Jinyun Xiandu Scenic Area is located in Jinyun County, Lishui City, Zhejiang Province. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction, as well as a national scenic spot and a national geopark. The total area of the scenic area is 5.23 square kilometers, consisting of multiple attractions such as Dinghu Peak, Furong Gorge, Zhutan Mountain, Xiaochibi, Niweng Cave, and Zhaohou Temple. It is characterized by "exquisite peaks and rocks, and beautiful mountains and waters", integrating natural landscapes with human history. The scenic area preserves a large number of ancient buildings and cliff carvings from the Tang, Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties, among which there are 72 cliff carvings, listed as national key cultural relics protection units. Due to the perfect combination of its unique Danxia landform and pastoral scenery, it has become a filming location for many film and television works such as The Legend of Sword and Fairy and The Monk Down the Mountain, and is known as a "natural film studio".
Historical Culture
The history of Jinyun Xiandu can be traced back to the Neolithic Age. Many Neolithic cultural sites have been discovered in the scenic area, with stone axes, pottery, and other cultural relics unearthed. It is said that the Yellow Emperor once refined pills and ascended to heaven here, and relevant records can be found in Records of the Grand Historian and Classic of Mountains and Seas. Therefore, it has become an important place for the Chinese nation to worship the Yellow Emperor, and the Yellow Emperor culture is the core cultural connotation of the Xiandu Scenic Area.
Since the Tang Dynasty, Xiandu has been a popular tourist destination for literati and poets. Li Bai, Bai Juyi, Su Shi, and others have left poems here. During the Qianyuan period of the Tang Dynasty (758-760), Li Yangbing, the magistrate of Jinyun County, inscribed "Yellow Emperor Temple" here. It has been renovated in subsequent dynasties. The existing Yellow Emperor Temple was rebuilt on the original site in 1998, covering an area of about 12,000 square meters, reproducing the architectural style of the Tang Dynasty. It is one of the largest sacrificial sites for Yellow Emperor culture in China.
In the Song Dynasty, the religious culture of Xiandu flourished, with Taoist and Buddhist buildings being built one after another. Niweng Cave and Zhaohou Temple were both built during this period. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, a large number of cliff carvings emerged. Among the 72 existing cliff carvings, 3 are national key cultural relics protection units, among which the inscriptions by celebrities such as Shen Kuo of the Song Dynasty and Xu Xiake of the Ming Dynasty are the most precious, witnessing the continuation and development of Xiandu's history and culture.
Main Attractions
Dinghu Peak
Dinghu Peak is the iconic landscape of the Xiandu Scenic Area. It is a columnar Danxia peak rock, 170.8 meters high, with a bottom diameter of 60 meters and a top area of about 710 square meters. It is known as the "No.1 Peak in the World" and "No.1 Bamboo Shoot in China". There is a natural lake on the top of the peak, covering an area of about 0.2 hectares. It is said to be the tripod lake where the Yellow Emperor refined pills, hence the name Dinghu Peak. At the foot of the peak is the Yellow Emperor Temple, and next to the peak is a small stone shoot (Tongzi Peak), forming the wonder of "Mother and Son Peaks". Tourists can take a cable car to the viewing platform halfway up the mountain (about 200 meters above sea level) to overlook the whole view, or walk along the hiking trail to the top of the peak, with about 3,000 steps in total, taking 2.5 hours for a round trip.
Zhutan Mountain
Zhutan Mountain is located on the southwest side of Dinghu Peak, named after Zhu Xi, a Neo-Confucianist of the Southern Song Dynasty, who once gave lectures here. It covers a total area of about 0.5 square kilometers. The scenic area is characterized by "mountains surrounding water". The core landscape is the stone arch bridge (Xian Dyke) spanning the Lianxi River, 120 meters long and 3 meters wide. In the early morning, the reflection of Dinghu Peak is reflected in the water, forming a beautiful picture with the morning fog and villages. It is a must-visit place for photographers, and the best shooting time is from 5:30 to 7:00 every morning.
Xiaochibi
Xiaochibi, also known as "Baishui Mountain", derives its name from its reddish-brown cliff that resembles the Red Cliff. It is approximately 600 meters long and 60 meters high. On the cliff, there is an inscription of "Xiaochibi" copied by Wang Jing, a calligrapher from the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, after Mi Fu's handwriting. The scenic area boasts attractions such as Longgeng Road and Poxi Rock. Longgeng Road is a natural stone corridor on the cliff, about 100 meters long and 1 meter wide, which is said to have been ploughed by a dragon. Along the way, there are pictographic rocks like "Buddha's Hand Rock" and "Crocodile Stone". A walking tour of the entire area takes about 1 hour.
