What are some fun and must see attractions recommended for Niushou Mountain in Nanjing

There are many fun tourist attractions worth visiting in the Niushou Mountain Scenic Area in Nanjing, many of which are still very famous! Don't miss out on these tourist attractions when you come to Niushou Mountain Scenic Area, my friends! Come and take a look together

1. Foding Palace

As one of the core areas of the Foding Holy Land, Foding Palace is located on the west peak of Niushou Mountain, built on a historical mine, with a total construction area of about 136000 square meters. Together with the Foding Tower, it forms a new scene of Niushou West Peak, echoing the distant Niushou East Peak, and reproducing the magnificent scenery of Niushou's "twin peaks and twin towers" standing side by side. The entire Buddha's Peak Palace is themed around the worship of Buddha's top bone relics, and is divided into two parts: a large dome and a small dome, symbolizing external and internal offerings. The large dome is shaped like a Buddha's robe covering the small dome, symbolizing the infinite blessing of the Buddha; The lower part of the small dome is in the shape of a lotus throne, and the upper part is in the shape of a Mani bead, forming a sacred image of "lotus carrying treasures" by combining the upper and lower parts

The interior of the Buddha's Peak Palace consists of a grand view of the Zen realm on the ground and an underground palace, which is divided into two spaces: the Relic Hall and the Relic Storage Palace. The entire Buddha's Peak Palace is not only a main place for collecting the relics of Buddha's top bones and receiving worship from believers, but also a cultural exhibition venue for presenting relic culture and world Buddhist Zen culture through various artistic techniques. It gathers a first-class expert team from the religious, artistic, and architectural fields across the country, aiming to achieve the grand goal of "a new world cultural heritage and a new landscape of contemporary architectural art"

2. Zen Scenery Grand View

Zen Scenery Grand View is 112 meters long from north to south, 62 meters wide from east to west, with a net height of about 41.2 meters inside, covering three floors above ground. The entire space covers an area of over 6000 square meters and is elliptical in shape, with yellow, white, and gray as the main colors, creating a human landscape that allows people to appreciate Zen while walking. Composed of three parts: the Zen Garden where Buddha was born and attained enlightenment, and the Lotus Theater in the middle, it showcases the Buddha's life journey

The top of the Zen Realm Grand View is the Saros Dome, with the pattern derived from the Saros tree branch during Buddha's Nirvana. The dome is covered with a fully transparent film and lighting, creating the first rays of dawn, the warm noon sun, the colorful evening glow, and the moonlight at night. The center of the Reclining Buddha is a 7.5-meter bronze statue of Sakyamuni, whose surface is made of White Marble and can rotate 360 degrees slowly, representing the tranquil and serene nirvana of Buddha. On the north and south sides of the theater are two Zen gardens. On the south side is the Zen Garden symbolizing the birth of Buddha, with an overall shape resembling a lotus flower and a worry free tree in the middle that never ceases to grow. On the north side is the Zen Garden that represents the Buddha's enlightenment, and in the middle is a Bodhi tree that never withers. The black and white sand and stones on the ground symbolize the chaos of the world and the purity of Buddha's light

3. Foding Temple

Foding Temple Niushou Mountain has a temple that originated in the early years of the Southern Dynasty. During the Zhenguan period of the Tang Dynasty, the temple was grand in scale and named Foku Temple, which was the birthplace of "Niutou Zen" before Zen Buddhism. After the Northern Song Dynasty, it was renamed Hongjue Temple. The Southern Song Dynasty was destroyed by war, and the Ming Dynasty was revived. By 1856, the temple was destroyed during the Hongyang Rebellion, and incense was interrupted for a hundred years. In this prosperous era, in order to inherit traditional culture, Jiangning District has rebuilt a cultural destination. The mountain was opened in 2012 and fully completed in 2015. Upon the advice of renowned figures in the cultural field and eminent monks in the * * realm, the name Foding Temple was chosen based on the Buddhist relics enshrined in the underground palace of Niushou Mountain. Foding Temple is one of the main buildings on Niushou Mountain, covering an area of 68 acres with a building area of nearly 40 acres. It is modeled after the Tang Dynasty style and features a traditional central axis layout. There are seven halls in total, surrounded by buildings such as monk temples and fasting halls

4. Buddha Peak Pagoda

Buddha Peak Pagoda is one of the iconic buildings of the Buddha Peak Holy Land, with a height of about 88 meters.

