Jiuhua Mountain Travelogue: Attractions – Dayuan Cultural Park Tour

Hefei Travelogue: Attractions – Jiuhua Mountain Tour

------Tour of the Dayuan Cultural Park

If your physical strength allows, a compact and complete tour of Jiuhua Mountain Scenic Area takes about one and a half days. The Dayuan Cultural Park at the foot of the mountain requires half a day to visit. Except for the Hongyuan Hall (39 yuan), all other attractions in the park are free. On the mountain, you can spend half a day visiting the back mountain—Huatai Scenic Area, and another half day touring Jiuhua Street.

At the Jiuhua Mountain Service Center, there are many people wearing blue vests who proactively help you with trivial matters like taking buses and tour routes. Most of them are women. At first glance, they seem like volunteers or staff, but it quickly becomes clear that they are small-group or private tour guides. They can provide full explanations and guidance throughout the tour based on visitors' preferences. The online price is 300-400 yuan per day. What's pleasing is that they don't pester you persistently; even if you don't intend to hire them, they will still answer your questions. This is something I appreciate. A mature tourist destination never prioritizes short-term benefits. It should have rules and warmth, making you want to visit again. What I fear most while traveling is deception and violence. Clear pricing and adherence to regulations are the foundation of safe travel.

Since we checked into our accommodation at three o'clock, we decided to spend the afternoon touring the Dayuan Cultural Park. Following signposts and navigation, we reached the main gate in about 20 minutes. The attractions in the cultural park are arranged in a straight line. If you have ample time or good physical strength, you can walk through them all, ensuring you don't miss any spot. We walked past the Lotus Handprint, Lianxin Square, Wutong Bridge, the main gate, and the archway group to reach Hongyuan Hall. This is the first indoor exhibition hall in the scenic area, while all other attractions are outdoors. In June, the sun was blazing, making it unbearably hot. After visiting Hongyuan Hall, we chose to take the scenic sightseeing car (Hongyuan Hall to the Great Buddha, 30 yuan round trip), which took about 15 minutes. As a result, we could only catch a quick glimpse of the attractions between Hongyuan Hall and the Great Buddha statue from the car. Nevertheless, we could still feel the grandeur, magnificence, and exquisiteness of the cultural park, with its lush forests and vibrant life.

Lotus Handprint: This is the landmark building at the entrance of the park. It stands 9.9 meters tall, with the handprint itself at 6.9 meters. Made of copper, it is shaped like an eight-petal blooming lotus.

Lianxin Square: The square is 49.5 meters in both length and width. In the center is a lotus relief carved from white marble, with a diameter of 12.9 meters. Inside it, 1,209 light-emitting fibers are installed, forming a lotus shape.

Wufu Bridge: The bridge is made of white marble. The five bridges each bear auspicious meanings—blessing, prosperity, and longevity. Visitors can choose which bridge to cross based on their wishes, heading towards their envisioned life.

Fentuo Archway: After crossing Wufu Bridge, you arrive at the Fentuo Archway. The plaque bears the four characters "芬施普教" (Fen Shi Pu Jiao), inscribed by Emperor Qianlong himself. The archway has five pillars. In the 31st year of Emperor Qianlong's reign (1766), during a southern tour, the emperor wrote these four characters in Nanjing and bestowed them upon Huacheng Temple on Jiuhua Mountain. The plaque is now kept in Huacheng Temple.

Nine-Sons Kasaya: Legend has it that during the Tang Dynasty, the mountain owner of Jiuzi Mountain, Min Ranghe, was charitable. The monk Jin Qiaojue from Silla requested a patch of land the size of a kasaya (monk's robe) for cultivation, and Min generously agreed. Unexpectedly, Jin Qiaojue took off his kasaya, unfurled it in the wind, and it covered all 99 peaks of Jiuzi Mountain. Because of this, the "Nine-Sons Kasaya" square is paved with dark red marble, with a diameter of 99 meters. White striped textures crisscross the center. From a distance, it looks like a cast-off kasaya drifting down. The nine large stones in the center of the square represent the 99 peaks of Jiuhua Mountain. This is also the main entrance of the park.

