Maoshan Scenic Area spans Jurong City and Jintan District of Changzhou City in Jiangsu Province. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction and one of China's famous Taoist mountains, renowned as the "First Blessed Land and Eighth Cave Heaven". The scenic area centers on Taoist culture, integrating natural landscapes with red tourism resources, and has multiple functions such as religious pilgrimage, ecological sightseeing, and revolutionary education. The main peak of Maoshan, Damao Peak, stands at an altitude of 372.5 meters. The total area of the scenic area is approximately 50 square kilometers, with the core scenic area covering 32 square kilometers. Within the area, there are existing Taoist temple complexes such as Jiuxiao Wanfu Palace and Yuanfu Wanning Palace, more than 20 ancient architectural relics, over 300 cliff inscriptions, and a vegetation coverage rate of over 90%. It boasts rich natural and cultural landscapes, making it an important cultural tourism and leisure resort in the Yangtze River Delta region.
Historical Culture
Maoshan is the birthplace of the Shangqing School of Taoism, and its Taoist cultural history can be traced back to the Western Han Dynasty. It is said that during the reign of Emperor Jing of the Western Han Dynasty, the three brothers Mao Ying, Mao Gu, and Mao Zhong practiced Taoism here and became immortals, known as the "Three Mao True Lords", hence the name Maoshan. During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the famous Taoist Ge Hong once practiced alchemy and Taoism here, leaving traces of his creation of classic Taoist works such as "Baopuzi" and promoting the development of Taoism in Maoshan.
During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Tao Hongjing lived in seclusion in Maoshan for over 40 years and founded the Shangqing School of Taoism, making Maoshan the core sacred land of Taoism at that time and forming a systematic Taoist theory and practice system. During the Tang and Song Dynasties, Taoism in Maoshan reached its peak. The imperial court granted titles to Maoshan temples many times, and successive emperors often visited. The scale of temple buildings continued to expand, with believers all over the country.
In addition, Maoshan is also a famous revolutionary base. During the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, the New Fourth Army established an anti-Japanese base in the Maoshan area, carried out arduous guerrilla warfare, and left a large number of revolutionary sites and memorial venues, such as the Maoshan New Fourth Army Memorial Hall and the Monument to the Victory of the New Fourth Army in the Southern Jiangsu Anti-Japanese War, making Maoshan a unique scenic area integrating Taoist culture and red culture.
Main Attractions
Jiuxiao Wanfu Palace
Jiuxiao Wanfu Palace, also known as Ding Palace, is located at the top of Damao Peak, the main peak of Maoshan, and is one of the most important Taoist temples in Maoshan. The palace was first built in the Western Han Dynasty and has been rebuilt many times. The existing buildings are in the style of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, covering an area of approximately 11,000 square meters, consisting of Lingguan Hall, Scripture Repository, Taiyuan Hall, Ersheng Hall, etc. Taiyuan Hall is the main hall, enshrining the statues of the Three Mao True Lords. The hall is magnificent with carved beams and painted rafters, exuding a solemn atmosphere. The palace houses precious cultural relics such as the "Imperial Edict Stele" and "Statues of the Three Mao True Lords", which are important physical materials for studying the history of Taoism in Maoshan. Climbing to the top, you can overlook the entire view of Maoshan. When surrounded by clouds and mist, it feels like being in a fairyland, making it a must-visit place for tourists to worship and enjoy the scenery.
Yuanfu Wanning Palace
Yuanfu Wanning Palace, referred to as Yin Palace for short, is located at the southern foot of Jijin Peak in Maoshan. It was first built in the Tang Dynasty, and the existing buildings are in the Song Dynasty style, covering an area of about 8,000 square meters. The most famous landscape in the palace is the "No. 1 Stele in the World" - the stele of "Laozi's Tao Te Ching". The stele is 9 meters high and 1.8 meters wide, engraved with the full text of Laozi's "Tao Te Ching" in vigorous and forceful calligraphy. In addition, there are buildings such as Lingguan Hall, Three Great Halls, and Three Heavenly Gates. The Three Great Halls enshrine the statues of the Three Pure Ones in Taoism. Surrounding the palace are towering ancient cypresses and dense bamboo forests. There is an ancient cypress named "Bailao Xianzong" with a history of thousands of years, which is said to have been planted by Tao Hongjing himself, having important historical value.
Maoshan New Fourth Army Memorial Hall
Maoshan New Fourth Army Memorial Hall is located in Maoshan Town, Jurong City. It was built to commemorate the anti-Japanese struggle of the New Fourth Army in the Maoshan area, covering an area of approximately 16,000 square meters with a construction area of about 3,600 square meters. The hall is divided into a preface hall, a main exhibition hall, a video hall, etc. Through a large number of historical photos, cultural relics, sculptures, and scene restorations, it vividly shows the history of the New Fourth Army carrying out anti-Japanese guerrilla warfare in the southern Jiangsu area. On the square outside the hall stand statues of New Fourth Army generals such as Chen Yi and Su Yu, which are solemn and respectful. The memorial hall is a national patriotic education demonstration base and the core attraction of red tourism in Maoshan.
