Gazing up at Xiqiao Mountain, have you ever considered its fiery origins? Xiqiao Mountain isn’t just a scenic area. It’s a 40 to 50 million-year-old extinct volcano. Located southwest of Nanhai District in Foshan, it’s about 68 kilometers from Guangzhou. Xiqiao Mountain is a designated national forest park and national geological park. It’s an important scenic area with a rich history and cultural significance. The mountain’s story begins millions of years ago. The Pearl River Delta was then an ancient bay. Volcanic eruptions spewed lava into the sea. This cooled and formed a conical mountain, the beginning of Xiqiao Mountain. Continued eruptions shaped the 72 peaks we see today. Over time, the sea eroded the area, and vegetation began to flourish. Xiqiao Mountain is known for its unique scenery. The mountain boasts strange rock formations, abundant freshwater springs, and 42 natural caves. There are 232 springs and 28 waterfalls, including the Yunya Feipu, or “Waterfall from Cliffs High in the Clouds”. This waterfall was considered one of the Eight Views of Guangzhou during the 18th-century Qianlong Era. Human activity at Xiqiao Mountain dates back 6,000 to 8,000 years. A “Twin shoulder stone tool culture” developed here, known for delicate stone tools like twin-shouldered stone axes. This culture influenced the development of the surrounding Pearl River area. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Xiqiao Mountain became a haven for scholars. Notable figures like Zhan Ruoshui and He Baiyun sought refuge here. They studied Neo-Confucianism and painting. The famous Chinese nationalist Kang Youwei began planning the 1898 Hundred Days’ Reform movement at Xiqiao Mountain. Even the renowned martial artist Huang Feihong, creator of the Nanquan or “southern fist” fighting style, has roots here. Today, Xiqiao Mountain is divided into ten scenic areas. These include the Nanhai Guanyin Culture Park with its 66-meter Guanyin statue, the Baiyun Caves, and the Baofeng Temple. So, as you explore the mountain’s beauty, remember its volcanic past, its scholarly inhabitants, and the echoes of ancient cultures that resonate within its peaks and valleys. Xiqiao Mountain’s story is etched in stone and whispered by the waterfalls, a testament to the enduring power of nature and human history.
Jinxia Reservoir
“A shimmering expanse of blue amidst the green hills. That is Jinxia Reservoir today. But its story is more than