Longhu Mountain Scenic Area is located in the southwest suburbs of Yingtan City, Jiangxi Province, about 20 kilometers from the city center. It is a World Natural Heritage, World Geopark, national 5A-level tourist attraction, and one of the birthplaces of Taoism in China. The scenic area features three major characteristics: Danxia landform, Taoist culture, and ancient Yue ethnic group's hanging coffins, and is known as the "Ancestral Court of Taoism" and "Fairyland of Danxia". The total area of the scenic area is 220 square kilometers, with the core area covering about 100 square kilometers. The highest peak, Tianmen Mountain, stands at an altitude of 1300 meters. The area has typical Danxia landforms, with widespread red cliffs, peak forests, and canyons. There are 99 peaks of various sizes, more than 200 cliff tombs, over 30 Taoist architectural sites, and rich biological resources, including over 1000 species of higher plants and more than 200 species of wild animals. The Luxi River flows through the scenic area, with a total length of 43 kilometers, connecting many core attractions, forming a unique tourist experience of "drifting on rafts to view Danxia and exploring hanging coffins by tracing streams".
History and Culture
Longhu Mountain is the ancestral court of the Zhengyi School of Taoism in China, with a Taoist cultural heritage of over 1900 years. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, Zhang Daoling practiced alchemy and Taoism here. Legend has it that "when the elixir was successfully refined, a dragon and a tiger appeared", hence the name Longhu Mountain (Dragon-Tiger Mountain). Later, Zhang Daoling's descendants took charge of Taoism here for generations, forming the "Si Han Heavenly Master's Mansion", which became an important dissemination center of Taoism in China.
The culture of the ancient Yue ethnic group's hanging coffins in the scenic area also has a long history, dating back over 2600 years. On the cliffs along both sides of the Luxi River, there are more than 200 hanging coffin tombs. Most of the coffins are placed in natural caves 50-300 meters above the water surface. The way they were placed remains an unsolved mystery and is important material for studying the Baiyue people in the pre-Qin period. In addition, the remaining Taoist temples, steles, and cliff carvings in the scenic area, together with the Danxia landforms and hanging coffins, form a unique landscape of multicultural integration.
Main Attractions
Si Han Heavenly Master's Mansion
Si Han Heavenly Master's Mansion is located in Shangqing Town. It is the mansion where successive Heavenly Masters of the Zhang family lived and managed Taoist affairs. It was first built in the Northern Song Dynasty, and the existing buildings were rebuilt during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It covers an area of about 43,000 square meters, with a construction area of 14,000 square meters. The buildings in the mansion follow the "Eight Trigrams" layout, including the main gate, ceremonial gate, second gate, main hall, back hall, and private residence. With ancient cypresses reaching the sky and carved beams and painted rafters, it preserves plaques such as "The Unparalleled Place in the South, the First Family in the West of the River" and a large number of Taoist cultural relics. It is the largest and best-preserved ancient Taoist ancestral court complex in China.
Shangqing Palace
Shangqing Palace is one of the oldest Taoist temples in Longhu Mountain. It was first built in the Eastern Han Dynasty and was known as the "Capital of Immortals" during its heyday. Together with the White Cloud Temple in Beijing and the Yongle Palace in Shanxi, it is known as one of the three major ancestral courts in China. The existing ruins cover an area of about 6000 square meters, retaining buildings such as the Blessed Gate, Bell Tower, Jade Gate Hall, and East Hidden Courtyard. The East Hidden Courtyard was built in the Ming Dynasty, with many ancient steles recording the rise and fall of Shangqing Palace. The "Demon-Suppressing Well" in the scenic area is famous for the opening story of "Water Margin" and has become a popular check-in spot for tourists.
Luxi River Drifting
Luxi River is the "mother river" of Longhu Mountain. The drifting section is about 10 kilometers long, from Gongdian Wharf to Xianshuiyan Wharf, passing through the "Ten Incomparables" landscapes (such as "Fairy Presenting Flowers Incomparable", "Mushroom Stone Incomparable", etc.). When drifting on a raft, you can watch Danxia cliffs and isolated peaks and strange rocks up close. Among them, the "Golden Spear Peak" is about 70 meters high, shaped like a male genital organ, and forms a natural Yin-Yang landscape with the "Fairy Rock" on the opposite bank, which can be called a wonder of Danxia landform. The whole drifting process takes about 1.5 hours, with the boatmen's folk songs echoing with the birdsong on both sides.
