Huaguoshan (Flower and Fruit Mountain)

Huaguoshan, also known as Longhe Mountain, stands in the northwest of Dashengtang Village, with an altitude of 1,806 metres. According to the Records of Taiyuan Prefecture compiled in the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty: “Longhe Mountain… lies fifty li west of Loufan Town. Lofty peaks are often shrouded in auspicious clouds curling like a dragon, hence the name.”

The most enchanting sight of Longhe Mountain is the magnificent sunset glow known as “Evening Radiance over Longhe”. After sunset, if you look west from the mountain, all surrounding peaks sink into deep shadow, while only Longhe Mountain remains bathed in sunlight. Brilliant rays spread out behind the mountain in a riot of colours, bringing great delight to visitors. It ranked first among the Eight Great Sights of ancient Jingle.

Yuan Haowen, a celebrated poet at the turn of the late Jin and early Yuan dynasties, travelled a long way to this spot and composed the poem Climbing Longhe Mountain: “White rain from hemp fields shimmers on layered cliffs; Wandering clouds drift away to unveil the sunset glow. My climbing stirs up boundless delight, For my horse’s hooves have just trodden down from the Taihang Mountains.”

Huaguoshan is covered with dense pine trees and blooming wild flowers. It boasts cool weather and unique scenery. On the mountaintop once stood Qingliang Temple built in the Tang Dynasty, which was destroyed amid wars. Beside the ruins sits an ancient temple built of squared stones, locally called the Monkey King Temple. At its gate stand two stone pillars inscribed with a couplet: Land of the Eastern Divine Continent, Former Dwelling of Sun Wukong. Inside the temple is a stone statue of Sun Wukong, with an engraved portrait of Patriarch Subhuti carved on the stone wall behind the statue.

Amid the lofty mountains there used to be the Water Curtain Cave, which has been damaged due to vegetation loss and falling groundwater levels. A big bronze bell cast in the 11th year of the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty once hung in the courtyard of Qingliang Temple, engraved with scenes of Monk Xuanzang and his three disciples on their pilgrimage to the West for Buddhist scriptures.

The Chronicles of Jingle County of the 39th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty records: “South of the county near Longhe Mountain lies Huaguoshan, so named for the mountains covered with flowers and fruits in spring and summer. Locals even associate it with the Water Curtain Cave and claim that Monkey King Sun Wukong was born in Loufan.”

Complete Works of Fu Shan, written by Fu Shan, a great scholar and thinker at the end of the Ming and beginning of the Qing dynasties, cites the Jingle County Records of the Ming Dynasty: “Sun Wukong was a native of Loufan.” Academic research confirms that Loufan is the earliest birthplace of the story of Journey to the West. Hundreds of twisted evergreen pine trees grow firmly on the northern slope of Huaguoshan.

Relying on the “Great Sage Culture”, the Huaguoshan Ecotourism Scenic Area is a comprehensive theme park featuring the cultural industry of Journey to the West. It is located in Daorengou Village, Majiazhuang Township, Loufan County, west of Dashengtang Village. The scenic area integrates natural mountain-and-river landscapes with legendary cultural relics, covering a total area of more than 5,200 mu.

Construction projects include the restoration of ancient cultural buildings: the original Water Curtain Cave, the Birth Stone of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King Temple, Lord Laozi Temple and Qingliang Temple. New cultural landmarks have been erected, such as the Southern Heavenly Gate, the Imperial Stables, the Jade Emperor Temple and the viewing terrace for the “Evening Radiance over Longhe”.

While developing tourist facilities, ecological conservation has been prioritized. Over 4,000 mu of scenic trees including Chinese pine, weeping willow, wild peach and wild apricot have been newly planted. A 1,000 mu “Peach Garden of Immortality” is home to peach, apricot, pear and plum trees, offering tourists self-picking experiences.

So far, the master plan, road infrastructure and tourist reception centre have been completed. This project has been listed as a key tourist development project of Taiyuan Municipal Tourism Bureau during the 12th Five-Year Plan period