Hongyuan Hall: Hongyuan Hall is the Jiuhua Mountain Kṣitigarbha Culture Exhibition Center. It is a four-story earth-covered building, with two stories above ground and two below. It follows the Hui-style cluster architecture, integrating forms to create a majestic atmosphere. The layout is based on the cultivation journey of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, systematically expounding the Kṣitigarbha culture. Through statues, woodcut prints, reliefs, and a large number of handicrafts and cultural relics, it explains and promotes the spirit of the Great Vow. The hall is grand in scale, with exquisite details, resplendent and stable. Walking through it, one feels inclined to contemplate. After the visit, one cannot help but be awed by the vastness of the Great Vow spirit. At the entrance, there is also a miniature model of the entire Jiuhua Mountain, with sacred mountains surrounding it, elegant and continuous.

Buddha Light Pond: Outside Hongyuan Hall is the "Buddha Light Pond." The pond is 99 meters in diameter and 20 centimeters deep. The bottom is paved with golden mosaic tiles. Through the technique of borrowed scenery, the Kṣitigarbha statue can be seen standing atop a white marble lotus from the pond's edge. In the shimmering golden light, the statue is clearly reflected on the water, solemn and dignified.

Pure Land Lotus: The world's largest white marble lotus. Its main body has a diameter of 46.8 meters and a height of 12.9 meters. It consists of four layers of lotus petals, with a total of 134 petals, all cut from white marble.

Golden Staff Striking the Earth and Mani Square: The Striking the Earth square is centered on the golden staff, a ritual implement held by Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, corresponding to the "Mani Jewel" square. The symbolism is: "The golden staff strikes open the gates of hell; the bright pearl illuminates the path to heaven." It is said that the Mani Square was originally designed with eight pillars. However, during construction, a century-old osmanthus tree with a crown width of 18 meters was found on the site. Every year during the fragrant osmanthus season, it not only emits a rich aroma but also provides shade and shelter for the villagers. So it was left in place, forming a new landscape with the other six pillars, creating a harmonious effect.

Joy Stage Square: On the left and right sides are six large red music stages, with a "drum" and a "bell" placed in the middle. A large-scale flying Apsaras fountain music performance is held here regularly each day.

Lotus Pond for Cleansing the Heart: "Cleansing the Heart" means washing the soul, eliminating greed and distracting thoughts, and returning to a pure and true state. The pond water is clear, lotus flowers bloom. Looking up, you see the full view of the 99-meter Kṣitigarbha statue; looking down, you see its reflection on the water—solemn, quiet, and serene.

Kṣitigarbha Statue: This is the landmark building of Jiuhua Mountain Scenic Area, located deep within the Dayuan Cultural Park. The statue stands 99 meters tall, with the main body at 84 meters and the lotus pedestal at 15 meters. The staff held in Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva's right hand is 10 meters taller than the statue itself, reaching 109 meters. Including the height of the staff and the base podium, the total height of the Kṣitigarbha statue reaches 139 meters.

The statue's lowered eyes are solemn, embodying the description "Tranquil and unmoving like the earth, profound and deep like a hidden secret." It seems to compassionate the sufferings of beings, making a great vow to save the world with immense perseverance. A sense of solemnity, sacredness, and compassion accompanies you from the first glance. Offering incense, prostrating, and circumambulating the statue while chanting—all are ways to calm the mind. How good it is!

------Tour of Jiuhua Street Scenic Area

Regarding the tour route of Jiuhua Scenic Area, I’ll quote roughly the words of the ticket seller at the Huatai Cable Car: "If you take the cable car up, walk the glass walkway to see the back mountain—the most beautiful scenery on Jiuhua Mountain—and then continue to the Tiantai cable car to go down, it will probably take three to four hours. By then, there might be no scenic area buses left. If you turn back the same way after viewing the scenery, it takes about two hours, and you’ll still catch the last cable car."

