture inscriptions, and auspicious texts, covering politics, history, religion, culture, and more—valuable material for studying China’s calligraphic stone carving art and local history. One travelogue, the longest inscription in Tongtianyan, contains 406 characters. Among these, the inscription by Chen Shixiong of the Song Dynasty holds high historical value. Written during the Shaoxing era of the Southern Song Dynasty, its first half documents the imperial dispatch of troops to suppress a peasant uprising in Dayu County, with precise details on time, place, and people—making it a rare historical resource for the study of peasant wars and the local history of southern Jiangxi.

　　Tang Bangzuo of the Ming Dynasty’s Wanli era left three poetic inscriptions at Tongtianyan, showcasing exceptional calligraphic artistry. His handwriting is a fine artistic treasure among the cliff inscriptions here—bold and vigorous in brushwork, graceful and free in style, integrating the strengths of various masters. Whether in stroke, structure, or composition, his work stands out. Tang Bangzuo was from Lanxi, Zhejiang, a successful imperial examination graduate. Because he offended the powerful, he was demoted to Ganzhou as a tongpan (a bureaucratic advisor), essentially a sinecure. Though immensely talented, he had a flaw: feeling underappreciated, he became arrogant. When carving his own works, he often placed them next to those of higher-ranking officials and even defaced earlier inscriptions to vent his frustration—an act naturally criticized by later generations.

　　Tongtianyan

　　Going further ahead, you reach the central scenic area of the grottoes—Tongtianyan, a naturally formed circular cliff.

　　On the steep cliffs of Tongtianyan are carved eight Tang Dynasty statues, the earliest works in the grotto. Look at this Guanyin statue with hands clasped in prayer—she wears a precious crown, has a round and full face, with hair hanging over her shoulders and strands descending, adorned with necklaces, armbands, short pendants, and a skirt with ring-threaded sashes hanging from her waist. She stands on a lotus pedestal. Despite a thousand years of wind and rain erosion, she remains lifelike. Mr. Shen Congwen called her “priceless.” In 1991, after inspecting the grotto statues, expert Su Bai of the Chinese Academy of Sciences wrote a poem: “Early carved bodhisattva images, later supplemented by arhat groups; founded in late Tang, shining through the ages above the Gan River.”

　　Among the cliffs is a group of shrine statues: the Buddha Vairocana (also known as Mahavairocana) in meditation, with Manjushri riding a lion on the left and Samantabhadra riding an elephant on the right, all with square, solemn faces. Extending to both sides of this group along the cliffs are layered relief carvings of the Five Hundred Arhats, naturally posed and expressively varied, forming a protective formation with grand momentum—this is a mid-Northern Song Dynasty work. Here, the essence of the Buddhist realm is gathered, making it a sacred site for Buddhist devotees.

　　Hu Ju, Minister of Works in the Southern Song Dynasty (then military governor of Ganzhou), wrote in his poem “Touring Tongtianyan”: “Myriad shrine Buddhas sit in void contemplation; why build temples on cliffs? Even if thunder and wind block the caves, this heart is in tune with heaven.” This shows that by the Tang and Song Dynasties, Tongtianyan already teemed with shrines and constant streams of pilgrims.

　　Regarding this spectacular vision of myriad shrine Buddhas, there is a story: the monks and nuns of Guangfu Chanlin in Tongtianyan lived in this secluded temple, meditating and chanting the Buddha’s name. Over time, they all shared a common wish—to personally see the Buddha and hear him preach. So after their daily practices, they would silently pray to the west, voicing their hopes. As the saying goes, sincerity moves heaven. The monks’ and nuns’ devotion moved the Tathagata Buddha. One day, the Buddha, accompanied by numerous bodhisattvas, the Eighteen Arhats, and Five Hundred Bhikkhus, descended to Tongtianyan to personally teach the Dharma. Seeing the Buddha in person was the happiest moment of their lives. To forever remember this unforgettable day, the monks and nuns went on arduous alms rounds, raising substantial funds, hiring top artisans to carve the scene of the Buddha’s visit. The Buddha commanded Manjushri’s and Samantabhadra’s mounts—the divine lion and divine elephant—to guard the mountain pass leading into Tongtianyan. Over centuries, these two sacred beasts faithfully fulfilled their duty until, over time, they transformed into two mountains. These are the East Cliff and Lion-Shaped Mountain, and West Cliff’s Elephant-Trunk Mountain we see today.

