Located 6 kilometers east of Lianjiang urban area, Xiexie Mountain (Shoe-Thanking Mountain) is also known as Lion Mountain for its three connected peaks resembling a lion. Covering over 1,500 mu, the mountain retains a primitive forest of the same size, with its highest peak standing at 108 meters above sea level. According to the Shicheng County Annals, during the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty, local villager Yang Qin passed the imperial examination, became a jinshi (successful candidate), and rose to Hanlin Compiler. When he retired and returned home, the emperor granted him a pair of shoes. To honor this imperial favor, he renamed Lion Mountain “Xiexie Mountain.” He also built a study on the mountain top to recite poems with friends, study literature and history, and spend his later years. A natural stone chair, known as the “Hanlin Chair,” still remains on the summit. After Yang Qin’s death, the villagers, holding him in high regard, strictly enforced village rules to protect the mountain and forests. For centuries, the primitive woodland has remained intact