Yandang
Mountain rises 1,150 meters high in Leqing County twenty-five kilometers
from Wenzhou City in southeastern Zhejiang Province. In Chinese, Yandang
means “reed marsh for wild geese” and in autumn wild geese
do gather in the marshes around the lake at the top of the mountain. The
mountain became known in the early Tang Dynasty and enjoyed greater fame
during the northern Song Dynasty, when many temples, pavilions, and other
buildings were put up here. The Yandang scenery is dominated by crags,
valleys, and waterfalls, and there are said to be about four hundred scenic
sights in the five scenic areas that cover some four hundred square kilometers
on the mountain. There of these-Spirits Peak (Lingfeng), Spirits Crag
(Lingyan), and Great Dragon Pond (Dalongqiu) on the southeast part of
the mountain –are considered the “three wonders of Yandang.”
Spirits Peak (Lingfeng)
Towering behind Spirits Peak Temple (Lingfengsi), this 270-meter-high
peak is also called Husband and Wife Peak (Fuqifneg) because at night
it looks like a couple in each other’s arms. The Goddess of Mercy
Cave (Guanyindong) down the slope is among the most famous of the Yandang
Caves. Spirits Peak is surrounded by grotesque peaks and cliffs, which
are particularly striking at night.
Spirits Crag (Lingyan)
This
screen-shaped crag is otherwise named Screen Clouds Peak (Pingxiazhang).
Spirits Crag Temple (Lingyansi) at the base of the cliff, one of the eighteen
ancient Yandang temples, was built in 979 in the Northern Song Dynasty.
The temple faces two peaks, the Heavenly Pillar (Tianzhu) and the Fluttering
Flag (Zhanqi), and to its left is Heavenly Window Cave (Tianchuangdong).
Behind the temple are Dragon’s Nose Cave (Longbidong) and Little
Dragon Pond Cascade (Xiaolongqiupubu). Among the other peaks surrounding
Spirits Crag are Double Eagles (Shuangying), Jade Maid (YunÜ), and
Solitary Beauty (Duxiu).
Three-terraced Falls (Sanzhepu)
Beside Orchid
Terrace (Lanhuatai), the falls consist of three levels. Water from the
upper and middle levels pour down the rock to a pond; you can observe
the falls from behind by following a path built around the pond.
The grandeur and captivating beauty of Yandang Mountain draw an endless
stream of sightseers every year. In recent years, communication, commercial,
and service facilities have been developed rapidly in the area. The mountain
can be reached by bus from Hangzhou, Ningbo, Wenzhou, and other cities,
and the scenic spots are linked with each other by a network of roads.
Visitors can either spend their night at hotels on the mountain or take
day-trips between the mountain and any of the three cities of Hangzhou,
Ningbo or Wenzhou.
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