Jingjiang Gushan

　　Gushan is located about five to six kilometers north of downtown Jingjiang. It is part of the Tianmu Mountain range extension and is the only mountain on the vast northern Jiangsu plain, situated on the north bank of the Yangtze River, above Nantong and below Jinling—thus it enjoys considerable fame. According to historical records, Gushan was originally a prominent reef in the Yangtze River. Over time, due to the impact of river water and the continuous deposition of silt at its base, by the Eastern Han Dynasty, it gradually became land. The land continued to expand, and in the first year of the Hongzhi reign during the Ming Dynasty (1488), Gushan fully emerged from the river, becoming a unique peak on this plain.

　　There are two very interesting legends about the formation of Gushan. One says that the sack used by the legendary Iron-Crutch Li, who was carrying seeds to plant mountains, burst, scattering seeds of all sizes across the ground, and the smallest one grew into Gushan. Another tale claims that when the First Emperor of Qin was enraged, he whipped a large mountain into three pieces—one flew to Nantong and became Langshan, one flew to Jiangyin and became Huangshan, and the last flew to Jingjiang and became Gushan.

　　Starting from the Ming Dynasty, the people of Jingjiang began to intentionally embellish and adorn Gushan, building temples, shrines, monasteries, and pavilions on the mountain, making it a well-known tourist destination. Attractions such as the Niyun Archway, cliff inscriptions, the Bugu Pavilion, and the Wangjiang Tower inspire deep thought. The "living fossil" of folk culture—the scripture storytelling performances, traditional clay crafts, and the San Yue San Gushan Temple Fair—have nurtured the mountain’s rich cultural heritage. During the annual temple fair on the third day of the third lunar month, merchants gather in great numbers, displaying a wide array of goods, creating a spectacular scene. In recent years, the Chengbei Industrial Park of the Jingjiang Development Zone has invested 12 million yuan to build the Gushan Cultural Square. Landscape trees, green lawns, and scenic stones have given the mountain's base a fresh look, turning Gushan into a new business attraction card for Jingjiang.

　　With its beautiful scenery, grand architecture, and enchanting myths and legends, Gushan has captivated poets, scholars, and local officials with its profound cultural richness. They visited the mountain to express their emotions and composed poems and essays in praise of it. There are dozens of poems extolling Gushan recorded in the old county chronicles. Some of these poems are of exceptional artistic quality and beautiful imagery, becoming timeless masterpieces. The Qing Dynasty poet Jiang Zhonghe praised Gushan in his poem “Lone Peak Pillar”: “A gleaming stone slumbers where the whale lies long, / From whence did this palm-sized peak take its flight? / Once it stood with Golden and Jagged Peaks as a bastion, / Now it fortifies the land and sea with might. / At night, the starry river sleeps as the river coils below, / Light as swallows, birds chirp past its towering top. / Do not say the ends of the earth lose the way of Yu, / For turning toward the imperial capital, evening clouds arise.” Contemporary locals in Jingjiang describe Gushan thus: “Gushan may not be tall, steep, or rugged, but it still represents a kind of height.”