Xianshuiyan Hanging Coffin Site
Xianshuiyan is the area with the most concentrated hanging coffins in Longhu Mountain. There are more than 10 hanging coffin caves distributed on the cliffs along both sides of the Luxi River. The scenic area has set up a hanging coffin hoisting performance at the viewing platform, which regularly reproduces the possible burial customs of the ancient Yue people every day: performers hang down from the top of the cliff with ropes to simulate the process of placing the coffin into the cave, vividly restoring the mysterious scene more than 2000 years ago. Tourists can watch the performance at the viewing platform on the opposite bank and learn about the historical background of the hanging coffin culture with explanations.
Tianmen Mountain
Tianmen Mountain is the highest peak of Longhu Mountain, with an altitude of 1300 meters. It is characterized by primeval forests and waterfall groups and is an ecological oxygen bar in the scenic area. The hiking trail is about 5 kilometers long, with landscapes such as Longmen Waterfall, One-Line-Sky, and Fairy Scattering Flowers along the way. Among them, Longmen Waterfall has a drop of 100 meters, which is particularly spectacular when the water volume is abundant in summer. From the top of the mountain, you can overlook the panoramic view of Longhu Mountain and the overlapping landscape of Danxia landform and forest vegetation, which is suitable for hiking enthusiasts and natural landscape lovers.
Food
Special Dishes of Longhu Mountain
Shangqing Tofu
Shangqing Tofu is a traditional famous dish in Shangqing Town of Longhu Mountain. It is made of local high-quality soybeans and mountain spring water, with a tender texture and rich bean flavor. Common methods include stewed tofu, spicy tofu, tofu pot, etc. Among them, "Eight Trigrams Tofu" is cut into the shape of eight trigrams and stewed with ingredients such as mushrooms and bamboo shoots, which not only reflects Taoist culture but also is fresh and tender. It is a classic dish for entertaining guests in the Heavenly Master's Mansion.
Luxi River Fish
Luxi River Fish comes from the clear Luxi River, famous for its tender meat and delicious taste. Common species include grouper and stick fish. They are mostly steamed or braised. Steamed Luxi River Fish is seasoned only with ginger shreds and green onion sections to retain the original flavor of the fish to the greatest extent; braised fish is added with local chili and rice wine, spicy and tasty, and is a must-order dish in scenic area restaurants.
Surrounding Food
Yingtan Fried Noodles
Yingtan's fried noodles are a local specialty snack. They use indica rice noodles, mixed with eggs, green vegetables, shredded beef, etc., and stir-fried over high heat. The noodles are chewy and fragrant. Restaurants around Longhu Mountain often add local chili and fermented soya beans, with a unique flavor, making them a popular choice for tourists' breakfast or supper.
Yujiang Dried Eggplant
Dried eggplant from Yujiang District (belonging to Yingtan City) is a traditional preserved vegetable in Jiangxi. It is made from eggplants through sun-drying, pickling, and seasoning, with a tender texture, moderate saltiness and sweetness, and a slight spiciness. It can be eaten directly or with rice and porridge, being a favorite side dish of local farmers and a popular souvenir for tourists.
Tickets
The ticket price is 135 yuan per person (including sightseeing bus).
You can search for the official WeChat public account "江西龙虎山景区" to get the latest news or buy tickets online.
Opening Hours
It is open all year round, and the daily opening hours are adjusted according to the season. In the peak season (April-October), the opening hours are 7:30-18:00 (the last bamboo raft drifting is at 15:30); in the off-season (November-March of the next year), the opening hours are 8:00-17:30 (the last bamboo raft drifting is at 14:30). There are two hanging coffin hoisting performances every day, at 10:00 and 15:00 (may be canceled on rainy days). For details, please refer to the scenic area's announcement on the day.
Tour Route
Recommended One-Day Tour Route
Arrive at the scenic area's visitor center at 8:00 a.m., take a sightseeing bus to Xianshuiyan Scenic Area, and watch the hanging coffin hoisting performance at 9:00; then take a bamboo raft to drift on the Luxi River (about 1.5 hours) to enjoy the Danxia landscapes on both sides; arrive at the wharf at 11:30, visit attractions such as Fairy Rock and Elephant Trunk Mountain, and have lunch at a nearby restaurant at noon.