Niweng Cave
Niweng Cave is a group of karst caves composed of three interconnected caves, with a total area of about 300 square meters. It is said that Ni Zi (Ni Kuan) lived in seclusion here to refine pills during the Warring States Period, hence the name. There are 34 cliff carvings of past dynasties in the cave, among which the seal script inscription "Niweng Cave" by Li Yangbing of the Tang Dynasty is the most famous, with a character diameter of 0.5 meters and strong brushwork, being a national cultural relic. Outside the cave, there are strange stones such as "Fairy Looking in the Mirror" and "Mouse Stealing Oil". The "Dufeng Academy" in the scenic area is an architectural structure of the Ming Dynasty, covering an area of about 800 square meters, and is an important place for the dissemination of Neo-Confucianism in southern Zhejiang.
Furong Gorge
Furong Gorge is named because the peaks and rocks on both sides are shaped like hibiscus. It is about 3,000 meters long, with the narrowest part only 20 meters, and the cliffs on both sides are about 100 meters high, forming a "one-line sky" landscape. There is a gurgling stream in the gorge, with an average depth of 1.5 meters. Visitors can take a bamboo raft to drift (the whole journey is about 1.5 kilometers, taking 40 minutes, with a ticket price of 50 yuan per person). There is a cliff inscription "Iron City" in the gorge, written by Geng Dingxiang of the Ming Dynasty, with a character diameter of 3 meters, showing a majestic momentum, which complements the gorge landscape.
Yellow Emperor Temple
Yellow Emperor Temple was first built in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, and the existing building was rebuilt in 1998, covering an area of 12,000 square meters. It consists of a gate tower, a main hall, side halls, etc., adopting the architectural style of the Tang Dynasty, with red walls and glazed tile roofs. The hall houses a statue of the Yellow Emperor, 5.9 meters high, which is the largest sitting statue of the Yellow Emperor in China. Grand ceremonies for worshipping the Yellow Emperor are held every Qingming Festival and Double Ninth Festival, attracting Chinese people at home and abroad to pay homage, and it is an important carrier for inheriting the Yellow Emperor culture. There is a Yellow Emperor Culture Exhibition Hall in the temple, displaying the legends and achievements of the Yellow Emperor and the origin of Xiandu and the Yellow Emperor culture.
Cuisine
Jinyun Clay Oven Cake
Jinyun Clay Oven Cake is an intangible cultural heritage of Zhejiang, made of flour, pork, and dried plum vegetables, baked over charcoal fire. The cake shops in Xiandu Scenic Area adopt traditional craftsmanship. The dough is fermented 3 times, and the cake embryo is about 15 centimeters in diameter and 2 centimeters thick, baked for 8 minutes. When it comes out of the oven, it is crispy outside and soft inside, with a salty and fragrant taste. A single cake is priced at 6 yuan, and a cake with fried dough sticks ("Clay Oven Cake with Fried Dough Sticks") is priced at 8 yuan. It is the most representative local snack, and the "Time-honored Cake Shop" at the entrance of the scenic area sells more than 500 cakes on average every day.
Qiaorougeng (Pounded Meat Soup)
Qiaorougeng is a traditional soup in Jinyun. Thin slices of pork are pounded with a wooden mallet until the meat is loose, then added with sweet potato starch, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, etc., and boiled. It has a smooth and tender taste and a delicious soup. It is available in all farmhouses in the scenic area, with a price of 25 yuan per serving. It is usually eaten with clay oven cakes and is a must-have dish at local banquets. It is said to have evolved from the "military rations" during the Yellow Emperor's period.
Tushuang Noodles
Tushuang Noodles, also known as Jinyun Suo Noodles, are made of high-quality local wheat flour through 18 manual processes. They are as thin as hair and do not become mushy after long cooking. In the noodle restaurants of Xiandu Scenic Area, they are usually served with chicken soup or bone soup, accompanied by poached eggs and green vegetables, with a price of 15 yuan per bowl. Its production process has been included in the intangible cultural heritage of Lishui City. Tourists can watch the production process in villages near the scenic area and experience the fun of making hand-pulled noodles.
Xiandu Bamboo Shoots
Xiandu Bamboo Shoots are made of spring bamboo shoots from local high mountain moso bamboos, which are steamed and dried, with a water content of about 15% and rich in dietary fiber. They are available in scenic area specialty stores, including tender bamboo shoot tips (priced at 80 yuan/kg) and bamboo shoot slices (priced at 50 yuan/kg). They are vacuum-packed with a shelf life of 6 months and are popular souvenirs among tourists. They need to be soaked in advance for 2 hours when cooking, and can be stir-fried with meat or stewed in soup, with a unique flavor.
Tickets
Ticket: 110 yuan per person (including sightseeing bus).
You can search for the official WeChat public account "缙云仙都景区" to get the latest news or buy tickets online.
Opening Hours
Open all year round. The opening hours of each attraction are as follows: April 1 - October 31: 7:30 - 17:30 (admission stops at 17:00); November 1 - March 31 of the next year: 8:00 - 17:00 (admission stops at 16:30). The opening hours of the Yellow Emperor Temple are 8:00 - 17:00, which may be temporarily adjusted during sacrificial activities, so please check in advance.
