The attraction lies in Xujiawa Village, Tianpu Township, Xinxian County, the birth and burying place of Xu Shiyou, a legendary general, who is admired for his outstanding achievements, strong personality and devotion to his country as well as his mother. People from all walks of life often come to pay a visit. Nowadays the place has become a famous educational base of patriotism and revolutionary traditions.

In recent years, additions and renovations have been made to the sights such as General's Residence, the Memorial Square, Combatant Skills Training Ground, farmers' residences and so on.

The general is the first and the only state leader who was allowed to be buried without being cremated since the adoption of incineration in the country. Spending most of his life in the battle filed, he took it a great pity not fulfilling his filial duties. To realize his wish of devoting to the country while alive and serving parents after life, he asked to be buried near his parents' tomb.

The general had a collection of 10,295 Chairman Mao badges, which shows the unusual relations between the leader and the general. Not only do these badges reflect the general's loyalty to the country, but also the important period and therefore they have enormous values as relics and works of art.

As what is called the Red Tourism booms in the country, the attraction has gained more and more popularity. The general's charisma has been affecting one generation after another.

The General's Residence is located in the back of the village. There are five rooms built of earth and wood structure. The area of each room is around 20m2. The residence lied beside the mountain. On its gate hangs a tablet reading “the Former Residence of General Xu Shiyou”.

Entering the gate, one sees the main room of the house. On each side are placed flower rings sent by people from all walks of life among whom are generals like Li Desheng, Wan Haifeng, senior officials like Zhi Shuping, Chen Quanguo. On the wall hang the pictures of the general in different periods, which witnessed multi-facet life of the general. Along the northern wall there is door in the west corner. Through the door, there is a coffin, which was arranged by Xu Guang, the eldest son of general. On October 22, exactly 6 years from the day when the general wrote to his son about it, he passed away. Now the coffin has been left in the residence for people to pay respects. The room to the east is where the general once lived. In 1958, general, then commander of Nanjing Military Region, returned to his hometown on home leave. He declined the offer to live in the hotel and lived in this room to accompany his mother.

Standing on the same position as it did are the wooden bed and armchair that the general had used. Downstairs are the two rooms at the bottom. In the west room is placed a stone mill used by the general in farm work. On the wall is an opening with the size of an adult. It is said that once the general went home to visit his mother. There was a leak of information that he ended up to be hunted by over 100 local militiamen. The danger was so pressing that the general broke an opening with bare hands and then made a narrow escape.

This is a place where general left his footprints. A simple tour will enable you to feel the general's loyalty and devotion to the country as well as to his mother, to realize the determination of the local people to overthrow the dark world and also to have an in-depth understanding of the local folkways as well as the beautiful land.

With Xinji (present Xinxian County) as its capital during the civil revolutionary war, it is a relatively large base area under the leadership of the CPC. This land had brought forth red army forces one after another such as the 4th Front Army, the 25th Army Corps and the 28th Army Corps. In its top period, the base area had developed into a region with a population of 3.5 million, 26 counties and an army of 450,000 plus. In the battles of blood and fire, there had come out 349 generals from this place and many pioneering revolutionists had left their footprints here, such as Dong Biwu, Xu Xiangqian, Liu Bocheng, Deng Xiaoping, Li Xiannian and so on. At one time, the whole population of the county was less than 100,000, over half of which had lost their lives and 35,000 died in glory. In 1985, the museum was built by the government in the county and was open to the public on October 25, 1990. Li Xiannian, the former president, wrote down the museum name.

Being the largest revolutionary museum on the county level in He'nan Province, it lies in the southeast of Xinxian County. Surrounded by beautiful rivers and mountains, the museum is a modern architecture blended with classical styles. The main building shows the typical Anhui style, a brick work of red roofs and orange tiles. With area of 2 hectares and a floorage of 3,800m2, the museum is facing the Cemetery of Revolutionary Martyrs of the Base across the river.

In the second largest revolutionary base area, coming only next to Central Revolutionary Base Area, Xinxian County was where the capital was located. Since its establishment, it has been through all the ups and downs until the victory of the national revolution.

