Park of China
Overview
| Designation | National Park of China (first batch) |
| Province | Chongqing |
| Location | Chongqing |
| Rivers and lakes | Jialing River |
| Latitude, longitude | 29.8, 106.4 Google Maps |
| Highlights | Subtropical plants, hot springs |
| Highest point | 1,050 m |
| Nearby cities | Beibei (Chongqing) |
| Nearby sites | Dazu Rock Carvings 63km, Mount Jinfo 118km, Simian Mountains 131km, Chishui Scenic Area 155km, Furong River, Wulong 159km Search nearby |
| Themes | Mountain, Plant, River, Geothermal, Forest, Buddha, Hot springs, Tropical rainforest |
About
The Jinyun scenic area lies on the Jialing River at Beibei, Chongqing, and comprises Mount Jinyun, the Northern Hot Springs and the Diaoyu fortress at Hechuan. The mountain’s nine peaks stand in a line; the main peak, Yujian, is 1,050 m and Lion Peak 980 m.
It is a national nature reserve with rich vegetation, more than 1,700 subtropical plant species.
Mount Jinyun rises north-west of Beibei, Chongqing, on the west bank of the Jialing at the Wentang gorge. Its old name was Mount Ba; the present name refers to the reddish morning and evening mists. Nine peaks (Lion, Censer, Sunrise, Ape’s Call, Lotus, Pagoda, Gathering Clouds, Jade Tip and Sunset) carry the best-preserved subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest near Chongqing, earning it the name “little Emei of eastern Sichuan”.
It is in the first batch of national parks of China (national scenic areas) named by the State Council in 1982.
Travel tips
Getting there: take the metro or a bus from central Chongqing to Beibei, then a local bus up Mount Jinyun or to the Northern Hot Springs at the foot of the mountain.
Mount Jinyun: from the gate a road and paths lead to Jinyun Temple, then up Lion Peak for the view of the Jialing River and Beibei.
Northern Hot Springs: by the Jialing at the eastern foot of the mountain; you can walk around the Hot Spring Temple.
Diaoyucheng: east of Hechuan town, some distance from Beibei; best given a separate half day.
Time: one day for Mount Jinyun and the hot springs, plus half a day for Diaoyucheng.
Season: in summer the mountain is cooler than central Chongqing; autumn and winter often bring mist and poor views.
Caution: Mount Jinyun is a national nature reserve, and fires are prohibited. Weekends are busy with visitors from Chongqing.
Main sights
Jinyun Temple: an old temple on the hillside founded in the Liu Song dynasty of the fifth century, burned in the late Ming or early Qing and rebuilt in 1683, with carvings said to be by a monk from the Western Regions; beside it the Sino-Tibetan Buddhist Institute founded by Master Taixu in 1932.
Lion Peak: the summit looks down on the Jialing and Beibei, and on clear days to the centre of Chongqing.
Northern Hot Springs: a spa park by the river at the foot of the mountain, with water above 30 °C, a Hot Spring Temple founded in 423 in the Liu Song dynasty and stone pools of the Republican era, one of the first hot springs in China opened to the public.
Diaoyu Fortress: a Southern Song mountain fortress on Diaoyu Hill east of Hechuan, where the Mongol Great Khan Möngke died during the siege of 1259, “where God’s whip was broken”; a national protected site.
Map
Photo credits: A stone gateway on Mount Jinyun: Urga (CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons)
Nearby
| World Heritage | Dazu Rock Carvings 63km, Mount Jinfo 118km, Chishui Scenic Area 155km, Furong River, Wulong 159km |
| National parks of China | Giant Panda National Park 319km |
| National parks | Simian Mountains 131km, Shunan Bamboo Sea 203km, Shihai Dongxiang (Stone Sea and Caves) 208km, Tanzhang Gorge 228km |
| AAAAA attractions | Deng Xiaoping's Hometown Tourist Area 81km, Heishan Valley Scenic Area 117km, Wulong Karst Tourist Area 167km, Ayi River Scenic Area 184km |
| AAAA attractions | Chongqing Natural History Museum 3km, Beiquan Scenic Area 5km, Diaoyu Fortress 21km, Chongqing Happy Valley 22km |
| UNESCO Global Geoparks | Zigong UNESCO Global Geopark 158km |
| Historic cities | Chongqing 35km |
| Cities | Chongqing 38km |
| Historical sites | Site of the World Buddhist Institute Sino-Tibetan Teaching Institute 2km, Tomb of General Zhang Zizhong 3km, Site of the China Western Science Academy 5km, Site of Yucai School 9km |
| National geoparks | Huayingshan National Geopark 59km, Qijiang National Geopark 109km, Wansheng National Geopark 109km, Shehong Petrified Wood National Geopark 135km |
| Historic towns | Jindaoxia Town 33km, Anju Town 39km, Laitan Town 40km, Zouma Town 42km |