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Home Travel in Anhui Langya Mountain - The First Spot in Eastern Anhui
Langya Mountain - The First Spot in Eastern Anhui
Travel in Anhui

Shenxiu Lake and Zigzag bridge

Langya Mountain (láng yá shān 琅琊山) National Forest Park is one of the first National Forest Parks in China and a key protected secnic zone that located in the east of Anhui Province (ān huī shěng 安徽省) and the southwest of Chuzhou (chú zhōu shì 滁州市). Bounding on the nearby city Chuzhou in such a harmonious way, this area belongs to one of Anhui's five widest scenic zones.

 

Overview

A pavilion on Langya MountainWith limpid river following through the mountain, lucid springs randomly distributing over the area and mysterious caves hiding deep inside, the Langya Mountain, glorious and sacred, has been considered the only one that can be compared with Penglai Mountain (péng lái shān 蓬莱山) especially since a flash in the pan and mare nest was found as well as recorded there. Furthermore, a lot of famous historic figures had been there to leave a considerable amount of cultural heritages to the future generations. As a result, Langya Mountain is also famous for six well knowns. They are well known mountains, well known temples, well known pavilions, well known springs, well known articles and well known scholars. There are hundreds of well known writers as well as officials who came there to help raise the fame of the area, construct pavilions and write down universally excellent passages and poetries. No visitors won't be shocked at such a natural and magnificent area. Besides as a wonderful place for research and education, it is also a rare attraction for adventure.

Transportation: Take bus at Chuzhou Railway Station to Langya Mountain. It takes 10 minutes to arrive there.
Admission Fee: CNY 40-95

 

Attractions Inside

Wild Fragrance Park

Wild Fragrance ParkWild Fragrance Park (yě fāng yuán 野芳园) is one of the first attractions you can see when you visit Langya Mountain. Consisting of Shangxinzhai (shǎng xīn zhāi 赏心斋), Yongxiayuan (yōng xiá yuán 拥霞园), Chenxitang (chén xī táng 晨曦堂), Penjinglang (pén jǐng láng 盆景廊) and various cliffs, the whole park is characterized by the style of those parks in Suzhou (sū zhōu 苏州). All year around, this area is perfumed by those flowers and plants in the park. All in all, it is really a splendid place for visitors to have a look at what can be called supernatural workmanship.

 

Ancient Plum Pavilion

Ancient Plum PavilionThe ancient plum, located beside Ancient Plum Pavilion (gǔ méi tíng 古梅亭) is considered to be planted by Ouyang Xiu (ōu yánɡ xiū 欧阳修), one of the major players in the Qingli Reforms (qìng lì xīn zhèng 庆历新政) of the 1040s. He was a well known essayist in Song Dynasty (sòng cháo 宋朝) and is regarded as one of the great masters of prose at that time and he can also be considered as a renaissance man in ancient China in western perspective. The pavilion has a history of several hundred years. It is seven meters high. Still featured by thick leaves, it is also considered to be modest as its flower season is at the same time with apricot as a result it is also called apricot plum. Beside Ancient Plum Pavilion, there are many other famous buildings for sightseeing where visitors can appreciate the old tree from different angles.

 

Drunkard's Pavilion

Drunkard's PavilionDrunkard's Pavilion (zuì wēnɡ tínɡ 醉翁亭) is located on the Langya Mountain, which is one of the most famous historical attractions in Anhui Province marked by "A Diary at Drunkard's Pavilion (zuì wēng tíng jì 醉翁亭记)" by Ouyang Xiu. Built by a monk, a friend of Mr. Ouyang, the pavilion used to attract many a friend of his. However it hadn't been completely erected until the late Qing Dynasty (wǎn qīng shí qī 晚清时期). The buildings around the pavilion, as picturesque as the ones in Jiangnan area (jiāng nán 江南), are compactly laid out as a whole consisting nine definitely different architectures. Beside the pavilion lies the famous Rang Spring (ràng quán 让泉) so that the natural sound of water is always lingering within this area as well as the comfortable breeze.

