Bailu Mountain

It is also named Yuquan Mountain (玉泉山), Jade Ribbon Mountain and Bailu Peak (白露峰) located in Lanxi. It has a total area of 5 square kilometers and an altitude of 455 meters. The crystal-clear water flows below and Chengxian Palace (乘仙殿) in graceful ancient style is framed by the background of the trees on the mountain. The ribbon shaped crag lies on the slope, and the Xianren Rock (仙人石) in sheer curves sheltered under it. On the summit of the mountain, there stands a quaint ancient temple namely Bailu Temple.

Bailu Temple, also called Huaijiao Buddhist Temple, occupies a land area of about 1600 square meters. It was initially built during the years 1049 – 1053 on a wooded crag called Huangyan. It has over 70 halls and wing-rooms all together and retains a structure in Ming and Qing style. The plaque inscribed four words “Daxiong Baodian” (The Hall of Great Heroes) by the calligraphist Zhao Puchu is hanging on the top of the main hall.

The crag below the temple is so steep that the southern part of the temple mostly extends outward on the cliff, which is wickedly thrilling. When reaching the peak and see afar, you will see the Jingping Mountain and Jiulong Mountain rise and fall gracefully and stretching far. The Wulong Peak and Fuchun Peak pierce into the sky. The peaks also command fine view of the whole town. The Qu and Wu lakes resemble two elegant interweaved silk ribbons. Take a bird’s eye to the farmland, a picture of overlapping greens and jagged village will make you intoxicated.

The Eagle Crag at the foot of the mountain is where an official named Zhou Sanwei was buried in Southern Song Dynasty. Zhou Sanwei was born in 1141 in Henan Province. He was once appointed by Qin Hui (秦桧, a famous wicked imperial official) to frame up Yue Fei (岳飞), but he refused. He retreated to live in the mountain so as to evade the track by Qin Hui, finally died and was buried here. Posterities ever built an ancestral hall named Loyal Anchorite Hall in honor of him.