There are 7 exhibition halls in the museum, making up two series, one the General Exhibition, the other the Theme Exhibition. The total exhibition area amounts to 828m2. In the first series, “Mountain Dabie Struggles”, there are four parts as follows:

1. Shaping the Revolutionary Base Area of E-Yu-Wan;

2. Establishing the capital in Xinji to make unprecedented development of the revolutionary base area;

3. Restructuring the Red Army;

4. Upholding the red flag to the victory of national revolution.

The second series is divided into two parts. “The Cradle of Generals”, the first part, occupies two halls. In the first hall are the life account of 43 ranked generals who were born in Xinxian County, such as Xu Shiyou, Li Desheng, Zheng Weishan, Gao Houliang and so on. In the second hall are the life accounts 50 generals ranked Army Corps Commander or above, such as Wu Huanxian, Gao Jingting, Zhang Tixue, Zhang Zhiyin and so on. Xinxian Today, the second part, deals mainly with the rapid development achieved by the local people in all fields. Among the collection of the museum, there is a wall on which was written the Chinese Soviet Land Law (draft). It is so well preserved and the only piece in the country that it is ranked the first grade relic. The Lenin fighter plane, collected by the museum, is also a valuable item for it was the first plane ever flied by the Red Army pilots. In 1931, a trainer plane of KMT ran out of petrol on its way back after finishing a mission and had to make an emergency landing at the border area of the revolutionary base. Since the capture of the plane, the red army was right on its way to have its own air force. The plane had been used for bombing missions in many battles. Chen Changhao, a commissar of the 4th Front Army, had taken the plane to the west of Anhui Province. After the Long March, the plane was dismantled and buried. Despite a short time of existence, the plane was a milestone in the history of our party and our army. It marks the beginning of building a strong air force in our army.

Located in the southwest of Luoshan County in He'nan Province, Mountain Lingshan Resort borders Xinyang County and Dawu County of Hubei Province.

To the east stands Mountain Jilong and to the West Mountain Jigong. There are 6 scenic areas, including Lingshan Temple, Xiaoyao Cave, Jinding, etc. The attraction covers an area of 61km2. 40km away to the west is Jing-Guang Railway and No.107 State Highway. Jing-Jiu Railway is 50km away to the east. There is only a distance of 500m to Xinye Highway. At the foot of Mountain Lingshan extends Jing-Zhu Expressway. Four highways converge at this point.

Mountain Lingshan has eight peaks. The way the mountain stretches and its general terrains look very similar to Mountain Lingjiu in India where Sakyamuni became a Buddha. According to historical records, every time people prayed on the mountain, their requests would be granted. The pilgrims visited here and became somewhat elevated, thus it was on the lips that there was a magical power of the mountain.

The mountain came into being in the Cretaceous Period of Mesozoic Era, around 150 to 70 million years ago. The mountain base is mainly granite. The annual temperature averages 13℃ to 15℃. In summers, diurnal temperature variation of the mountain stands at 7℃ and nocturnal temperature variation 15℃. The mountain abounds in natural resources. Among its more than 1,000 kinds of plants, Lingshan Cloud Fog Tea is processed from Xinyang Maojian Tea, one of the best teas in China. Then, Chestnuts and Chinese gooseberries are highly nutritious and therefore have great economic values. Next, Herbs such as Eucommia barks, balloon flowers and Chinese Paris Rhizome are rarely seen around the world. As for animal species, there are 1,067 kinds of 190 colonies. Birds alone amount to 169 kinds.

All over the mountain are rocks of different shapes, steep cliffs, secluded glens, rivers and waterfalls, which have made the place simply a natural wonder. Roughly estimated, there are 36 waterfalls, 72 caves and 108 sites featuring different rocks and cliffs. Famous sights include Xiaoyao Cave, Xinren Cave, Luoyan Lake, etc.

A strategically important place with peculiar natural views, Mountain Lingshan is also a place of historic interest. In ancient times, Jiuli Pass, southeast of the mountain is one of the top 9 passes of the country. At the foot of the eastern foot lies the noted Chuyu Pathway, a place contended by military strategists in ancient times where one could find bandits and victims who sought refuge here.

