Dragon and Tiger Mountain----a Sacred Mountain of Taoism

Dragon and Tiger Mountain (Mount Longhu), is located 16 km (about 9.94 miles) south of Yingtan City, Jiangxi Province. It is famous for being one of the birthplaces of Taoism, with many Taoist temples built upon the mountainside. It is known as one of the Four Sacred Mountains of Taoism. It has also been noted as the 'Residence of Celestials' and 'Blest Earthly Abode' because of its beautiful scenery. As a cradle land of Taoism, Dragon and Tiger Mountain has been regarded as a Holy Land to which many pilgrimages are made every year.

Owning a long history, the mountain was originally named "Mount of Splendid Clouds". According to the record of Taoism, in the middle of the East Han Dynasty (25-220), Zhang Daoling, the first Tian Shi (a Taoist priest), started to distill elixirs at this historic mountain. As the elixirs were made, a dragon and a tiger would appear. Then the mountain's name changed and became a birthplace of Taoism.

Shangqing Palace in Shangqing Old Town Scenic Area, first built in East Han Dynasty, is the place for Tian Shi to pray and the place where all gods received their official ranks. It was as large as the royal palace, but one Chi (about 1.094 feet) lower to show the respect for the royal prerogative.

The natural scenery is also very beautiful in Tiger and Dragon Mountain. As a typical Danxia landform characterized by its cliffy scarp, the red terrestrial clastic rock can be seen everywhere in Celestial Water Rock Scenic Area. There are a total of ninety-nine peaks, twenty-four boulders, and one hundred and eight natural and artificial sights and over twenty wells, ponds, streams and waterfalls. 'Ten cannot' rocks in this area are famous for the vivid guise and attractive stories. They are: the nun carrying monk cannot pass by; the jade comb that cannot comb the hair; the water lily that cannot be wore; the test-sword stone that cannot be put to the test; the celestial peach that cannot be eaten; the stone drum that cannot be beat; the splendid silk that cannot be wrapped; the fairy cannot be married; the scoop that cannot be used and the Taoism Hall that people cannot sit in.

Visitors could take a ride on a small wooden boat and drift along the Luxi River which flows westwards through the mountain area, and they will be able to see all the beautiful scenes, green water, red mountains and moreover enjoy a blue sky and white clouds.

Apart from these, the hanging coffin groups, buried ancient Yue (a small tribe in ancient China), in the cliff of Dragon and Tiger Mountain dating back to 2600 years ago. The cliff is about more than 100 meters high so the ancient Yue people were very clever, which shows their wisdom. The coffins embedded in the steep cliff are like the cultural treasures displayed in the great history gallery. Overlooking the cliff, you can see the yellow coffins about thousands of years. Because of its expansive area, large quantity, dangerous location and unique shape, the tombs got the title 'the best natural archaeological museum of China'. No one is quite sure why or how the ancient site was built, so it's still a mystery waiting for you to discover.

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Jiangxi Provincial Museum

The Jiangxi Provincial Museum, located at Nanchang City, is a province-level historical museum of China. It was prepared in 1953 and officially opened to the public as a topological comprehensive museum on July 1, 1961. In 1971 it became a specialized museum engaged in archeological excavation and collection and study of historic relics. In October 1978, its name was changed into the Jiangxi Provincial Historical Museum. In August 1980, the Jiangxi Provincial Historical Museum and the Jiangxi Provincial Revolutionary Museum merged into the Jiangxi Provincial Museum.

With an area of 13,000 square kilometers, the Museum has collected 34,000 items of collection. The basic exhibitions are composed of the Historical Hall, the Revolutionary Hall and the Natural History Hall.

The Historical Hall’s collection includes relics going back to the earliest days of human settlement in the province, with some 500 relics of the Gan culture that dominated through the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD), a permanent exhibit on Jiangxi Hakka culture and numerous examples of ancient bronze, jade and ceramic artefacts.

The Revolutionary Hall documents (and glorifies) the role of Nanchang and the Nanchang Uprising of 1927 in the creation of the People's Republic of China while also telling the broader tale of anti-imperialist struggle going back to China's "feudal" period; this brand of "patriotic education" may be a bit heavy on the patriotism at the expense of objectivity, but nonetheless, the exhibits shed light on modern China's self-image and national narratives.

Finally, the Natural History Museum presents locally found dinosaur skeletons along with numerous exhibits on contemporaray flora, fauna, geography and geology.

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Wave Well (Lang Jing)

There is an ancient well sheltered by a pavilion in the Langjing Lane, Xiyuan Road, Jiujiang district. The well circle has deep rope mark and the wall of the well is full of moss. The water in the well is clear and limpid. Wave Well is so called because it is said the well once would give rise to waves when there were waves in the Yangtze River. It can be a sign of flood, thus it is also called Lucky Well.

Wave Well (Lang Jing) is said to be the most ancient relic found in Jiujiang City. It is also called Guanying Well. According to the historical records, it was dug by Guan Ying, a famous general in the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - 24 AD). There are inscriptions forthe well by some eminent ancient scholars such as Li Bai and Su Zhe. These inscriptions contributed much to the well's fame. The well has a depth of about 15 meters(49.2 feet) and a diameter of one meter (3.3 feet) or shorter. It looks deserted with lichen on its wall; however, there is still clear water inside.