Monument to the Victory of the New Fourth Army in the Southern Jiangsu Anti-Japanese War
The Monument to the Victory of the New Fourth Army in the Southern Jiangsu Anti-Japanese War is located on the northwest side of Damao Peak. It was completed in 1995, with a height of 28 meters, symbolizing the 28 years of the New Fourth Army's anti-Japanese war in southern Jiangsu. The monument is made of granite, with 11 golden characters "Monument to the Victory of the New Fourth Army in the Southern Jiangsu Anti-Japanese War" engraved on the front, and the monument text on the back, recording the anti-Japanese war history of the New Fourth Army in the Maoshan area. There is a strange phenomenon in the monument square: whenever visitors set off firecrackers in front of the monument, they can hear echoes similar to bugles, which is called "setting off firecrackers in front of the monument, bugles sounding in the air", attracting many tourists to experience it.
Xike Spring
Xike Spring is a famous natural landscape in Maoshan, located on the east side of Yuanfu Wanning Palace, named for "spring gushing when guests arrive". The spring pool is circular, with a diameter of about 3 meters and a water depth of about 1 meter. The spring water is clear to the bottom and never dries up all year round. When tourists clap or shout beside the spring, a string of bubbles will emerge from the spring water, as if welcoming guests, hence the name "Xike Spring". There is an "Xike Spring Pavilion" built in the Ming Dynasty beside the spring, and the stone tablet in the pavilion is engraved with records about Xike Spring, adding cultural connotations to the landscape.
Food
Maoshan Old Goose
Maoshan Old Goose is a local specialty food, made from old geese raised in the Maoshan area for more than two years, using traditional techniques of pickling and braising. When making, the goose is first pickled with salt, Sichuan pepper and other seasonings for several days, then simmered in a brine made of star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves and other spices. The finished product has a bright red color, tight meat, salty and fragrant taste, and is fatty but not greasy. It can be tasted in restaurants and farmhouses around Maoshan Scenic Area. Vacuum-packed Maoshan Old Goose is also a popular specialty, priced at about 50-80 yuan per goose.
Maoshan Wild Mushroom Pot
Maoshan Wild Mushroom Pot uses various wild mushrooms abundant in the Maoshan area as raw materials, such as shiitake mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, bamboo sun, etc., stewed with chicken or pork ribs. The wild mushrooms are picked from the forests of Maoshan, natural and pollution-free, rich in amino acids and trace elements. The soup is delicious and nutritious. This dish is common in restaurants in the scenic area, with a light and refreshing taste, suitable for health preservation, priced at about 40-60 yuan per serving.
Jintan Sealed Vat Wine
Jintan Sealed Vat Wine is a specialty drink around Maoshan, belonging to sweet rice wine with a long brewing history of hundreds of years. It is brewed from high-quality local glutinous rice using traditional double fermentation technology. The wine is amber in color, with a rich aroma, mellow and sweet taste, and an alcohol content of about 14 degrees. Jintan Sealed Vat Wine has won many national awards and is an excellent choice for banquets and gifts. It can be purchased in scenic area specialty stores and Jintan urban area, with prices ranging from about 50-200 yuan per bottle depending on the year and quality.
Maoshan Stir-Fried Green Tea
Maoshan Stir-Fried Green Tea is a local specialty green tea, named for being produced in the Maoshan area, with a planting history of hundreds of years. The tea leaves are made from fresh leaves of one bud and one leaf or one bud and two leaves, through processes such as fixing, rolling, and stir-frying. The appearance is tight and knotty, with a green color. After brewing, the soup is clear, with a high fragrance and a fresh taste. Maoshan Stir-Fried Green Tea is rich in tea polyphenols and other nutrients, being a green and healthy drink. It can be purchased in teahouses and specialty stores in the scenic area, priced at about 200-800 yuan per catty, varying according to the picking season and quality.
Tickets
The ticket price is 80 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "句容茅山景区" to get the latest updates or buy tickets online.
Opening Hours
The opening hours are as follows:
- April 1st - October 31st: 7:30 - 17:30 (admission stops at 17:00)
- November 1st - March 31st of the following year: 8:00 - 17:00 (admission stops at 16:30)
The New Fourth Army Memorial Hall is open from 9:00 - 16:30 (admission stops at 16:00) and is closed every Monday (except legal holidays). It is recommended that tourists arrange their time reasonably to avoid missing the opening hours of the attractions.
Tour Route
Recommended classic one-day tour route: Arrive at the scenic area at 8:30 am, first visit Yuanfu Wanning Palace, and see attractions such as the stele of "Laozi's Tao Te Ching" and the thousand-year-old cypress (about 1.5 hours); then go to Xike Spring to experience the wonder of "spring gushing when guests arrive" (about 30 minutes); have lunch at a restaurant around the scenic area to taste specialties such as Maoshan Old Goose and Wild Mushroom Pot (about 1 hour). At 13:30 pm, go to Jiuxiao Wanfu Palace, climb to the top of Damao Peak to experience Taoist culture and overlook the panoramic view (about 2 hours); at 15:30, go to the New Fourth Army Memorial Hall to learn about the anti-Japanese war history of the New Fourth Army (about 1.5 hours); finally, visit the Monument to the Victory of the New Fourth Army in the Southern Jiangsu Anti-Japanese War to experience the strange phenomenon of "setting off firecrackers in front of the monument, bugles sounding in the air" (about 30 minutes), and end the trip at 17:00.