A famous Buddha shrine, Mountain Lingshan once had 13 temples. Only 2 of them are preserved. Linshan Temple, one of the earliest temples built in China, boasts of its 2,000 year history. In the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, it was honored as the National Temple. Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty, had paid homage to the place and conferred Chen Dayou, then abbot the title of Master Jin Bi. The emperor left his handwriting on the stele of the temple. Presently there are seven halls in the temple and more than 30 monks. On the first day of March in lunar calendar, tourists as well as the pilgrims will flock to attend the temple fair.

The colorful culture arises from beautiful mountain sights, as every attraction has its own story. The legends and scenery blend with each other, giving more charm to this wonderful land. There is something special about this mountain. Legend has it that there is a magical aura around the mountain that it satisfies every request that has been made. Thus, it has gained many believers and it is not rare that people have come thousands of miles to seek luck.

With its rich tourist resources Mountain Lingshan has attracted a total of 300,000 tourists every year. In June, 2004, it ranked as the provincial scenic and historic interest area.

On the west bank of the upper reaches of Mountain Lianyu Reservoir, 15km southwest of Shancheng County and in the Dabieshan region, lies the famous attraction which is noted for its magic healing effects of spring water. With an area of 30km2, the place stretches 5km from east to west and 6km from south to north, shaping like an inverted triangle.

Well-known for the healing effects of spring water, the place derived its name after them. The hot spring came into being around 100-million years ago. Now it has three springs with a daily output of 60 tons of water. The clear and pure water has an average temperature from 56℃ to 58℃. The quantitative analysis done by the optical spectrum shows that the water contains elements such as strontium, silver, titanium, chromium, copper, lead, calcium, sodium, magnesium, potassium, fluorine and so on. The spring has a low salt concentration and degree of mineralization. Medically it is categorized as silicate spring and fluoride spring. Owing to its thermal-mechanic and medical effects, the spring is particularly effective to diseases like dermatology, rheumatism, intestinal tract disease and malfunctions related to nervous system, respiratory system, surgery and gynecology. Taking a bath regularly also provides a good solution to skin care and beauty as well as to enhance appetite and sleep quality. For this reason the spring enjoys a fine name of Medical Spring. In the book of A Record of Prefectures and Counties by Li Jifu of the Tang Dynasty, it is called warm water. The book says that local people gathered to live near the spring and the bath business thrived. Jingfan Temple was built on Mountain Leishan and Tangkeng Bridge spanned across Guan River. In the 25th year of the reign of Emperor Qian Long of the Qing Dynasty, the emperor visited Tongquan Spring Lake and named it “Tangkeng” (Spring Lake). A tablet was erected to mark this event. During the reign of Emperor Jiaqing, Tangkeng Academy was built by the local government. Along the history, countless learned men and officials have been attracted to pay a visit here.

The place is endowed with beautiful sceneries and agreeable climate. Besides the springs there are a lot of natural and historical sights. In the middle of the reservoir stands a little island. It is a real pleasure watching and listening to the water waves slamming on the banks. On Shenshui Pavilion, one can have a panoramic view of springs. On Mountain Xiangbi, a pavilion is built to remember Li Zhi, a thinker and writer of the Ming Dynasty. A boat ride is also recommended in the lake. The rocks in this area have taken on various shapes like boats, persons, monkeys, horses and so on. There are other sights like Mountain Leishan, Jimei Peak, Huangpozhai Village and Xiangshui Beach.

Affected by the transitional climate, the place has rich natural resources. The survey indicates that there are more than 2,000 kinds of plants, among which ten kinds are under state level protection, such as stone pine. The provincial level protected plants are over 20, such as Illicium henryi Diels and so on. The place is the home to more than 1,300 species of herbs for medicinal use, among which Chinese Paris Rhizome and rhizoma gastrodiae have enjoyed unparalleled reputations.

Abundant plant resources provide a fine habitat for wild animals of various species. There are over 250 species of vertebrate animals including ten plus state level protected animals like leopards, Reeves's pheasants, and Giant Salamanders and 20 plus provincial level protected animals like Pitta nympha, Indian bullfrog. On Bird Island in Mountain Lianyu Reservoir, tens of thousands of egrets rest there. The pure water in the reservoir makes it an ideal place for fresh water aquiculture.