This statement essentially outlines a complete tour route of Jiuhua Mountain Scenic Area: From the Jiuhua Mountain Service Center, take the scenic area shuttle bus to Jiuhua Street, then transfer to another bus to reach the back mountain's Huatai Scenic Area. Take the cable car up, walk the glass walkway to view strange peaks and rocks, head towards Tiantai to see sights and temples along the way, then take the cable car down at Tiantai to Minyuan Phoenix Pine. From there, take the bus to Jiuhua Street for temple visits and worship, or do the reverse route. This route covers most of the essential scenic spots, but it requires an early start and a late return, testing your physical and mental stamina over a full day.

Since we spent a long time touring Jiuhua Street (the front mountain of Jiuhua), we estimated that visiting Tiantai and Huatai Scenic Areas would be too tight. After some thought, we decided to give them up and save them for a future visit. Thus, our travel route turned into a pilgrimage tour. This is not a pity. Famous mountains and rivers cannot be fully appreciated in just one or two visits, whether for their beauty or cultural charm. Leaving a longing, we may revisit after years, adding a sense of the passage of time to the experience. How can words describe the beauty of that?

It takes about 30 minutes by bus from the Jiuhua Mountain Service Center to the scenic area entrance. Along the way, the mountain roads are not very steep, but private cars frequently pass by. Midway, a bright yellow temple called "Ganlu Temple" (Sweet Dew Temple) catches the eye. It is one of the four major monasteries of Jiuhua, but it is located 5 kilometers outside the scenic area ticket gate. Since the scenic area shuttle buses default to going directly to the main gate, unless you explicitly tell the driver you want to get off at this temple or you are a self-driving visitor, many people pass it by. Thus, this ancient temple enjoys less hustle and bustle and more tranquility.

After passing the ticket check, a few dozen meters along the road to the left, you see a sign for the Baisui Palace Cable Car. The mountain at Jiuhua Street is not high. It doesn't matter whether you visit the street first or the palaces first; it's just a matter of taking the cable car up or down.

Like most people, we chose to visit Jiuhua Street first.

The route was: Qiyuan Temple → Huacheng Temple → Da'an Nunnery → Long Nunnery → Changsheng Nunnery → Zhantan Forest → Tonghui Chan Grove → Shangchan Hall → Jiejing Vihara → Yueshen Precious Hall → Huixiang Pavilion (Huayan Temple) → Dongya Temple → Baisui Palace → Five Hundred Arhats Hall → Natural Reclining Buddha.

In this sacred Buddhist land, temples are adjacent, and the bustling crowds of tourists and pilgrims create the prosperity of Jiuhua Street. Various restaurants and stalls are concentrated near Huacheng Temple. Slightly further out in the community, there are more guesthouses and boutique hotels. Years of travel experience tell me that the same goods are more expensive near the attractions, while places a little off the main path allow for bargaining and are cheaper.

The pilgrims and tourists are easy to distinguish. Devotees often wear uniforms with certain logos, such as slanted-collar cloth garments, various vests, or plain-colored cloth bags, mostly embroidered or printed with Buddhist-related text or place names. Scattered pilgrims dress casually but with serious expressions and standard ritual gestures, moving alone among the crowd. As for tourists, they also burn incense and worship, following the crowd, commenting and pointing out scenery, seeking freedom and ease.

Qiyuan Temple was built in the Qing Dynasty and is a key national temple. Since it is the first temple most tourists visit, the incense is extremely flourishing. The halls are magnificent, with incense smoke swirling and the sound of Buddhist scriptures cleansing worldly thoughts. The morning drum and evening bell remind one of self-reflection.

