Mount Qixia (Qixia Shan) [栖霞山]

| 0 Reviews | RMB 10 (RMB 25 during springtime’s Buddha Culture Festival and autumn’s Red Maple Leaf Festival) | Attractions
  • Address:Bank of Yongjian, southeast of Nanjing
  • Getting there: Take the bus for Nanlong at Nanjing Railway Station
  • Contact: 025- 85761831  
  • Opening hours: All day
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Description

Mount Qixia is located approximately 22 kilometers north of Nanjing. Locals know this pristine area as Sheshan, or Dongshan. Its three peaks, namely: Flying Phoenix Peak (feng xiang feng), Dragon Peak (long shan) and Tiger Peak (hu shan), exude extraordinary beauty during the seasons of spring and autumn. Mount Qixia boasts three fascinating places of interest: Qixia Temple, the Sarira Pagoda and the Thousand-Buddha Cliff. In the latter months of autumn, millions of maple leaves and other foliage form a sea of beautiful colors. So fine is this spectacle that a special festival - the Red Maple Leaf Festival - is held on the mountain annually.

Located at the western foot of Mount Qixia, Qixia Temple was originally built during the Southern Song Dynasty as a dwelling place for monks. During the Tang Dynasty it assumed the full functions of a monastery. Its main features are the Mountain Gate, Pi Lu Hall, The Hall of the Heavenly King and The Sutra Hall.

Located to the southeast of the Qixia Temple is the exquisitely designed, five-storey Sarira Pagoda. Its decorations depict the Buddha's birth, travels, and practices. Many of the carvings include the traditional Chinese male (dragon) and female (phoenix) symbols. The main body of the pagoda includes male and female personifications of Buddha.

Located on the southern slopes of Flying Phoenix Peak, Thousand-Buddha Cliff has a series of grottoes containing a total of 515 statues of Buddha. The first grotto was hewn during the Southern Song Dynasty . All of the statues vary in terms of size and posture. Many of the statues have unfortunately suffered damage as the centuries passed. The most recent find was Feitian, The Flying Goddess from Heaven, discovered in Grotto 102 in 2002.

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