The Buddha Peak Pagoda has a construction area of 5065 square meters, nine levels and four sides, echoing the Ming Dynasty Hongjue Temple Pagoda and reproducing the magnificent pattern of the "Twin Towers" of Niushou Mountain in history. Inside the tower, there is a seated statue of Piluzana Buddha, a Tang style all copper cast diamond bell, and various scripture collections displayed. The entire Buddha Peak Pagoda has a magnificent design, showcasing the ancient charm of the Tang Dynasty. Climbing the pagoda and looking into the distance, one can enjoy the beautiful scenery of Niushou Mountain throughout the four seasons

5. Hidden Dragon Lake

The original name of Hidden Dragon Lake was Bamutang. In folk culture, the Hidden Dragon Lake is still a natural weather forecaster. It is said that whenever there is fog on the lake surface, it indicates that it will rain. A lake ring road has been built around Yinlong Lake, and tourists can walk around the lake on this road. Ryegrass and green grass are planted around the square, growing alternately and evergreen all year round

6. Chanlin Road Landscape Area

Chanlin Road is 3.7 kilometers long and is an ecological tourism route that covers multiple ecological landscape areas with beautiful scenery. The Chanlin Road Landscape Area is a natural oxygen bar for tourists to experience nature, breathe fresh air, and relax

7. Niutou Zen Cultural Park

Niutou Zen Cultural Park was built on the site of Hongjue Temple. Hongjue Temple is the birthplace of Niutou Sect, first built in the second year of Tianjian of Emperor Wu of the Southern Liang Dynasty (503 AD). Its original name was Foku Temple, also known as Hongjue Temple. In the Qing Dynasty, to avoid the name taboo of Emperor Qianlong Hongli, it was renamed Hongjue Temple. During the War of Resistance Against Japan, Hongjue Temple was burned down by the Japanese army

The Hongjue Temple Pagoda, the core attraction of Niutou Zen Cultural Park, is 45 meters high and has seven levels and eight sides. It is the oldest existing brick pagoda with a wooden like structure in the Nanjing area. The gilded Lama Pagoda unearthed in the underground palace of Hongjue Temple Pagoda in 1956 is one of the treasures of the Nanjing Museum. The pagoda is 0.35 meters high and the Sumeru pedestal is 0.16 meters high. The bottom of the pagoda is inscribed with the words "Yongchong Offering of Hongjue Temple on Niushou Mountain in Jinling" and "Li Fushan, the eunuch in charge of the imperial supervision of Buddhist disciples". At the same time, cultural relics such as jade vases, golden sleeping Buddhas, and celadon jars were unearthed, all of which are now collected in the Nanjing Museum. Later, the Nanjing Municipal Cultural Relics Preservation Committee sent people to investigate the inscriptions on the walls of brick towers and found more than 70 inscriptions by tourists from the Ming and Qing dynasties. In 1957, Hongjue Temple Pagoda was listed as a cultural relic protection unit in Jiangsu Province

8. Hongjue Temple

Hongjue Temple, formerly known as Foku Temple, was built by Sikong Xu Du in the second year of Tianjian in Liang

Hongjue Temple (503), located south of Niushou Mountain, and later renamed Pujue Temple. Emperor Wu of Later Liang, Xiao Yan, built Xianku Temple under Foku Temple. Therefore, Niushou Mountain is also known as "Xianku Mountain". Monk Tang Farong preached here and founded the "Bull Head Zen", which gained great fame. In the Southern Tang Dynasty, the Pilu Hall was expanded on the basis of the Pujue Temple, including the Pizhi Buddha Pagoda, Tianwang Hall, Baiyun Ladder, etc. The scale was magnificent and the incense was extremely popular for a time. In the early years of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, the temple underwent a large-scale renovation and was renamed Foku Temple, later renamed Hongjue Temple. And carved Buddha statues and characters on the cliff walls to form cliff stone carvings. However, after centuries of warfare and erosion, the temple only has ruins left, and the cliff stone carvings are now blurred and difficult to recognize