Huacheng Temple is located at the center of Jiuhua Street, about a five-minute walk from Qiyuan Temple. It is the first temple of Jiuhua Mountain, built in the Tang Dynasty, and a key national temple. Since 1981, it has also served as the Jiuhua Mountain Historical Relics Museum, housing precious artifacts such as palm-leaf sutras, the Ming dynasty Buddhist canon, the Blood Sutra by Monk Wuxia, imperial edicts from Emperor Shenzong of Ming, the calligraphy "Jiuhua Shengjing" by Emperor Kangxi of Qing, the Netherworld Bell, the Auditory sculpture, and the Kṣitigarbha beneficent seal. Thus, while worshipping, you can also view relics and appreciate history. In front of the temple, there is a half-moon-shaped pond (the release pond) and a square paved with granite. The square is surrounded by the busiest market on Jiuhua Street, with rows of buildings mostly two to three stories high. The pond reflects the blue sky and ancient temple, while the streets are bustling and lively—a harmonious contrast between stillness and motion.

Sleeping Buddha Observation Deck: 100 meters south of Qiyuan Temple is the Baisui Palace Cable Car Station. It takes five minutes by cable car to reach the terminal, and right in front is the Sleeping Buddha Observation Deck. This landscape was reportedly discovered in 1999 by the eminent monk Rende of Jiuhua Mountain. The sleeping Buddha lies face up, with its head resting on the Tiantai peaks, stretching hundreds of meters, with a serene expression. What's particularly miraculous is that whether viewed from north to south or south to north, it looks like a Buddha, with clear facial features and vivid form.

Baisui Palace is located on Mocheng Ridge of Chaxiao Peak, a three-minute walk north from the Sleeping Buddha Observation Deck. It was built in the Ming Dynasty and is a key national temple. It is famous for enshrining the mummy of Monk Wuxia, the oldest mummy currently available for veneration on Jiuhua Mountain. Next to it is the Five Hundred Arhats Hall, with varied and imposing statues. The architecture is distinctive, with the temple built along the mountain, clinging to cliffs, offering beautiful and majestic scenery.

Zhantan Forest was built in the Qing Dynasty and is locally known as "Great Compassion Tower." Due to its spacious grounds, the three main halls are grand, the Buddha statues are solemn and sublime, and the incense is thriving. It also houses the mummy of Monk Mingjing.

Da'an Nunnery is adjacent to Huacheng Temple, located in the corridor west of Huacheng Temple. Built in the Ming Dynasty, it is a key provincial temple. It houses the relic pagoda of Master Shaohua, who was proficient in Zen philosophy, spent his life healing the sick and helping people, practiced both material and Dharma giving, and achieved complete merits. He passed away in 1989, leaving behind over 200 relics after cremation.

Tonghui Chan Grove is located southeast of Jiuhua Street. Here you can venerate the mummy of Bhikṣuṇi Renyi, who spent her life practicing medicine and saving countless people. She is the first female mummy on Jiuhua Mountain.

Shangchan Hall is near the south gate of Yueshen Precious Hall, about a seven-to-eight-minute walk up the steps along Shenguang Ridge Road. It was built in the Qing Dynasty and is a key national temple. It is said that in the past, Shangchan Hall had the best scenery, the most beautiful temple, and the poorest incense offerings. Its architecture is unique, considered the most valuable among ancient buildings of the same period. The Buddha statues in the main hall are made using the thousand-year-old technique of dry lacquer and ramie, making them precious cultural relics. Shangchan Hall is built on the mountainside, surrounded by rolling clouds, offering a clear view from afar, with babbling streams and lush forests. The scenery is superb, earning it the nickname "Little Putuo." The 1986 version of "Journey to the West" episode 19, "Mistakenly Entering the Small Thunderclap Temple," was filmed here. In the backyard of Shangchan Hall, there is the most historically significant Water-Offering Guanyin of Jiuhua Mountain. The compassionate Guanyin holds a precious vase from which pure water trickles. It is said that drinking this water cures illness and prolongs life. Visitors queue up to collect the water to wash their eyes, refresh their minds, or take a sip. Nowadays, the first two reputations have given it fame, so the incense here is also very prosperous.