　　Guangfu Chanlin (Guangfu Monastery)

　　In the central scenic area of Tongtianyan, there are also attractions like the hillside-built “Guangfu Chanlin,” the “Shuanggui Hall” where Chiang Kai-shek planned to detain General Zhang Xueliang, the “Yanggong Ancestral Hall” at the site of Su Dongpo and Yang Xiaoben’s meeting, and Chiang Ching-kuo’s “Summer Mountain Villa.” Inside Guangfu Temple, there’s a natural rice-leaking hole in the cave ceiling. Legend says that in ancient times, this hole would leak just enough white rice each day to feed the abbot and pilgrims for a day—more rice for more visitors, less for fewer. One day, a kitchen monk thought, “If I widen the hole, more rice will come out—I can sell it and stop chopping wood or farming!” So the greedy monk enlarged the hole—but from then on, not a single grain of rice leaked. Instead, it leaked husks for three days and nights, then stopped altogether. This gave rise to the Ganzhou folk saying, “The greedy monk ends up with husks,” a warning against greed. Look— the axe marks from the monk’s chiseling are still clearly visible.

　　Today, Guangfu Chanlin attracts throngs of worshippers, with ceaseless streams of people coming to pray for blessings.

　　To the west of Guangfu Chanlin is the “Yanggong Ancestral Hall,” originally a meditation room of Guangfu Temple, later established as an ancestral hall to honor the local luminary Yang Xiaoben.

　　Yang Xiaoben, a learned and noble-minded scholar of the Northern Song Dynasty, chose to live in seclusion at Tongtianyan for over twenty years rather than serve in office. In 1094, when Su Dongpo passed through Ganzhou, he made a special trip to visit Yang Xiaoben at Tongtianyan. The two hit it off immediately, enjoying each other’s company—traveling by day, conversing late into the night—and became close friends. Su Dongpo even wrote a poem for Yang Xiaoben: “The room is empty save for the joy of the Dharma; the mind is serene, roaming the heavens. Mo Jie was never ill, nor did he join the mundane flow. Disliking the search for straightness, he sat waiting for the autumn harvest. Though not listed in the Qilin Pavilion, he escaped the Parrot Isle. Wine winds stir the bamboo; dreams end as the moon peers through the tower. All call him Yuan Dexiu, but he calls himself Yang Daozhou. Uprooting the sunflower, he returned to Lu; drifting, he’s a boat untethered.” The Yanggong Ancestral Hall was built to commemorate this famous meeting between Su and Yang. It has since become a gathering place for literati to compose poetry and paint. Near the Cuiwei Rock of the Tongtianyan grottoes, on a hillside, lies a cave tomb. After Yang Xiaoben’s burial, his grave was later moved to Huangjin Village, but was reburied in its original Tongtianyan site during the Chunxi era of the Southern Song Dynasty. Yang Xiaoben’s tomb is one of the most important relics in the Tongtianyan grottoes.

　　The building to the east of the temple is called Shuanggui Hall, originally the abbot’s quarters. In 1946, Chiang Ching-kuo accompanied Chiang Kai-shek on a tour of Tongtianyan. At the time, Chiang Kai-shek noticed that the location was surrounded by mountains on three sides, strategically hidden and unnoticed by outsiders, so he secretly ordered Wang Lingji, chairman of Jiangxi Provincial Government, to convert the original abbot’s quarters, Shuanggui Hall, into a two-story Western-style house, intending to imprison the patriotic general Zhang Xueliang there. The building included four sections: bedrooms for Zhang Xueliang and Miss Zhao, guard room, bathroom, and changing room. Access to both floors required passing through a cave inside the temple, with the guard room located at the cave entrance. However, by the time the small Western-style house was completed, the Liberation Army had already advanced into the south, so General Zhang never stayed there—thus, it became a “general’s building that never housed a general.”

