Qingyuan Mountain Scenic Area is located in Fengze District, Quanzhou City, Fujian Province. It is a national scenic area and a 5A-level tourist attraction, covering a total area of 62 square kilometers. It consists of three major areas: Qingyuan Mountain, Jiuri Mountain, and Lingshan Holy Tombs. The scenic area is famous for its 36 caves and 18 scenic spots. The main peak is 498 meters above sea level. Named after the clear springs in the mountain, it combines natural landscapes and cultural heritage, serving as an ecological barrier and cultural landmark of Quanzhou.
The scenic area has 3 national key cultural relics protection units and 6 provincial cultural relics protection units, including the largest existing Taoist stone carving of Laozi in China and the Islamic Holy Tombs. With a forest coverage rate of 91% and high negative ion concentration, it is a comprehensive scenic area integrating religious pilgrimage, ecological sightseeing, and science education.
History and Culture
The history of Qingyuan Mountain can be traced back to the Qin Dynasty. It was a Taoist mountain in the Tang Dynasty, and diverse cultures merged during the Song and Yuan Dynasties. The statue of Laozi was carved in the Song Dynasty, measuring 5.63 meters in height, 8.01 meters in width, and 6.85 meters in thickness. It is the largest existing Taoist stone carving in China, showcasing the peak of stone carving art in the Song Dynasty.
The prayer for wind inscriptions on Jiuri Mountain record the prayer ceremonies for merchant ships on the Maritime Silk Road in the Song Dynasty. As an important part of the World Maritime Trade Heritage, there are 75 cliff inscriptions in total, among which 13 record the prayer for wind activities, witnessing the prosperity of ancient Quanzhou Port. The Lingshan Holy Tombs, the burial place of disciples of Prophet Muhammad in Islam, are one of the oldest Islamic holy sites in China. They were listed as a national key cultural relics protection unit in 1988.
Scholars and poets of past dynasties left a large number of cliff inscriptions in the scenic area. There are 578 existing inscriptions, including 33 from the Song Dynasty, 5 from the Yuan Dynasty, 17 from the Ming Dynasty, and 13 from the Qing Dynasty. The contents cover religion, politics, economy, etc., serving as a "living fossil" for studying the history and culture of southern Fujian.
Main Attractions
Laozi Rock
The largest existing Taoist stone carving in China, 5.63 meters high, carved from natural rocks. With a kind face and smooth folds, it demonstrates the stone carving art of the Song Dynasty. The statue, with its left hand resting on the knee and right hand on the table, is vivid in shape. It is a landmark attraction of Qingyuan Mountain and was listed as a national key cultural relics protection unit in 1988.
Jiuri Mountain Prayer for Wind Inscriptions
Located on Jiuri Mountain, there are 75 cliff inscriptions in total. Thirteen of them record the prayer for wind ceremonies of merchant ships in the Song Dynasty, with the content of "sending officials to pray for wind". They record the prayer activities from the third year of Chongning in the Northern Song Dynasty to the second year of Xianchun in the Southern Song Dynasty (1104-1265). They are important physical materials for studying the Maritime Silk Road. In 2021, they were listed as a core heritage site of "Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China" on the World Cultural Heritage List.
Lingshan Holy Tombs
The burial place of Shaye Chu and Wuma'er, disciples of Prophet Muhammad in Islam, was built in the Tang Dynasty. The tomb is made of granite, 2 meters high and 6.35 meters in circumference. There are Arabic inscriptions behind the tomb recording the missionary deeds of the two in Quanzhou. It is one of the oldest Islamic holy sites in China and was listed as a national key cultural relics protection unit in 1988.
Heavenly Lake
Located at the top of Qingyuan Mountain, 368 meters above sea level, it is an artificial lake with an area of about 15,000 square meters. The lake water is clear, surrounded by green trees, offering a bird's-eye view of Quanzhou's urban landscape. With trails and viewing platforms around, it is an ideal place for leisure and sightseeing.
Qianshou Rock
Named after the worship of the Thousand-Hand and Thousand-Eye Guanyin, it was first built in the Song Dynasty, and the existing buildings are in the Ming and Qing styles. There is a thousand-year-old camphor tree in the temple, 25 meters high and 3.1 meters in chest diameter, with lush branches and leaves. It is one of the famous ancient trees in Quanzhou. Behind the rock is the "Flying Tower", a 7-meter-high, five-story hexagonal stone tower.
Mituo Rock
Named after the worship of Amitabha, there is an Amitabha statue on the rock, 4.7 meters high and 2.5 meters wide, built in the Yuan Dynasty. The Buddha statue has a round face and a serene expression. In front of the rock is the "Quankuang Waterfall" landscape, where spring water flows from the stone cracks to form a waterfall with a drop of about 10 meters.
Bixiao Rock
There are Tibetan Buddhist statues from the Yuan Dynasty, the Three Buddhas, 3 meters high and 6.5 meters wide, the earliest existing Tibetan Buddhist stone carvings in Fujian Province. The statues wear kasayas, sit cross-legged, and have a solemn facial expression. There is an inscription "Touhai" (overlooking the sea) on the rock, from where you can overlook Quanzhou Bay.
Cien Rock
Named after the imperial bestowal in the Tang Dynasty, there is a White-Clothed Guanyin statue in the rock, 3.5 meters high, built in the Song Dynasty. In front of the rock is the "Wangzhou Pavilion", from where you can overlook Quanzhou City. There are more than 20 cliff inscriptions around, among which the inscription "Quanshan" was written by Mi Fu, a calligrapher of the Song Dynasty.