Go to Shangqing Town at 13:30 p.m., visit Si Han Heavenly Master's Mansion (about 1.5 hours) to learn about Taoist culture; then visit the ruins of Shangqing Palace (about 1 hour); take a sightseeing bus to the foot of Tianmen Mountain at 16:00, hike to Longmen Waterfall (about 1.5 hours round trip); return to the visitor center at 17:30 to end the trip. This route takes into account both natural and cultural landscapes, suitable for tourists with tight schedules.
Transportation
- Public transportation: There are tourist buses directly to Longhu Mountain Scenic Area at Yingtan Railway Station Square, with a departure every 30 minutes from 7:00-18:00 every day, taking about 30 minutes, with a fare of 5 yuan per person; at Yingtan North Station (high-speed railway station), you can take bus No. 23 to Yingtan Railway Station and transfer to the tourist bus.
- Self-driving: Starting from Nanchang, drive along Shanghai-Kunming Expressway to Yingtan East Exit, then turn to Longhu Mountain Avenue, with a total distance of about 180 kilometers, taking 2 hours; starting from Shanghai, drive along Shanghai-Kunming Expressway to Yingtan Exit, with a total distance of about 600 kilometers, taking 6.5 hours. The charging standard for the scenic area's parking lot is 20 yuan per car per day.
- Internal transportation in the scenic area: The scenic area uses sightseeing buses for connection, covering all major attractions. The full-line pass is 50 yuan per person, and a single ride is 10 yuan per person. Bamboo raft drifting requires separate tickets, and there are free shuttle buses between the drifting terminal and some attractions.
Must-Visit Attractions
- Si Han Heavenly Master's Mansion: The ancestral court of the Zhengyi School of Taoism in China, covering an area of 43,000 square meters, with Ming and Qing architectural styles, being the core attraction to understand Taoist culture.
- Luxi River Drifting: A 10-kilometer drifting route connecting Danxia wonders, enjoying the scenery on a raft and experiencing the artistic conception of "a boat floating on the blue waves, people traveling in a painting".
- Xianshuiyan Hanging Coffin Site: 2600-year-old hanging coffins of the ancient Yue ethnic group, with regular hoisting performances to uncover the eternal mystery.
- Tianmen Mountain: The highest peak at 1300 meters above sea level, with primeval forests and waterfall groups intertwined, suitable for hiking and viewing, overlooking the panoramic view of Danxia.
Travel Suggestions
- Bamboo raft drifting is a core experience project. It is recommended to check the weather in advance and choose a sunny day for the trip. Pay attention to sun protection in summer and bring a straw hat and sunscreen.
- The scenic area is large with scattered attractions. It is recommended to buy a sightseeing bus pass to save transportation time and plan the route reasonably to avoid backtracking.
- For Taoist cultural attractions (Heavenly Master's Mansion, Shangqing Palace), it is recommended to hire a guide (50 yuan per time) to gain an in-depth understanding of the architectural layout and historical background.
- For breakfast, you can try the local Shangqing tofu pudding with fried dough sticks to experience the authentic flavor; for dinner, it is recommended to try the Luxi River fish feast to taste various fish dishes.
- If time permits, you can stay in Shangqing Ancient Town around the scenic area to experience the ancient town's night view and visit the less crowded and quiet Heavenly Master's Mansion early the next morning.
Matters Needing Attention
- Wear a life jacket when drifting on a bamboo raft, take waterproof protection for electronic devices such as mobile phones and cameras, and avoid standing or shaking the raft.
- The hanging coffin hoisting performance area is near the cliff. When watching, stand inside the safety guardrail and do not crowd or push.
- Some sections of the hiking trail in Tianmen Mountain are steep and slippery. It is recommended to wear non-slip hiking shoes, proceed carefully on rainy days, and do not deviate from the trail without authorization.
- Smoking and littering are prohibited in the scenic area. Protect the Danxia landform and ecological environment, and do not climb cliffs or pick plants.
- Observe etiquette in Taoist temples, do not make noise or touch cultural relics, turn off the flash when taking photos, and respect religious customs.