Gushan Mountain

Gushan Mountain stands five to six kilometers north of downtown Jingjiang. As a spur of the Tianmu Mountain Range, it is the only mountain on the Northern Jiangsu Plain, located on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, downstream of Nantong and upstream of Jinling (Nanjing), thus earning it widespread renown.

Historical records note that Gushan was originally a towering reef rising from the Yangtze. Constant river currents deposited silt at its foot, and by the Eastern Han Dynasty, surrounding land gradually took shape. As the landmass kept expanding, the entire reef became fully connected to the shore in the first year of the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty (1488), emerging as a singular peak rising out of the vast plain.

Two delightful folk legends tell of Gushan’s origin. One tale recounts that the cloth sack carried by Immortal Iron-Crutch Li, filled with mountain seeds, split open, scattering seeds of all sizes across the land. The tiniest seed sprouted into Gushan Mountain. The other legend says the First Emperor of Qin, flying into a rage, lashed a huge mountain with his whip and split it into three fragments. One piece flew to Nantong and became Wolf Mountain; another landed in Jiangyin and became Huangshan Mountain; the third drifted to Jingjiang and became Gushan Mountain.

Starting from the Ming Dynasty, locals in Jingjiang set about beautifying Gushan. Temples, shrines, Buddhist groves and monk pavilions were built one after another atop the mountain, turning it into a well-known scenic spot drawing visitors from near and far. Attractions such as the Nieyun Archway, cliff stone carvings, Buguting (Non-Loneliness Pavilion) and Wangjiang Tower inspire boundless imagination. Local storytelling known as Jiangjing—a living fossil of folk culture—handcrafted clay chirping chickens, and the annual Third Month Fair on Gushan have nurtured the mountain’s profound cultural heritage. Every year on the third day of the third lunar month when the temple fair takes place, merchants gather in droves with all manner of goods on display, creating a spectacular bustling scene.

In recent years, the North Park of Jingjiang Economic Development Zone invested 12 million yuan to build the Gushan Cultural Square. Ornamental trees, green lawns and landscape stones have completely renovated the mountain’s foothills, making Gushan a new calling card for Jingjiang’s investment promotion.

Boasting picturesque scenery, grand ancient architecture and enchanting myths, Gushan, rich in cultural connotations, was a beloved retreat for literati and successive county magistrates through the ages. They climbed its slopes to pour out their emotions, exchanged poems and verses, and lavished praise upon the mountain. Dozens of odes to Gushan are preserved in ancient county annals, many of which feature exquisite artistic conception and masterful craftsmanship, enduring as timeless classics.

Jiang Zhonghe of the Qing Dynasty eulogized Gushan in his poem Solitary Peak as a River Pillar:

Modern residents of Jingjiang sum up Gushan thus: “Though Gushan lacks height, perilous cliffs and sheer precipices, it stands for a spiritual height all its own.”