9. Hongjue Temple Pagoda

Hongjue Temple Pagoda is a very typical Jiangnan style brick and wood tower. This kind of octagonal shape. The hollow tube structure with four sides inside and staggered interlayer is popular in ancient culture in Jiangsu Province. It was the first to see the twin towers of Suzhou Arhat Courtyard built in the Song Dynasty, with eight corners and seven floors; The Wenfeng Pagoda in Yangzhou, built in the tenth year of the Ming Wanli reign (1582), is also an octagonal seven story pagoda; The Longshan Pagoda in Jintan County, rebuilt in the 40th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1701), and the Ming Dynasty Nanjing Dabao'en Temple Pagoda in historical records are both of this structure. It overcomes the weaknesses of early hollow tube structures, with the outer wall opening and staggered compartments, avoiding longitudinal cracking and damage outside the door (or window) from top to bottom

Burial of Tower Foundation and Underground Palace: On July 14, 1956, tourists discovered the underground palace at the bottom of Hongjue Temple Pagoda. There were cultural relics hidden under the upper circle of the underground palace. After being excavated by the Nanjing Museum, a gilded Lama Pagoda was cleared out, with a tower height of 0.35 meters and a Sumeru pedestal height of 0.16 meters. The bottom of the pagoda is inscribed with the words "Yongchong Offering of Hongjue Temple in Niushou Mountain, Jinling" and "Li Fushan, the eunuch of the Imperial Supervision Bureau for Buddhist Disciples". There are four gates on the tower body, and Buddha statues of Shakyamuni Buddha and Amitabha Buddha are located in the niches. On the tower brake, there are thirteen celestial wheels, a treasure cover, and a gourd treasure top. At the same time, cultural relics such as Buddha statues and jade vases were unearthed

Inscriptions on the Tower Body from Various Dynasties: The Nanjing Municipal Cultural Relics Preservation Committee conducted an investigation on the inscriptions on the brick tower walls and found more than 70 inscriptions by tourists from the Ming and Qing dynasties. In September 1991, the Municipal Cultural Management Committee conducted a survey and investigation of the tower, and these inscriptions are still well preserved. They were all carved by Ming knives or porcelain tiles on the lime plaster layer of the door ticket hole wall, distributed on the 3rd to 7th floors, dating from the fifth year of Ming Zhengde (1501) to the thirty second year of Qianlong (1767). At most during the reigns of Ming Jiajing, Wanli, and Qing Kangxi. This indicates that during this period, temple incense is at its peak and there are the most visitors. At the same time, it also tells us that the renovation or reconstruction of Hongjue Temple was carried out before the fifth year of the Ming Dynasty's Zhengde era (1510), and the last destruction occurred during the Qing Dynasty's Qianlong period. From the damage of the wooden structure, it seems that the Hongjue Temple Tower was struck by lightning. The fire burned from the top of the tower to the bottom floor. All the floor slabs and core wood in the tower, the flat seat railings around the tower, the waist eaves, the inner and outer arch of wooden architecture, and the attached steps on the bottom floor did not exist. Its brick and stone structure is still well preserved

10. Zheng He Cultural Park

Zheng He's tomb is located at the southern foot of Niushou Mountain, on the west side of the Southern Tang Tombs. It is the tomb of Zheng He, the Three Treasures of the Ming Dynasty navigator and eunuch. The "Annals of Two Counties in Shangjiang" records that the tomb is located at the foot of the Yongle Mountain, surrounded by ancestral halls, cow heads, Cuiping, Daishan, and Wushan on the east, north, and west sides. In front of the tomb, one can overlook the rolling eastward flow of the Yangtze River. In 1985, to commemorate the 580th anniversary of Zheng He's first voyage to the West, it was rebuilt by the Cultural and Educational Bureau of Jiangning County. Next to Zheng He's tomb, an exhibition room was also built to display relevant cultural relics

11. Yue Fei's Anti Gold Base

Yue Fei's Anti Gold Base starts from Hanfu Mountain on the Qinhuai River, 500 meters east of Tiexin Bridge, and ends at the main peak of Niushou Mountain, with intermittent remnants of about 4200 meters. From the foot of Niushou Mountain to the ridge, it is over 2000 meters long. The width of the stone base varies from 1.5 meters to 3 meters, and the height is about 1 meter. The ancient fortress is built using local reddish brown stones, winding and undulating, with varying heights. Some areas have obvious artificial traces; Some areas have been scattered and collapsed due to their age and the invasion of wind and rain, making it difficult to find a trace. The Battle of Niushou Mountain by Yue Fei has been ongoing for over 860 years, and the remains of the old fortress have become excellent materials for patriotic education among young people. Spring outing to Niushou, while enjoying the beautiful scenery of the mountains, people can not only admire cultural treasures such as Hongjue Temple, but also visit ancient battlefields to pay tribute to Yue Fei's resistance against the Jin Dynasty, remember national heroes, and receive patriotic education