　　Behind the temple are several caves that once served as scripture storage rooms. Now equipped with lights, you can go in and take a look. Exiting the cave entrance, the pool you see is Guangfu Temple’s release pond. Below the cliff are several cliffside houses—that’s Chiang Ching-kuo’s former summer mountain villa.

　　Cuiwei Rock

　　Adjacent to Tongtianyan is Cuiwei Rock, where the three characters “Tongtianyan” were inscribed by Li Dazheng of the Song Dynasty. Beneath the rock cave, it is said to have been the hermitage of the Song Dynasty recluse Yang Xiaoben. On the cave walls are poems exchanged among Lin Yan, prefect of Qianzhou (Ganzhou), Prime Minister Bo Zongmeng, and Yang Xiaoben. There is also the earliest inscription at Tongtianyan, carved in the sixth year of Xining (1073 AD)—over 900 years ago. The large-bellied Maitreya Buddha statue on Cuiwei Rock, with its unique theme and dating to the Southern Song Dynasty, marks the finale of Tongtianyan’s cliff carvings.

　　With this, our tour of ancient stone carvings concludes. Let us summarize the art of these ancient grottoes. The Tongtianyan grotto’s cliff statues can be divided into four groups: the first group consists of eight statues from the late Tang Dynasty, located at the junction of Tongtianyan and Cuiwei Rock, marking the beginning of Tongtianyan’s cliff carvings. The second group is the mid-Northern Song Dynasty group of Five Hundred Arhats encircling Vairocana on the upper part of the mountain cliff—grand in scale and momentum, though now faintly visible. The third group is the late Northern Song Dynasty single-cave Eighteen Arhats mainly commissioned by Monk Mingjian, distributed along the line of Wangguiyan, Dragon Tiger Rock, Tongtianyan, and Cuiwei Rock—representing the essence of Tongtianyan’s cliff carvings. The fourth group is the large-bellied Maitreya Buddha statue commissioned by a resident of Ganzhou, the Zhu family, in the early Southern Song Dynasty. The cliff inscriptions span from the Northern Song to the Republican era, uninterrupted for over 900 years. The earliest is the one in the upper center of Cuiwei Rock, dated 1073: “Led by Chen Jinzhi of Puyang, with Lin Anjie of Quanzhou, Yang Zichang, Xiao Ruxi, and Zeng Baochen, they arrived together on the 26th day of the first lunar month in the year of Dingchou, Xining.” The latest is the two characters “Ke Gui” (Return Home) on the facade of Wangguiyan, dated 1948.

　　From here, there are two paths ahead: one leads uphill to the east, toward Wangjiang Pavilion. The other goes straight west to the modern leisure area. The mountaintop Wangjiang Pavilion was called “Yuanwu Hall” (commonly known as “Leigong Hall”) in the Ming Dynasty. Rebuilt in 1963 in the style of a three-tiered Temple of Heaven pavilion. In 1964, the famed Chinese dramatist Tian Han visited Ganzhou and inscribed it as “Qunyu Pavilion.” From the pavilion, visitors can gaze upon “the Gan River like a belt, the mountains like melons, vines trailing smoke, and misty vistas”—a sweeping panorama of mountain and river beauty. Later, if you’re interested, you can also climb up from Wangguiyan. For now, let’s head to the modern leisure area.

