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. |
Asia Travel 
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