Park of ChinaOverview
| Designation | Part of the first-batch National Park of China “Lintong Mount Li–Terracotta Army” AAAAA tourist attraction (2007) |
| Province | Shaanxi |
| Location | Lintong District, Xi’an, Shaanxi |
| Mountains | Qinling Mountains |
| Latitude, longitude | 34.37, 109.21 Google Maps |
| Highlights | Hot springs, the site of a Tang palace, Mount Li |
| Top sights | Huaqing Palace, Mount Li |
| Nearby cities | Xi’an |
| Nearby sites | Lintong Mount Li–Terracotta Army Scenic Area 3km, Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor and the Terracotta Army 7km, Mount Hua 81km, Mausoleum of the Yellow Emperor 135km, Mount Taibai 145km Search nearby |
| Themes | Spring, Geothermal, Ancient Building, Palace, Culture, Mountain, Hot springs, Imperial palaces & gardens |
About
Mount Li (Lishan), also called Xiuling, rises south of Lintong at the northern foot of the Qinling range; its highest point, Jiulongding, is 1,302 m. It is named for its resemblance to a black horse (li) seen from afar. King You of Zhou is said to have built a palace here; the First Qin Emperor made it the Lishan Baths, and the Tang emperor Xuanzong enlarged it into the Huaqing Palace, also called the Huaqing Pool for its hot springs. About 30 km east of central Xi’an, it is famous for the story of Xuanzong and his consort Yang Guifei.
The east section bears a gilded plaque “Huaqing Pool” in the hand of Guo Moruo and contains the Lotus and Flying Rosy Cloud pavilions and the Five-Room Hall; the Ode to the Hot Spring stele on the spring wall is a gem of Chinese stone inscription. The middle section is the museum of the Tang imperial baths: the Lotus, Crabapple, Crown Prince, Shangshi and Star baths, with an exhibition hall. The west section has the Nine-Dragon Lake and the Feixia Hall, and a large mural in 90 pieces of white marble, 9.15 m by 3.6 m, showing Xuanzong receiving Yang Yuhuan at the hot-spring palace for the first time in 740.
When the Xi’an Incident broke out in 1936 Chiang Kai-shek was staying in the Five-Room Hall. Halfway up the mountain, by the Striped Tiger Rock, stands the Remonstrance Pavilion, once called the “Catch Chiang Pavilion”.
On the western ridge is the famous Taoist Laojun Hall. On the summit is a beacon tower: legend places here the story of King You lighting the war beacons to make his favourite Baosi smile, “one smile that lost the kingdom”.
The Tang built the Tangquan Palace here in 644; it was renamed Wenquan Palace in 671, and enlarged and renamed Huaqing Palace in 747.
The spring water stays at about 43°C all year.
It is part of the Lintong Mount Li–Terracotta Army scenic area, in the first batch of national parks of China (national scenic areas) named by the State Council in 1982.
Travel tips
Getting there: Huaqing Palace is at Lintong, about 40 km from central Xi’an, on the way to the Terracotta Army. Tourist buses leave from the east square of Xi’an railway station, passing Huaqing Palace on the way to the Terracotta Army, about an hour; or take Metro Line 9 to Lintong and change to a local bus.
Huaqing Palace and Mount Li: the palace lies at the northern foot of Mount Li, with the remains of the Tang imperial baths and the Five-Room Hall; Mount Li can be climbed from the palace.
Nearby
| World Heritage | Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor and the Terracotta Army 7km, Daming Palace 24km, Xingjiao Temple Pagoda 35km, Dafosi Grottoes 136km |
| National parks | Lintong Mount Li–Terracotta Army Scenic Area 3km, Mount Hua 81km, Wulao Peak 130km, Mausoleum of the Yellow Emperor 135km |
| AAAAA attractions | Daming Palace Scenic Area 24km, City Wall and Forest of Steles Historical and Cultural Scenic Area 27km, Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and Tang Paradise Scenic Area 28km, Qianling Mausoleum Scenic Area 94km |
| AAAA attractions | Banpo Museum 18km, Qujiang Ocean Polar Park 27km, Hancheng Lake 28km, Guangren Temple 28km |
| UNESCO Global Geoparks | Qinling Zhongnanshan UNESCO Global Geopark 51km |
| Historic cities | Xi'an 27km, Xianyang 46km |
| Cities | Xi’an 29km |
| Historical sites | Huaqing Palace Site <1km, Jiangzhai Site 1km, Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang 5km, Eastern Qin Mausoleums 5km |
| National geoparks | Zhashui Karst Cave National Geopark 89km |
| Nature reserves | Niubeiliang National Nature Reserve 59km, Sangyuan National Nature Reserve 91km, Zhouzhi National Nature Reserve 95km, Heihe Rare Aquatic Wildlife National Nature Reserve 104km |