Weibao Mountain

Weibao Mountain lies 11 kilometres southeast of Weishan County Seat. It is a national forest park, the foremost sacred Taoist mountain in Yunnan, the birthplace of the Nanzhao Kingdom and a holy site for Yi ancestor worship in China. It also forms a key part of the Dali National Scenic Area.

Covering an area of 19.4 square kilometres with a maximum altitude of 2,509 metres, the mountain boasts profound historical heritage and a perfect integration of natural and cultural scenery. Renowned for its serene tranquility, Weibao Mountain features well-preserved vegetation and abundant flora and fauna, with a forest coverage rate reaching 88.2%. Here grow clusters of alpine oaks over one thousand years old and cypresses dating back to the Ming Dynasty. A Ming-era camellia tree stands 18 metres tall, with the most expansive canopy nationwide.

The Eight Sights of Weibao Mountain — Gateway Locking Scenic Beauty, Overlooking the City from Afar, Maiden Gazing at Clouds, Misty Willows by Dragon Pool, Blushing Camellias, Plum Blossoms at Crane Tower, Cranes Nurtured by Sunrise, and Spring Hidden in Ancient Caves — feast visitors’ eyes and make them reluctant to leave.

The mountain is celebrated as a sacred Taoist shrine. Taoist priests have resided here since the Han Dynasty, and Taoism flourished greatly in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Scattered all over the mountain are 22 Taoist palaces and temples, including Wenchang Palace, Qingxia Palace, Pehe Tower and Eternal Spring Cave. These ancient buildings retain the architectural styles of the Ming and Qing dynasties and embody the aesthetic pursuit of Taoist culture.

Cultural relics can be found everywhere on the mountain. Surviving art treasures include the mural of singing and dancing under pine trees and the carved doors of the Eight Immortals in Eternal Spring Cave.

Weibao Mountain is also famous worldwide as the cradle of the Nanzhao Kingdom. According to legend, Xinuluo, the founding ruler of Nanzhao, once farmed and grazed livestock here. He received spiritual enlightenment from Lord Laozi and went on to establish the Nanzhao regime. The kingdom passed down through thirteen monarchs and ruled for 253 years, becoming a powerful ethnic minority regime in Southwest China.

The existing Nanzhao Tuzhu Temple is magnificent in scale. It serves as an important venue for displaying the root culture of Nanzhao and Yi civilization. It remains a sacred place for Yi people to trace their ancestry and offer sacrifices, as well as the centre of Tuzhu deity worship, where grand ancestor-worshipping rituals are still held to this day