"The wave well’s wave sound" was one of the ten scenic areas in Jiujiang in ancient time. Li Bai thought the well was near Yangtze River, and the mouth of the spring interlinked underground, thus the river has wave. Su Shi’s view is: the well has the mouth of the spring at the bottom, underground is filled with brave aquatic, and thus the well water has the wave sound. No one knows who is right, and no one is interested in the answer after more than a thousand years.

One can merely have the chance to hear the sound now. Some people believe it is because a dike has been established to prevent the floods that the Yangtze River brings. Some others think it is as a result of descending of underground water. Nobody knows exactly what led to the disappearance of the waves.

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Suojiang Tower

Suojiang Tower lies on the south bank of the Yangtze River, in Jiujiang City. Originally Suojiang Tower is a group of ancient buildings, including Suojiang Tower, Suojiang Pagoda and four iron oxen guardians. Now, only Suojiang Tower remains to exist. The tower was considered as auspice to prevent people from bane and floods. When traveling by steamboat along the river, Suojiang Pagoda is the first thing you see as you enter the district of Jiujiang, and thus is regarded as the symbol of Jiujiang City.

Suojiang Tower was firstly built in 1586 of Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) to protect the people from floods. A pagoda was built at a later point near Suojiang Tower - Suojiang Pagoda, also known as Wenfeng Pagoda. Suojiang Pagoda is built of stones and medieval thick bricks, making its seven stories very solid. With a height of 35 meters, Suojiang Tower is a mezzanine wood like structure. The tower has interior wooden staircase, which allows people to reach on the top of the tower to have a panoramic view of the Yangtze River.

Suojiang Tower has been weathered in the wind and rain for more than 400 years. It is recorded that an earthquake during the Ming Dynasty and many battles during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912）destroyed the whole Suojiang Tower complex except Suojiang Tower. Especially during the Anti-Japanese war, Japanese invaders bombed Jiujiang with artillery and the tower was bombed and received many holes. Although badly damaged, Suojiang Tower stands there doggedly. It also reveals the wonderful skills of the ancient workmen.

In recent years, the tower was rebuilt and restored many times and regained its vitality and glory again. In order to protect the ancient architecture, Suojiang Tower was listed as a provincial cultural relic protection unit in 1987.

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Nengren Temple

Located at the Yuliang Lu (Yuliang Road) of Jiujiang City, Nengren Temple is an ancient temple in the centre of Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province. Nestled at the northern foot of Lushan Mountain, the Nengren Temple boasts one of the grandest collections of ancient architecture in Jiujiang City. Covering an area of 3,000 square meters (about 0.74 acre) a, the temple is the largest historical structure in Jiujiang City.

It was first built in the Southern Dynasty (420-589), and went through many changes and repairs through the following dynasties. Most of the present structures in this temple were repaired or built in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Now Nengren Temple is one of the major protected temples in China. The design of this temple is characteristic of Chinese architecture: natural, elegant and spectacular. Visitors can find grand halls and statues of Buddha, guardians, warriors, as well as relics and scriptures of Buddhism. This temple boasts eight charming sites: Great Victory Pagoda, Stone Boat, Iron Buddha, Twin Sun Bridge, Yuchuanshi, Hui'er Spring, Icy Hill and Snow Cave.

 

Great Victory Pagoda, built in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), underwent repairs in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties. This pagoda, with its west-facing gate, is a 7-storied hexagonal structure made of bricks and stones. It is 43 meters (about 141 feet) high. From the second story on, there is a door on each side of the hexagon. Inside the pagoda, there is a brick staircase that goes to the top, where visitors can enjoy an overview of all the beautiful sceneries of Jiujiang City. This staircase is the only one of its kind remaining in China.

In reality, Hui'er Spring is a well with a history of more than a thousand years. It is said if a piece of copper is thrown into the well, an echo can be heard. The spring water is very pure and mellow. It is said that wisdom and understanding can be enhanced through drinking the water.

Stone Boat is a big concave stone which resembles a boat. It is 5 meters (about 16.4 feet) long, 1 meter (about 3.3 feet) wide, and 6 meters (about 19.7 feet) deep. On the boat sits the Iron Buddha. Legend has it that in the Song Dynasty (960-1279) a monk dreamed about an iron Buddha ferrying across the river in a stone boat. Unfortunately, this iron Buddha was destroyed and the existing one is made of concrete.

Icy Hill is a piece of giant limestone with many holes. Mist is made when stream water spurts out continuously from the holes, looking like an icy hill.

Twin Sun Bridge, straddling a pool, is a three-arched stone bridge. It is renowned for the marvelous scene of two inverted images of the sun that can be seen from the east side of the pool.

Yuchuanshi (Raindrop Piercing through Stone) is a large piece of rectangular granite engraved with clouds, flowers and inscriptions. On its top is a funnel shaped hollow made from the constant dripping of water. This is a good example of the aphorism: 'constant effort brings success.'