Tangquan Spring Lake, a wonderful land, is waiting for tourists from all over the world.

Located at the intersection of He'nan Province and Hubei Province, Mountain Jigong Resort covers an area of 287km2. It is close to No.107 State Highway, Jing-Guang Railway and Jing-Zhu Expressway, only 38km away from Xinyang City to the north.

As one of the first group of state key scenic spots and state natural reserves, the place is noted for its beautiful scenery, clear springs, vernal woods and cool weather. Historically there are four best summer resorts in China as follows, Bedai River, Mountain Lushan, Mountain Mogan and the last one is Mountain Jigong Resort. In the period of Northern Wei Kingdom 1,400 years ago, it was recorded in Shuijingzhu, a geographic book by Li Daoyuan. Afterwards myriads of works have been left by celebrities, learned men to admire the beauty of the mountain. Nowadays, it has become a place of interest largely of scenic values, supplemented by some cultural and historical sights and a paradise for convalescing, summer escape, travel, sightseeing, research and so on.

Baoxiaofeng, the peak, stands like a rooster watching the east and therefore that is what the name implies (Mountain Jigong, literally it means a rooster). The mountain lies in the transitional region between subtropical zone and warm moderate zone, which brings plenty of rainfalls and humid climate. Every year there is a long winter and a short summer. The days of spring and autumn are equally distributed. In cool summer days the average temperature stays at 23.7℃ and the maximum is around 32℃. At the beginning of last century, the mountain had already been noted as a summer resort. There are over 200 exotic villas built on the mountain, which gives it a fine name of “A Museum of Foreign Architectures”.

The unique natural views on the mountain could be summed up to eight sights, namely, Buddha's Light, Sea of Clouds, the Rime, the Verglas, Rosy Clouds, Exotic Flowers and Herbs, Unique Peaks and Rocks and Waterfalls and Springs. Although the mountain is only seven to eight hundred meters above the sea level, its special geographic location causes a mountain climate without altitude reaction that the deep and flat-bottomed valleys on both sides bring gusts of wind all the year round. All these favorable factors make the mountain an ideal place for summer escape and convalescing. It has also healing effects on some diseases like pneumonia, beriberi, heart attack, trachitis and hypertension. In all seasons the mountain is enveloped in clouds and therefore derives another name, the Park in Clouds. There is a cluster of waterfalls in the Donggou area of the mountain, which features water views along the way. This “scenery corridor” stretches around ten miles long. You can have access to the place by cable cars. Since ancient times many celebrities have paid a visit to the mountain, like Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Li Zicheng, the leader of farmer rebels, and legendary herine——Hong Hua Nv, and so on, all of which has made the mountain colorful and mysterious.

As a dividing line of the south and north, the mountain lies in the transitional area of Subtropical zone and warm temperate zone. Climate here is suitable for the growth of plants across the country. The vegetation coverage reaches over 87%. There are over 2,000 kinds of plants, of which more than 600 are TCM herbs and therefore the mountain is reputed as a natural botanical garden. Li Shizhen, a famed doctor in ancient China had once come all the way to the place. He found a lot of medicinal herbs here and enriched enormously his famous book, Ben Cao Gang Mu or Compendium of Material Medica. At the beginning of last century, the western botanists had made researches and experiments here in Mountain Jigong. No doubt, it is an ideal research and teaching base as well as a natural green gene base.

A place noted for its blending of Chinese and western cultures, numerous buildings and villas of different styles had been built here. In 1903, two American missionaries had a trip here and made it known to the west. Through years of war, out of over 300 buildings, 212 of them are preserved now. The architectural styles range from Roman, Gothic, German to the hybrids. Distantly seen, the buildings stand like exhibits on the show in this museum of foreign architectures. Chiang Kai-shek, the KMT leader had been here twice. Other generals, warlords who had sought sanctuary from summer heat here include Wu Peifu, Feng Yuxiang, Zhang Xueliang, Yang Hucheng and so on. Now the mountain has become a hot destination for tourism, summer escape and rest. Every year thousands of tourists flock to the place.