12. Taohua Creek

Taohua Creek is a new landscape created by Niushou Mountain Scenic Area. A small stream winds down from Hidden Dragon Lake, with murmuring water and peach blossoms planted on both sides. In spring, flower buds gradually bloom, creating a sea of flowers that is intoxicating. The entire Taohua Creek is located at the eastern entrance of Niushou Mountain, covering a total area of 14.87 hectares, approximately 220 acres. 26 peach varieties suitable for growth in the Nanjing area have been selected

Nanjing Niushou Mountain Cultural Tourism Area has beautiful natural scenery and profound cultural heritage, with numerous fun attractions. Here are some main attractions:

1. Foding Palace: Located on the west peak of Niushou Mountain, built on a historical mine pit, it belongs to deep pit architecture. The external space is divided into three main parts: the large dome, the small dome, and the Buddha's top cliff; The internal space consists of nine floors, with three above ground floors and six underground floors, consisting of three major spaces: the Zen Realm Grand View, the Relic Hall, and the Relic Storage Palace. This is not only the main place for collecting the relics of the Buddha's roof bone and receiving worship from believers, but also the exhibition venue for showcasing relic culture and world Buddhist Zen culture
2. Zen Realm Grand View: It is a 4-story elevated space in an elliptical shape, with yellow, white, and gray as the main colors. Composed of three parts: the Zen Garden where Buddha was born and attained enlightenment, and the Lotus Theater in the middle, it showcases the Buddha's life journey. At the top is the Saros Dome, with the pattern derived from the Saros tree branch during Buddha's Nirvana. The center is a fully copper cast statue of Shakyamuni Buddha, which can slowly rotate 360 degrees, depicting the Buddha's peaceful and tranquil state of Nirvana
3. Foding Temple: Named after the Buddha's top relics enshrined in the underground palace of Niushou Mountain, it covers an area of 68 acres and has a building area of nearly 40 acres. It faces west and east, imitating the Tang style and traditional central axis layout. There are a total of seven halls, surrounded by buildings such as monk huts and fasting halls. The temple began in the early years of the Southern Dynasty and has a long history
4. Buddha Peak Pagoda: Located near the east gate of Niushou Mountain, nearly 88 meters high, with nine levels and four sides, it is a Tang Dynasty style building and one of the iconic buildings of the Buddha Peak Holy Land. Inside the tower, there is a seated statue of Piluzana Buddha, a bronze cast diamond bell, and various scripture collections displayed. Climbing the tower offers a panoramic view of the beautiful scenery of Niushou Mountain throughout the four seasons
5. Hidden Dragon Lake: Originally named Bamutang, a lake surrounding road has been built, and tourists can walk around the lake. It is also a natural weather forecaster, and it is said that the fog on the lake surface indicates that it will rain
6. Chanlin Road Scenic Area: This is a 3.7-kilometer ecological tourism route that covers multiple ecological scenic areas with beautiful scenery. It is a natural oxygen bar for tourists to experience nature, breathe fresh air, and relax
7. Niutou Zen Cultural Park: Built on the site of Hongjue Temple, the core attraction is the Hongjue Temple Pagoda. The tower is 45 meters high, with seven levels and eight sides, and is the oldest surviving brick tower with a wooden like structure in the Nanjing area. Precious cultural relics such as the gilded Lama Pagoda have been unearthed in its underground palace, and it is now a cultural relic protection unit in Jiangsu Province
8. Zheng He's Tomb: Located at the southern foot of Niushou Mountain, it is the tomb of Zheng He, the three treasures of the Ming Dynasty navigator and eunuch. In front of the tomb, one can overlook the Yangtze River. It was rebuilt in 1985 to commemorate the 580th anniversary of Zheng He's first voyage to the West
   

The historical, cultural, and natural landscapes of Niushou Mountain are rich and diverse, and different people can choose to visit and explore the scenic spots according to their interests and preferences. When playing, you can also learn about relevant historical and cultural backgrounds to gain a richer experience