One Mountain and One Name
The name Fanjingshan carries the meaning of "Brahmic Pure Land," embodying serenity and solemnity. Since ancient times it has been a famous Buddhist mountain, where old temples, cliff inscriptions, and extraordinary peaks and rocks set one another off, weaving culture and nature together into a distinctive character. For a very long time it has been a place where nearby people climb the mountain to pay homage to the Buddha and to enjoy the scenery and give expression to their feelings, leaving behind many religious relics and legends; the halls, steles, and statues in the mountain record the cultural imprints of different periods; praise such as "chief of all famous mountains under heaven" also speaks to its standing in people's hearts.
When visiting Fanjingshan, it is worth combining the two threads of nature and culture: admire the extraordinary peaks and seas of cloud, and also read the old temples and inscriptions. Within the open areas, observe and cherish the cultural relics and historic sites, so that this richness endures.
World Natural Heritage and a "Gene Bank of Biological Resources"
Fanjingshan lies within Tongren, Guizhou, and is the main peak of the Wuling Mountains, with a maximum elevation of 2572 m. It is one of the earliest places in southern China to rise from the sea to become land, and the summit still preserves primeval geological wonders. This is one of the regions with the richest biodiversity at the same latitude anywhere in the world, and it is known as a "gene bank of biological resources." In 2018, Fanjingshan was inscribed on the World Natural Heritage List, and it has since been rated a national 5A-level tourist attraction, with growing numbers of visitors and researchers coming each year.
Fanjingshan has a well-preserved primeval forest ecosystem at the same latitude band as the rest of the world, holds a remarkable expanse of dove tree (handkerchief tree) forest, and is the only habitat of the Guizhou golden monkey. Thousands of species of wild animals and plants thrive here, forest coverage is high, and it is an important refuge for rare animals and plants.
- Plants: The variety is rich, including many higher plants; nationally protected plants include the dove tree and others, and large areas of dove tree distribution have been found; from evergreen broad-leaved forest at the foot of the mountain to deciduous broad-leaved forest higher up, the vertical vegetation zones are clearly defined.
- Animals: There are hundreds of species of vertebrates, among them nationally protected wild animals including the Guizhou golden monkey (known as the "spirit of Fanjingshan," with a small surviving population found only in the Fanjingshan area of the Wuling Mountains), the Assamese macaque, the rhesus macaque, the clouded leopard, the forest musk deer, the tufted deer, the serow, the pangolin, the mandarin duck, the Temminck's tragopan, the golden pheasant, the Reeves's pheasant, and the giant salamander.
Climate, Seas of Cloud, and the Ten Wonders
Fanjingshan belongs to the East Asian monsoon climate zone; temperatures fall as the terrain rises, summers are cool and winters are not severely cold, and the air is humid, making it a well-known mountain retreat for escaping the heat. Abundant mist and relatively plentiful rainfall among the mountains also create distinctive seas of cloud and Buddha's halo phenomena. The scenery is exquisite, and since ancient times there has been talk of ten wonders: strange rocks, remarkable trees, Buddha's halo, seas of cloud, cloud waterfalls, wondrous springs, rare birds, exotic beasts, snow scenes, and the heavenly ladder. Landmark sights include Hongyun Golden Summit, Moon Mirror Mountain, the Ten-Thousand-Meter Sleeping Buddha, Mushroom Rock, the Ten Thousand Scrolls of Sutras, Nine Dragons Pool, and Phoenix Mountain.
Visit Civilly, and Leave the Landscape for the Next Visitor
Fanjingshan draws attention for its distinctive mountain ecosystem and rich biodiversity, and it is also a World Natural Heritage site. Every plant and tree, every rock and stream in the mountains is hard-won; a little more care when visiting means the landscape endures a little longer.
- Carry your rubbish down the mountain with you or put it in sorting facilities; do not drop it on the spot or bury it;
- Do not pick flowers or break branches, do not dig up plants, and do not disturb or feed wild animals;
- Walk along the open trails; do not trample vegetation or enter closed areas;
- Do not use single-use items wastefully; reduce leftover food and packaging;
- Do not bring fire sources into the forest; help keep forest fire safety secure.
Protecting nature is, in fact, also protecting our own journeys. May the landscape remain as it is each time we come.