　　Modern Leisure Area

　　A few hundred meters west of Cuiwei Rock, along a tree-lined path, you’ll see a 23.66-meter-long reclining Buddha carved into red Danxia rock, serene and peaceful in its slumber—a sight that makes you admire the transcendent detachment of Buddhism. This Buddha is another colossal statue at Tongtianyan since the Southern Song Dynasty, carved in 1998. Ahead of the reclining Buddha is the newly developed modern celebrity statue area. These statues depict figures who made outstanding contributions or had significant influence in Ganzhou’s history, spanning from the Western Han to the Qing Dynasty. From Han Dynasty’s Kuang Ying building the city, Jin Dynasty’s Gao Yan relocating it, to Tang Dynasty’s Lu Guangchou expanding it, including Tang Dynasty Buddhist Zen master Mazu, Chinese feng shui master Yang Yunsong, the only royal figure in history to visit Ganzhou—Empress Dowager Longhu, Northern Song literary giant Su Dongpo, Northern Song recluse Yang Xiaoben who lived at Tongtianyan for over 20 years, the author of the prose masterpiece “Ode to the Lotus” Zhou Dunyi, Southern Song anti-Jin general Yue Fei, Ganzhou-born Zhuangyuan Chi Mengli, Ming Dynasty Neo-Confucian master Wang Shouren, author of “Partridge in the Pear Tree” Xin Qiji, and author of “Crossing the Lonely Ocean” Wen Tianxiang… Countless lifelike statues unfold before your eyes, telling the history of Ganzhou and deepening your love for your hometown!

　　Along the way, you’ll also see artificial landscapes like the Thousand Buddha Cave, Ksitigarbha Hall, and the God of Wealth Temple. At the Ksitigarbha Hall, you can sample Hakka Lei Tea made with water from the Eight Immortals Spring.

　　Human emotions—brotherhood, marital love, camaraderie, affection, romance—all blend here. Let us step into the next attraction, “Emotion Garden.” Look at the Wind-Moving Stone gatehouse—from wind moving, to stone moving, to heart moving, to action—displaying the spectrum of human feelings in Emotion Garden at Tongtianyan. Lying on the grass under blue skies, white clouds, and fragrant meadows, enjoy nature’s beauty to the fullest. Artistic plant arrangements like “Mandarin Ducks Playing in Water,” “Hearts as One,” “Cupid’s Arrow,” and “First Love” offer delightful visual treats for you to savor, unwind, and let your imagination roam. Additionally, atop the green lawns of Emotion Garden stands a 9.99-meter-tall Water-Dripping Guanyin, receiving the prayers of all beings.

　　Connected to Emotion Garden is Longfeng Garden, a Neolithic site. Archaeologists have collected stone axes, adzes, numerous processed stone fragments, and discarded rough-hewn stone pieces here, as well as pottery shards with decorative patterns like basket weave and cord marks. This proves that human activity existed at Tongtianyan over four thousand years ago.

　　At the high point of Longfeng Garden stands the Ruyi Pagoda, which is 12.99 meters tall and carved with the Four Heavenly Kings representing "favorable weather and abundant harvests."

　　With the development of tourism, the Tongtianyan Scenic Area has added a series of recreational and leisure attractions, including an ecological maze, a water-spraying cascading fountain, a dry splash pool, a Life Showcase Garden, the Tongtian Column, a hundred-meter corridor, and a Twelve Zodiac Garden.

　　As you prepare to end your day’s journey and return to Wanggui Rock, you will surely experience that unforgettable feeling of not wanting to leave. The refreshing breeze sweeps away the fatigue of the day, leaving you with a sense of lingering delight and making you marvel at the perfect blend of ancient history and modern garden design.

　　Today, Tongtianyan attracts visitors from all over with its beautiful landscape of mountains, rivers, and fields, its unique Danxia landform, and its distinctive historical and cultural charm.

　　Whether you come here to meditate and worship Buddha, admire ancient inscriptions, paddle on Tongtian Lake nestled in the valley, or climb to Qunyu Pavilion atop the peak to gaze at the Gan River, you can appreciate the outstanding beauty of this southern grotto—Tongtianyan—and feel the rich cultural atmosphere of the Song Dynasty city.

　　Location of the Attraction

　　Tongtianyan Village, Shuixi Town, Township Road 001, Zhanggong District, Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province