Park of China
Overview
| Designation | UNESCO World Heritage (natural, 2010) National Park of China (second batch) |
| Province | Jiangxi |
| Location | South of Yingtan, Jiangxi, on the Xin River at the northern foot of the Wuyi range |
| Mountains | Mountain Ranges of China |
| Latitude, longitude | 28.1, 117.0 Google Maps |
| Highlights | Danxia landform; Taoist holy mountain; cliff coffins |
| Highest point | 247 m |
| Nearby cities | Yingtan (Jiangxi) |
| Nearby sites | Guifeng (Turtle Peak) 58km, Wuyishan National Park 106km, Pavilion of Prince Teng 128km, Mount Sanqing 142km, Mount Lu (Lushan) 194km Search nearby |
| Themes | Famous Mountain, Mountain, Red Rock, Taoism, River, Temple, Tomb, Rafting & boat trips, Archaeological sites |
About
Mount Longhu, a holy mountain of Taoism, lies in Guixi 20 km south of Yingtan, Jiangxi. The Celestial Master Zhang Daoling refined elixirs and practised here, and it was the seat of the hereditary Zhang Celestial Masters.
An outlier of the Wuyi range with Danxia landforms, it has strange peaks along both banks of the Luxi River; the main sights are the Shangqing Palace, the Celestial Master’s Mansion, the mountain itself and Xianshui Rock, as well as a group of Eastern Zhou cliff tombs.
The town of Shangqing in the scenic area was named a Historic and Cultural Town in 2007.
The Celestial Master's Mansion, home of the hereditary Celestial Masters, was first built in 1105 and moved to its present site in Shangqing in 1319; it covers about 4.2 hectares, with the gate, Jade Emperor Hall, private residence and the Wanfa Zongtan altar.
It is in the second batch of national parks of China (national scenic areas) named by the State Council in 1988.
Travel tips
Getting there: Yingtan North station is on the Shanghai–Kunming high-speed line; ordinary trains stop at Yingtan station. From Yingtan a bus or taxi takes half an hour to an hour to the visitor centre.
Getting around: shuttle buses link the sights inside the area; the Luxi River section is done by bamboo raft.
Luxi River rafts: the rafts drift downstream past Xianshuiyan, with hanging coffins in caves high in the cliffs. A show re-enacts how the coffins may have been hoisted into the caves.
Celestial Master's Mansion and Shangqing Palace: in Shangqing town. The mansion was the residence of the Zhang Celestial Masters. The great Shangqing Palace burned down in 1930; today there are some rebuilt halls and an excavated archaeological site.
Longhu Shan and Elephant Trunk Hill: short paths lead up to views of the Luxi River and the red sandstone peaks.
Time: one day for the main sights; a day and a half to two days with Shangqing town.
Season: spring and autumn are best; summer is hot, and the rafts may stop when the river is high in the rainy season.
Where to stay: in Yingtan, or in hotels near the scenic area and in Shangqing town.
The ten “don’ts” of Longhu
Local lore lists ten rock formations you must not touch: the nun must not carry the monk, the fairy must not be wed, the lotus must not be worn, the peach of immortality must not be eaten, the elixir ladle must not be used, the Taoist hall must not be sat in, the cloud brocade must not be draped, the stone drum must not be struck, the sword stone must not be tested, and the jade comb must not be combed with.
Stamps
In 2013 China Post issued 2013-16 “Mount Longhu”, three stamps: red hills and green water; the coiling dragon and crouching tiger; and the ancestral seat of Taoism.
Map
Photo credits: Mount Longhu: Neon (CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons)
Nearby
| World Heritage | Guifeng (Turtle Peak) 58km, Mount Wuyi 106km, Taining - North Section 120km, Jingdezhen Handicraft Porcelain Industry Sites 138km |
| National parks of China | Wuyishan National Park 106km |
| National parks | Shennongyuan 78km, Lingshan Scenic Area 103km, Damao Mountain 125km, Meiling–Pavilion of Prince Teng Scenic Area 136km |
| Detailed guides | Meiling 145km |
| AAAAA attractions | Dajueshan Scenic Area 47km, Pavilion of Prince Teng 128km, Taining Scenic Area 133km, Jingdezhen Ancient Kiln Folk Customs Expo Area 135km |
| AAAA attractions | Qingmaojing 41km |
| UNESCO Global Geoparks | Taining UNESCO Global Geopark 136km, Changshan UNESCO Global Geopark 182km |
| Historic cities | Fuzhou 61km |
| Cities | Nanchang 123km |
| Historical sites | Xianshuiyan Cliff Tombs 3km, Longhu Mountain Historic Building Complex 6km, Baoshan Gold and Silver Mining and Smelting Site 25km, Jiaoshan Banlishan Site 25km |
| National geoparks | Longhushan Danxia Landform National Geopark 2km, Dajinhu National Geopark 133km |
| Nature reserves | Matoushan National Nature Reserve 32km, Wuyishan National Nature Reserve 86km, Guanshan National Nature Reserve 114km, Tongboshan National Nature Reserve 124km |
| Historic towns | Shangqing Town 6km, Tangwan Town 24km, Huwan Town 45km |
| Historic villages | Zhuqiao Village 23km |