If time permits, a two-day tour can be arranged. On the first day, visit Taoist cultural attractions, and on the second day, deeply experience red culture and visit surrounding revolutionary sites.
Transportation
- High-speed rail/bullet train: Take the high-speed rail or bullet train to Jurong West Station, then transfer to Jurong Bus Line 103 to directly reach Maoshan Scenic Area, with a journey of about 50 minutes and a fare of 5 yuan; or take a taxi, with a journey of about 30 minutes and a cost of about 40 yuan.
- Long-distance bus: Nanjing Coach Station and Changzhou Coach Station have direct buses to Jurong Maoshan Coach Station, with a journey of about 1.5 hours and a fare of 25-35 yuan; it takes 10 minutes to walk from Maoshan Coach Station to the scenic area entrance.
- Self-driving: Starting from Nanjing, take Shanghai-Chengdu Expressway (G42) and transfer to Changzhou-Hefei Expressway (G15W3) to Maoshan Exit, then go straight along Maoshan Road for about 5 kilometers to reach the scenic area, with a total distance of about 70 kilometers and a journey of 1 hour; starting from Changzhou, take Changzhou-Hefei Expressway (G15W3) to Maoshan Exit, with a total distance of about 60 kilometers and a journey of 50 minutes; the parking fee standard of the scenic area is 10 yuan per day for small cars and 20 yuan per day for large cars.
- Internal transportation in the scenic area: There are sightseeing buses in the scenic area connecting major attractions, with a one-way ticket price of 15 yuan per person and a pass ticket of 40 yuan per person, which can be taken infinitely.
Must-Visit Attractions
- Jiuxiao Wanfu Palace: The core Taoist temple of Maoshan, located at the top of Damao Peak, covering an area of 11,000 square meters. It allows for pilgrimage and praying, and offers a panoramic view. The visiting time is about 2 hours.
- Yuanfu Wanning Palace: It houses the "No. 1 Stele in the World" - the stele of "Laozi's Tao Te Ching", with Song Dynasty style buildings and a thousand-year-old cypress as its features, covering an area of 8,000 square meters. The visiting time is about 1.5 hours.
- New Fourth Army Memorial Hall: A national patriotic education demonstration base, covering an area of 16,000 square meters, systematically displaying the anti-Japanese war history of the New Fourth Army. The visiting time is about 1.5 hours.
- Monument to the Victory of the New Fourth Army in the Southern Jiangsu Anti-Japanese War: It is 28 meters high, with the strange phenomenon of "setting off firecrackers in front of the monument, bugles sounding in the air". It is a landmark attraction of red culture, with a visiting time of about 30 minutes.
Travel Suggestions
- The best seasons to visit are spring (March-May) and autumn (September-November). In spring, flowers are in full bloom, and in autumn, the climate is cool, which is suitable for mountain climbing and outdoor activities; pay attention to sun protection in summer, and some mountain roads may be icy in winter, so travel with caution.
- Taoist temples are solemn and respectful. When visiting, you need to abide by etiquette, do not make noise, do not touch statues and cultural relics at will, dress appropriately, and do not enter the main hall in slippers or shorts.
- Catering in the scenic area is relatively expensive. You can bring your own dry food and water, or choose to eat in Maoshan Town, where the prices are affordable and you can taste authentic specialties such as Maoshan Old Goose.
- It is recommended to buy specialties in regular stores outside the scenic area, such as Maoshan Old Goose, Jintan Sealed Vat Wine, and Maoshan Stir-Fried Green Tea. You can bargain and pay attention to checking the production date and shelf life.
- Tourists with limited physical strength can take the scenic area sightseeing bus to save energy to visit core attractions; tourists with good physical strength can choose to walk, enjoy the mountain scenery along the way, and the whole journey on foot takes about 5-6 hours.
Notes
- Some mountain roads in the scenic area are steep with many steps. When visiting, wear comfortable sports shoes and pay attention to foot safety. The elderly and children are advised to be accompanied by family members.
- When visiting the New Fourth Army Memorial Hall, keep quiet, respect history, do not touch the exhibits at will, and refrain from taking photos with flash.
- Smoking is prohibited in Taoist temples, and carrying fire sources into forested areas is forbidden. There are designated smoking areas in the scenic area, and smoking must be done in these specified areas.
- Take good care of the scenic environment: do not spit, litter, pick flowers or break branches, or carve on cultural relics. Protect both natural and cultural landscapes.
- Wild macaques may appear in the scenic area. Do not feed or tease them to avoid accidents. Keep your personal belongings safe to prevent them from being snatched by monkeys.
- In case of severe weather (such as heavy rain, thunderstorms, strong winds, etc.), some attractions may be temporarily closed. Follow the instructions of the scenic area staff and evacuate to safe areas in a timely manner.