NFanjing Mountain stands in Tongren, Guizhou Province, China, as the summit of the Wuling Mountain Range. Its name derives from the Buddhist phrase "pure land of Brahma". This ancient mountain boasts a geological history of 1.4 billion years. Once an ancient ocean, it rose above water due to crustal uplift, preserving a one-of-a-kind primeval landscape. In 2018, it was inscribed on the World Natural Heritage List. Layered mountain ridges crisscrossed by streams endow it with the grandeur of Mount Tai as well as exotic stone peaks. It is a geological chronicle etched over billions of years in southern China’s landmass.
The Mushroom Rock beside the Old Golden Summit is the icon of Fanjing Mountain. This giant stone, over ten meters tall, has been weathered by wind and rain for tens of millions of years into a unique shape—wide at the top and narrow at the base. Though it looks ready to topple at any moment, it stands firmly on the cliff. Next to it lies the Scroll Rock, stacked layer upon layer with distinct rock veins resembling unfurled ancient scrolls. When mist drifts through the mountains, the strange stones emerge and vanish intermittently, like ornaments left by immortals to witness the cycle of four seasons.
The Red Cloud Golden Summit is the most breathtaking sight on the mountain. A solitary peak shoots straight upward, split down the middle by the Golden Blade Gorge. A narrow stone arch bridge connects the ancient temples on both halves of the summit. At dawn, crimson auspicious clouds often wrap around the peak, symbolizing good fortune ahead. The climbing path is steep and narrow; visitors grasp iron chains while edging along sheer precipices. Upon reaching the top, boundless sea of clouds unfolds before your eyes with rolling mountains stretching far into the distance. Ancient temples clinging to the cliffs hover amid clouds, like a castle floating in the sky.
Shielded from the hustle and bustle of the mortal world, Fanjing Mountain serves as a sanctuary for rare flora and fauna. It is home to the endemic Guizhou snub-nosed monkey and clusters of rare dove trees, earning it the title of a global biological gene bank at the same latitude. Alpine azaleas carpet the mountains in spring, while dense foliage and clear springs bring cool relief in summer. Birds and wild beasts roam freely within the forests. Its intact primitive ecosystem grants this sacred mountain not only stunning rock formations but also vibrant, thriving wildlife.
Fanjing Mountain has long been a sacred Buddhist site, famed as "the foremost of all mountains". Nestled among the hills, the tranquil ancient Cheng'en Temple and Huguo Temple have sustained incense burning for over a thousand years. Four miraculous celestial phenomena frequently appear here: sea of clouds, Buddhist mist, Buddha’s halo and mirage. Colorful halos of Buddha occasionally emerge amid drifting fog. Wandering slowly along stone steps and listening to mountain winds mingling with temple bells, one’s worldly worries melt away in the mist, revealing a serene and unburdened pure land for the soul.
