One of the Eight Scenic Sights of Hezhou, Songmingyan is 50 kilometers from Linxia City, with an altitude of 2,730 meters. The ancient buildings here date back to the Chenghua Period of the Ming Dynasty. Situated at the steep mountain pass in the southern part of Hezheng County, it hosts the annual Songmingyan Hua'er Festival from the 26th to the 28th day of the fourth lunar month (locally called "April Eighth"). Locals and tourists gather here to enjoy the landscapes and sing Hua'er folk songs.

The main peak features the Jade Emperor Pavilion, Bodhisattva Main Hall, the Second Hall, the Third Hall and the Holy Mother Palace. A temple with upturned eaves is built on the sheer cliff. The surrounding mountains are covered with centuries-old pine trees. When the wind blows, the rustling of pines sounds like roaring waves, giving the mountain its fame. Rare animals such as deer, pheasants, blue eared pheasants and takin inhabit the forests here.