Yueshen Precious Hall (i.e., Precious Hall of the Flesh Body; monks abstain from meat and fish, so the character for 'flesh' is replaced with 'moon'), follow the Pande Mountain Road from Shangchan Hall uphill for five minutes to reach the south gate of Yueshen Precious Hall. Yueshen Precious Hall is the location of the golden Kṣitigarbha flesh-body pagoda. The golden Kṣitigarbha flesh body is enshrined in the crypt, hence the folk saying: "If you don't go to Yueshen Hall, you won't see the Bodhisattva's face; when you go to Yueshen Hall, the Bodhisattva's face is not seen." The sacred land of Jiuhua is the dojo of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva of the Great Vow, and Yueshen Precious Hall is the ancestral temple of Jiuhua Buddhism, the most essential and sacred place in the Lotus Buddhist Kingdom. It is a must-visit for both tourists and pilgrims. The incense is naturally abundant. After worshipping in the main hall, many people walk clockwise around the hall three times, either with palms together, chanting sutras softly, or gently turning prayer beads, accompanied by a sense of devotion and sanctity.

Next to Yueshen Precious Hall, there is a Yin-Yang Well, said to allow one to see past and present lives. Beside it, there is a gravel path that winds along the mountainside, first south, then east, then north around Jiuhua Street. Around noon, there are few tourists, and some sections of the mountain path are empty and desolate. Following it, you won't get lost. The road is lined with green trees, with occasional bubbling springs, the sound of birds in the empty mountains, and rare human traces. Only the intermittent view of buildings below reminds you that the mortal world is to the side. Most of the path is gentle, and in about 40 minutes, you reach Huixiang Pavilion.

From Huixiang Pavilion, one path descends to Minyuan Nunnery Group, and another path descends to Jiuhua Street, taking about 30 minutes. Straight ahead for 20 minutes leads to Dongya Temple.

Huixiang Pavilion, originally named Huayan Temple, was built in the Ming Dynasty and is a key provincial temple. It is located on Huayan Ridge, the ancient pilgrimage route from Jiuhua Street to Tiantai. Not far south from the main hall, on Furong Peak, stands the Ten Thousand Buddhas Pagoda, donated by Mr. Cao Dewang in 2006. Climbing the pagoda offers a panoramic view of Jiuhua's beauty.

Dongya Temple is one of the four major monasteries of Jiuhua, located on the eastern peak of Jiuhua Mountain, perched on a huge rock. On one side is a cliff, overlooking the valley, with clouds rising and peaks towering.

Continuing for 20 minutes, you reach the Baisui Palace Cable Car Station. You can first see the natural sleeping Buddha, then walk for 10 minutes to reach Baisui Palace and the Five Hundred Arhats Hall, built on the mountain rocks. At this point, the main attractions of Jiuhua Street are mostly covered.

Jiuhua is a spiritual mountain with many cultivation sites. With limited time, a pilgrimage tour might only allow a visit to the main temples on Jiuhua Street. In fact, there are many lesser-known temples where practitioners quietly cultivate, such as the Minyuan Nunnery Group in the back mountain, and Tiantai Temple and Huiju Temple on Tiantai. These places may be farther from the mundane world, attracting fewer tourists and pilgrims, but cultivation is about cultivating the mind—a place of peace is equally a place of true faith.

Notes for Pilgrimage on Jiuhua Mountain:

... Each temple provides three free incense sticks; no need to buy extra, and large incense is not allowed.

... No photography inside temples. Absolutely no photography; you will be asked to leave if caught. Photography is allowed in the outdoor scenic areas.

... When entering the Buddha hall, do not step on the threshold. Circumambulate in a clockwise direction.

... On Jiuhua Mountain, there are many staircases. Protect your knees; don't push yourself if you cannot climb down.

... When climbing stairs, don't look around. Most stairs lack railings and can be dangerous.

... When touring the mountain, unless the weather forecast predicts a sunny day, it's best to bring a disposable raincoat.