Delicacies
Noodle Paste
A characteristic breakfast in Quanzhou, made by cooking thin noodles into a paste, paired with ingredients such as fried dough sticks, oysters, and large intestines. It has a smooth taste and delicious soup. Many restaurants around the scenic area offer this delicacy. It is recommended to pair it with local rice wine, a must-try to experience Quanzhou's food culture.
Runbing (Spring Roll)
Also known as spring rolls, it is wrapped with thin pancake skins and ingredients such as bean sprouts, carrots, shredded pork, and oysters, with a rich taste and moderate sweet and salty flavor. The traditional season for eating Runbing is around Qingming Festival. The Runbing made by time-honored shops near the scenic area has thin skins and abundant fillings, loved by tourists.
Soil Bamboo Jelly
Made by boiling sea earthworms and cooling the soup, it is crystal clear. Paired with seasonings such as soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic, it has a chewy texture and is cool and refreshing. This delicacy is common in snack stalls around the scenic area, a characteristic cold dish in Quanzhou, best eaten in summer.
Ginger Duck
A famous dish in southern Fujian, made by stewing muscovy duck with ginger and sesame oil. The duck meat is tender and the ginger flavor is rich, with nourishing effects. There are various practices of Ginger Duck in restaurants near the scenic area. It is recommended to choose restaurants that slow-cook in traditional clay pots to taste the authentic flavor.
Meat Zongzi
Quanzhou Meat Zongzi is made of glutinous rice, pork belly, mushrooms, shrimp, etc., wrapped in reed leaves and cooked. It has a soft and glutinous taste and rich fillings. The meat zongzi in snack shops around the scenic area is often eaten with peanut butter and brine, a popular staple food among tourists.
Tickets
The ticket price is 70 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "清源山风景区" on WeChat to get the latest updates or purchase tickets online.
Opening Hours
The opening hours are 05:30-18:30 (summer) and 06:00-18:00 (winter), subject to the scenic area's announcement.
Tour Routes
Recommended one-day tour route: Take a sightseeing bus from the scenic area entrance to Laozi Rock to visit the largest existing Taoist stone carving in China; then walk to Qianshou Rock to admire the thousand-year-old camphor tree; proceed to Mituo Rock to appreciate the Yuan Dynasty Amitabha statue; then go to Bixiao Rock to visit the Tibetan Buddhist Three Buddhas statue; take a sightseeing bus to Heavenly Lake to overlook Quanzhou's urban landscape; finally, visit Cien Rock on the way down to end the trip.
Cultural experience route: Enter from the Jiuri Mountain entrance to visit the prayer for wind inscriptions and learn about the history of the Maritime Silk Road; then go to Lingshan Holy Tombs to experience Islamic culture; finally, go to the main area of Qingyuan Mountain to visit cultural landscapes such as Laozi Rock and cliff inscriptions, with the whole journey taking about 5 hours.
Transportation
- Bus: Take buses No. 3, 28, 30, 45, 202, K1, etc., in the urban area, get off at "Qingyuan Mountain Scenic Area" station, and walk about 10 minutes to the scenic area entrance.
- Self-driving: Navigate to "Qingyuan Mountain Scenic Area". The scenic area has 3 parking lots: Laozi Rock Parking Lot, Heavenly Lake Parking Lot, and Cien Rock Parking Lot. The charging standard is 10 yuan per time for cars and 20 yuan per time for large vehicles.
- Tourist special line: Quanzhou Passenger Transport Center Station has a direct tourist special line to Qingyuan Mountain. The departure time is 08:00-17:00, one class per hour, and the fare is 5 yuan per person.
Must-visit Attractions
- Laozi Rock: The largest existing Taoist stone carving in China, 5.63 meters high, a masterpiece of Song Dynasty stone carving art and a landmark attraction of Qingyuan Mountain.
- Jiuri Mountain Prayer for Wind Inscriptions: A core heritage site of the World Cultural Heritage, 13 inscriptions record the prayer for wind ceremonies of the Maritime Silk Road in the Song Dynasty, important physical materials for studying ancient maritime history.
- Lingshan Holy Tombs: One of the oldest Islamic holy sites in China, a Tang Dynasty building listed as a national key cultural relics protection unit in 1988, showing the historical integration of diverse cultures in Quanzhou.
- Heavenly Lake: Located at the top of the mountain, 368 meters above sea level, with an area of about 15,000 square meters, offering a bird's-eye view of Quanzhou's urban landscape, an ideal place for ecological sightseeing.
Tour Tips
- The recommended visit time is half a day to one day. Spring (March-May) and autumn (October-November) have pleasant climates, the best seasons to visit. Take sun protection and anti-heatstroke measures in summer.
- There are many trails in the scenic area. It is recommended to wear comfortable sports shoes. Those with weak physical strength can take a sightseeing bus, 10 yuan per person for a one-way trip and 20 yuan per person for a round trip.
- To deeply experience cultural landscapes, you can hire a scenic area guide for 50 yuan per time or rent a voice guide for 20 yuan per unit to learn about the historical background of the attractions.
- There are many characteristic foods of Quanzhou around the scenic area, such as Noodle Paste, Runbing, Soil Bamboo Jelly, etc. Arrange time to taste them, and it is recommended to go to time-honored shops near the scenic area.
Notes
- Respect the regulations of religious places. Keep quiet and do not take photos casually when entering temples such as Qianshou Rock and Mituo Rock.
- Some trails in the scenic area are steep. Pay attention to safety when walking, especially for tourists with elderly people and children.
- Take good care of the environment in the scenic area. Do not litter or carve cultural relics such as cliff inscriptions.
- There are many mosquitoes in the scenic area in summer. It is recommended to carry mosquito repellent spray; the temperature difference between day and night is large in winter, so keep warm.
- There are many entrances to the scenic area. It is recommended to plan the route in advance to avoid getting lost. You can get a scenic area guide map at the visitor center.