 

Heart Purification Pavilion

Heart Purification PavilionHeart Purification Pavilion (xǐ xīn tíng 洗心亭) gets its name from a household Chinese phrase "Xi Xin Ge Mian (xǐ xīn gé miàn 洗心革面)" which means repenting and starting anew. What we should know is that in ancient time, this was not for tourism but for worshipping Budda. A great numbers of people would come there for good luck or marriage. Located at the foot of Langya Mountain, the pavilion is also a place where people come to confess their mistakes, which means purifying their mind. Only with faithful attitude can invoker's dream be realized. When people finally arrives at the pavilion, most of them will be sweating at every pore. So they like to have a rest there for a moment. Furthermore, they will also feel so refreshed at the pavilion after appreciating the Drunkard's Pavilion that they can visit other attractions much better.

 

Langya Ancient Avenue

Langya Ancient AvenueStepping out of the Heart Purification Pavilion, visitors will walk on the 500-meter-long Langya Avenue (láng yá gǔ dào 琅琊古道), paved during Ming Dynasty (míng cháo 明朝). The road is made of huge strip stones wriggling up the mountain. There are towering old trees on both sides of the road which can keep both the sunshine and the rain. While walking, all we can see are green trees and all we can hear are those natural sounds. Then suddenly, we may find the road stopped by a huge hill. Just make a turn, the road will still be continued and you can also see an arch-shaped gateway between two mountains with "Feng Hui Lu Zhuan (fēng huí lù zhuǎn 峰回路转)" inscribed on the top of it which means that every cloud has its silver line.

 

Yuran Pavilion

Yuran PavilionPassing by the gateway, visitors are very likely to see a small pavilion hidden behind so many green trees. That's just Yuran Pavilion (Yù rán tíng 蔚然亭) which is the best place for rest. While appreciating the whole splendid scenery you can easily find a crystal like lake seated behind two mountains. Its name is Shenxiu Lake (shēn xiù hú 深秀湖), deriving from Langya Stream (láng yá xī 琅琊溪), over which a traditional bridge zigzagging to the other side— Langya Temple (láng yá sì 琅琊寺). Shenxiu Lake got its name from "A Diary at Drunkard's Pavilion". It's a cosy place not only for fishing but also for sightseeing. The Zigzag Bridge (jiǔ qǔ qiáo 九曲桥) with nine turnings is made of bluestones, by the sides of which there are three waterside houses mainly for tourists.

 

Langya Temple

Langya TempleLangya Temple (láng yá sì 琅琊寺) is located on the middle of Langya Mountain. It is said that in Tang Dynasty (táng cháo 唐朝), an official of this area called Li Youqing (lǐ yòu qīng 李幼卿) and a well known monk had planned this temple and gave it to the Emperor Tang Daizong (táng dài zōng 唐代宗) who became greatly excited and satisfied after seeing it that was very close to what he had dreamed the night before. On the blueprint, there was a temple vividly hidden mysteriously behind the extremely beautiful scenery as a result of which the Emperor named it Baoying Temple (bǎo yīng sì 宝应寺). Due to its location, people tend to call it Langya Temple. Seen from a distance, the aisles of the temple are like ribbons winding around the buildings and their cupping eaves are like trunks. The most well known buildings in Langya Temple are the Great Buddha's Hall (dà xióng bǎo diàn 大雄宝殿) an Buddhism Library (cáng jīng gé 藏经阁). The Buddhists' sculptures inside are not only vivid but also valueless. Nantian Gateway (nán tiān mén 南天门) is in the south of Langya Temple, located on the highest peak of Langya Mountain. Around the gateway there are Huifengge (huì fēng gé 会峰阁) and Bixia Palace (bì xiá gōng 碧霞宫). Huifengge is the highest building on the mountain. Bixia Palace was built to commemorate Bixia Faery (bì xiá xiān zǐ 碧霞仙子) who is considered to have beautifed Langya Mountain. So there is a grand temple fair on the ninth day of each year.