Tour Routes
One-day tour route: Arrive at Dinghu Peak Scenic Area at 8:00 a.m., visit the Yellow Emperor Temple and climb Dinghu Peak (about 3 hours); have lunch at a nearby farmhouse at 11:30 a.m., tasting Jinyun clay oven cakes and Qiaorougeng; go to Zhutan Mountain at 13:30 p.m. to take photos of the reflection of Dinghu Peak (about 1 hour), then visit Xiaochibi (1.5 hours) and Niweng Cave (1 hour), and end the trip at 17:00. The total transportation time is about 30 minutes, and the walking distance is about 5 kilometers.
Two-day tour route: On the first day, visit Dinghu Peak and the Yellow Emperor Temple in the morning, go to Furong Gorge for rafting and explore the Tiecheng cliff carvings in the afternoon; on the second day, take photos of the sunrise at Zhutan Mountain in the early morning, then visit Niweng Cave and Xiaochibi, and in the afternoon, visit the Jinyun Clay Oven Cake Museum (about 5 kilometers from the scenic area) to experience making clay oven cakes by hand, and return at 16:00. This route combines natural landscapes with cultural experiences, with a slow pace.
Transportation
- High-speed rail: Take the high-speed rail to Jinyun West Station, and after exiting the station, transfer to the Xiandu tourist special line (K203), which runs once every 30 minutes from 7:00 to 18:00 every day, with a journey of 30 minutes and a fare of 5 yuan, directly to the entrance of Dinghu Peak Scenic Area.
- Bus: Take bus No. 2 or 6 in Jinyun County to Xiandu Tourist Center Station, with a journey of 20 minutes and a fare of 2 yuan, and the interval between departures is 15 minutes; tourists can take the scenic area sightseeing bus from the tourist center to various attractions, with a through ticket of 20 yuan per person, valid on the same day.
- Self-driving: Starting from Hangzhou, take Hangzhou-Jinhua-Quzhou Expressway and Changshu-Shenzhen Expressway to Jinyun Exit, then drive about 10 kilometers northeast along Provincial Highway 42 to Dinghu Peak Scenic Area, with a total journey of about 2.5 hours. The scenic area parking lot charges 5 yuan per hour, with a maximum capacity of 500 vehicles. It is recommended to arrive before 9:00 during peak seasons.
Must-visit Attractions
- Dinghu Peak: A 170.8-meter-high columnar Danxia peak rock, the iconic landscape of Xiandu. You can climb to the peak for a overlook or take a cable car to enjoy the view, feeling the magnificence of the "No.1 Peak in the World".
- Zhutan Mountain: Famous for the reflection of Dinghu Peak and the morning fog landscape, it is a paradise for photographers. The best shooting time is from 5:30 to 7:00 every morning.
- Yellow Emperor Temple: A Tang Dynasty-style building covering an area of 12,000 square meters, one of the largest Yellow Emperor worship sites in China. You can participate in sacrificial ceremonies and learn about the Yellow Emperor culture.
- Furong Gorge: A 3,000-meter-long gorge landscape, with the narrowest part only 20 meters. Taking a bamboo raft to drift can let you experience the wonder of "one-line sky" and enjoy the "Iron City" cliff inscriptions.
Travel Suggestions
- The climbing steps of Dinghu Peak are relatively steep. It is recommended to wear non-slip sports shoes and carry drinking water. Sun protection should be done when climbing in summer. It is windy on the top of the mountain, so a thin coat can be prepared.
- The morning fog reflection of Zhutan Mountain is a popular online landscape. It is recommended to stay in a homestay near the scenic area (average price about 150 yuan per night) to facilitate early morning shooting and avoid missing the best time.
- Large-scale sacrificial activities are held at the Yellow Emperor Temple on the third day of the third lunar month (the birthday of the Yellow Emperor) and the ninth day of the ninth lunar month (Double Ninth Festival) every year. It is recommended to visit at this time to feel the traditional cultural atmosphere.
- The catering prices in the scenic area are slightly higher than those in the county town. You can go to Xiandu Style Town, 3 kilometers away from the scenic area, for more choices, with an average consumption of about 40 yuan per person.
Matters Needing Attention
- Some sections of the Dinghu Peak hiking trail are narrow. During peak seasons, it is necessary to travel at off-peak times, avoiding the peak period from 10:00 to 14:00, and pay attention to giving way when going up and down the mountain.
- The Xiandi (Fairy Causeway) in Zhutan Mountain is a popular photography spot. When taking photos, please protect the environment. It is forbidden to step on the lawn or pick flowers and plants. The scenic area has special photography platforms.
- Cliff carvings are precious cultural relics. Touching or engraving on them is prohibited. The area of the Tang Dynasty Li Yangbing's inscriptions in Niweng Cave is monitored, and violators will be fined (200-2000 yuan).
- When rafting in Furong Gorge, you must wear a life jacket. Children must be accompanied by adults. The best time for rafting in summer is from 10:00 to 15:00, avoiding afternoon thunderstorms.
- The use of open flames is strictly prohibited in the scenic area. Smoking must be done in designated areas. Smoking is completely forbidden in ancient building complexes such as the Yellow Emperor Temple, and violators will be dealt with in accordance with fire protection regulations.