Traces of a bygone era whisper on the wind here at \u623f\u5c71\u9ad8\u7ebf\u9057\u5740\u00b7\u9ec4\u82b1\u5927\u5cad\u5c71\u53e3. It’s a place where history lies etched into the very landscape.
Fangshan itself boasts a long history and rich tourism resources. It is said that even days and nights would not be enough to describe it all. Fangshan is home to the earliest Peking Man discovery site. This includes the Zhoukoudian site. It also includes the Western Zhou Yan Capital Site. This is known as the source of Beijing. You will also find the Stone Flower Cave and the Silver Fox Cave.
Fangshan’s history is often hidden from the world. Today, we bring to light Fangshan’s eight scenic spots. The eight scenic spots of Fangshan originated in the Jin and Yuan dynasties. There were once old and new versions of these scenic spots.
One of the most famous spots is Dafangshan also known as Dafang’an or Dafangshan. It connects to Juyong in the north and Yuyang in the east. It adjoins Zijing in the west. Shangfang Mountain and Stone Sutra Mountain are its branches. The main peak of Dafangshan is Mao’er Mountain. The mountain top has a white path in the shape of the Chinese character for “person”. Green trees surround it in summer and autumn. The peaks overlap in beauty.
Poet Zhang Cai wrote a poem about Dafangshan in the Ming Dynasty. The poem describes the mountain’s beauty and majesty. Jin Shizong even honored the mountain. He named Dafangshan a first-class mountain. This made it a sacred place.
Qianlong came to Dafangshan to worship the Jin tombs. He composed a poem named “Looking at Dafangshan”. The poem praises the mountain’s unique beauty. Across from Dafangshan lies Wushan Mountain. Though not high, it marks the transition from plains to mountains. In the rainy season, clouds and mist surround its peak. This is how it got its name.
You can also find the Shangfangshan Temple here. It is a national forest park with natural scenery. This combines nature, history, culture, and Buddhism. The Cloud Water Cave is another popular spot. Zhao Puchu named it. Inside, twelve peaks rise. “Zhongtian Yizhu” is the highest peak. The cave has six chambers. They feature stalactites, stone pillars, and stone curtains.
Hongluo Three Dangers are also located in Fangshan. Hongluo Three Dangers refers to the spiral mountain. It has three layers with roads around each layer. It is also known as Youyan Mountain. Legend says red snails appeared in the Hongluo Cave. They emitted red light. Others say a giant sea snail blocked a sea eye here.
The Kongshui Cave and Ten Thousand Buddha Hall are located in Wanfodang Village. The Ten Thousand Buddha Hall was built during the Tang Dynasty. The entire hall is built on the spring of Kongshui Cave. Kongshui Cave was originally a natural cave. You can ride a boat inside and listen to the dripping water. People thought it was where immortals lived.
In 1982, workers cleared sediment from the cave. They found ironware and Tang Dynasty gold dragons. The cave walls have Sui Dynasty carvings and Sui-Tang Dynasty statues. Local people say there is a stone table at the bottom of the cave. In summer, they would put a watermelon in. By noon, it would float out with sweet spring water.
The Jin Mausoleum site contains the tombs of emperors and empresses. The Jin used good feng shui for the mausoleums. Che Factory Village built Jinzushan Park here. It aims to restore the scenery of that time.
During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Baishui Temple was known for its unique waterfall. Baishui Temple features three stone Buddha statues. It was also known as Dafosi Temple. The temple’s history is unclear. But it was rebuilt during the Ming Dynasty. A stone pagoda was built after the temple was rebuilt.
Another scenic spot is Zhangliang Jade Cave. Legend says Zhang Liang once lived here. A Yuan Dynasty stele was found in the cave. It recorded Taoist followers visiting the cave.
The former site of Wanjing Academy is also located here. It was one of the three major academies in Fangshan during the Yuan Dynasty. It greatly influenced local culture and education. The ruins no longer exist.
Finally, there’s the ruins of Jia Dao’an. Jia Dao’an was a mountain temple where Jia Dao practiced. Jia Dao’an Temple was built during the Tang Dynasty.