Snow Cave is another piece of giant limestone adjoining Icy Hill. It is said that there was a gate in this stone for people to come in and out of. In cold winter, the gate was plugged up by ice sticks, looking as white as snow. The cave was destroyed in 1930. Now, all visitors can see are their debris and two different stones replacing them.

A buddhism musical band has been founded in the temple to spread the buddhism culture. The band is now able to perform all kinds of buddhim music and medium buddhism musical ceremony. Visitors can also learn about Buddhist culture by viewing the abundant relics and scriptures preserved in Nengren Temple. The Buddhist chants and music attract numerous devout prayers and visitors every year.

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Stone Bell Hill (Shizhong Shan)-----a Mystery in Jiujiang

Located in Shuangzhong Town, Jiujiang City in Jiangxi Province, with a height of 50-metre (165-foot), Stone Bell Hill is visited by tourists for centuries. The hill overlooks the lake and the Yangtze River, and the meeting of the waters is clearly defined by an abrupt color change. The hill is famous for the bell-like sound, which is kept to be a mystery. The famous poet Su Shi in Tang Dynasty has made three special trips to try to solve the mystery, he thought that he settled on the last explanation and wrote an essay on the subject.

Stone Bell Hill has a quite long history. It was mentioned as a rare geographical phenomenon by Li Daoyuan (a geographer) in historical records of the Northern Wei Period (386 - 534). As for the rare phenomenon, Li wrote that when the waves splashed on the hill, a quite loud sound just like bells rang was then produced, and this is how the name came into being. When it came to the Northern Song Dynasty (1127 - 1279), Su Shi, who was a famous litterateur of that time, conducted research about it. He found that the under the hill were numerous caves and stone gaps. It was because of those caves and holes that enabled the bell sound be created. He recorded the truth in his literal work-Shizhongshan Ji (Notes of Stone Bell Hill). As the work passed down through time, the hill has gained much more fame.

With a constant stream of visitors from different places for thousands of years, the Stone Bell Hill is famous for its singular prospects, a holy place for Confucian intellectuals, and a place of great strategic importance. As on one side of the hill is the Poyang Lake which is green, and on the other side is the Yangtze River which is yellow, the hill presents people with a kaleidoscopic view with changes in color. Many literary giants of ancient China have left more than 20 calligraphy masterpieces carved upon the stone. Some of the most precious works date as far back as the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907). As a place of strategic importance, many historical events and battles occurred here, including the war between Zhu Yuanzhang (first emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644)) and Chen Youliang, (a general of the late Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368)), and the ten-year war fought between Zeng Guofan (a famous general of the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911)), and Shi Dakai (a general of the Taiping Army).

The most mysterious and the most attractive thing about the hill is the sound visitors can hear on the mountain. The legend tells why it is so called, however, it cannot really explain the strange bell-like sound that can be heard. There are three generally accepted theories to explain this. The first one is that the hill is comprised of limestone; and fissures formed through water erosion. When water flows through these fissures, the sound occurs. The second is that when striking the stone chimes, stalagmite and the stone pillar on this hill, people could hear that kind of strange sound. The third one is that when water seeps into the limestone cave at the base of the hill, this generates the sound.

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Gantang Lake

Gantang Lake enhances the beauty of the ancient city Jiujiang. It is a natural lake, whose water comes from the spring on Lushan Mountain, and the most attractive place of interest in the city. Gantang Lake lies in the center of Jiujiang City and covers an area of about 80 hectares (approximately 956,823 square yards).

Gantang Lake was once called Jingxing Lake. In the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Jingxing Lake was bisected by a dike that was built to facilitate the transportation at that time. The divided lakes are now separately called South Lake in the east of the dike and Gantang Lake in the west. In the lake's center stands Yanshui Pavilion (Smoky Water Pavilion) connected by a crooked bridge to the bank. The Yanshui Pavilion is a series of buildings connected by corridors. These ancient buildings in the pavilion are Chuangting Hall, Cuichaoxian Pavillion, Yanhui Pavillion, Wuxian Pavilion, etc.

The lake is said to have been the military base of the Wu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms Period (220 - 280). On the island in the central lake was once located General Zhou Yu's training platform. Bai Juyi, a great poet of the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907), started to build a pavilion on the platform during his commission period in Jiujiang and it was named 'Jinyue Pavilion'. In the Northern Song Dynasty (960 - 1127), it was changed to 'Yanshui Pavilion'. Though it was destroyed in the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644), groups of buildings were erected continuously in later days. From the pavilion, you will see that Mt. Lushan is like a green screen around which the clouds are lingering. Surely you will be fascinated by the wonderful view.

From the dike, you can climb Yingyue Pavilion (Moon Reflection Pavilion). With a bird's eye view from the pavilion, you can see the green water rippling in the gentle breezes, rosy clouds reflected in the water and willow trees lining the lakeshore. It is a beautiful scene.In the vicinity of Gantang Lake, there are many hotels with good facilities, such as Yuanzhou International Hotel, Education Hotel, Jiujiang Hotel, etc.

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