Yiwulu Mountain National Forest Park Scenic Area

Yiwulu Mountain is a culturally renowned mountain with a long history. It was designated by Emperor Shun as one of the Twelve Famous Mountains nationwide and also serves as the Northern Guardian Mountain among China’s Five Great Mountains and Five Sacred Peaks. Liaoning Yiwulu Mountain National Forest Park (Lüshan Forest Park for short) lies right in the middle of this celebrated mountain range. Situated on the border between Beizhen City and Yi County of Liaoning Province, it stretches for a hundred li. The mountain boasts lofty ridges, overlapping peaks, vast forest seas and towering ancient trees.

Endowed with abundant scenic resources, the magnificent mountain landforms together with boundless forests and fruit orchards form fantastic natural landscapes. It remains an original, unpolluted ecological tourist zone covering a viewing area of 1,482 hectares. The park is divided into four scenic zones with more than 120 attractions. It holds the titles of National Nature Reserve, National Forest Park, Top Ten Forest Parks of Liaoning Province and Liaoning Environmental Education Base.

A provincial-level nature reserve was established here in 1981. It was upgraded to a national nature reserve in 1986. Construction of the forest park began in 1993, and it was officially designated a national forest park in 2008. Four scenic areas have been fully developed: Dachaoyang, Baolin Tower, Laoye Ridge and Dashi Lake.

As recorded in The Complete Records of the Liao Dynasty: “Among all mountains, Yiwulu stands unrivalled in grace and beauty.” Belonging to the Songling branch of the Yinshan Mountain System, Yiwulu Mountain forms one of the three natural barriers separating the Inner Mongolian Plateau from the Liaohe Plain, and it constitutes a key part of the low mountain and hilly region in western Liaoning. Most peaks range from 200 metres to 800 metres above sea level, with the main peak Dawanghai Mountain reaching 866.6 metres. Geologically, it belongs to the Pre-Sinian strata within the Yanshan Subsidence Zone, forming a fault-fold mountain range dominated by granite and gneiss bedrock.

Water resources in the forest park mainly rely on natural precipitation. Groundwater is stored inside structural and weathering fractures of granite, forming bedrock fissure water. The park enjoys plentiful water sources, including mountain springs, gurgling streams, and a unique waterfall with a drop of over 60 metres, which is rarely seen elsewhere in western Liaoning.

Located in the warm temperate zone, it has a continental monsoon climate with distinct four seasons, where rainfall coincides with high temperatures. The primary soil type is brown forest soil developed under warm temperate deciduous broad-leaved forests. The area is densely covered with trees and flourishing vegetation. As a transitional zone between the western Liaoning highlands and the Liaohe Plain, the mountain gradually slopes downward like a natural barrier. The unique microclimate creates ideal growing conditions for plants. Ancient pines and cypresses of varied shapes grow all over the hills, together with a wide variety of Chinese medicinal herbs.

The sunny, wind-sheltered foothills create perfect growing conditions for pears. In particular, Beizhen Ya Pear features tender crisp flesh, sweet juicy pulp and rich fragrance with top-tier quality, earning a long-standing high reputation at home and abroad.

Lüshan Forest Park preserves the most intact vegetation in western Liaoning, with a forest coverage rate of 86%, making it a precious natural resource treasure house of the region. Dense woods, diverse species and abundant natural resources sustain a well-balanced, stable and harmonious ecosystem. It is home to 1,201 plant species, 265 animal species and 1,094 insect species. Hence it is praised as the “Species Gene Bank of Western Liaoning”, a “natural wildlife zoo” and the “Green Pearl of the Liaoxi Corridor”.

The park falls within the warm temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest belt and lies on the transition zone of temperate mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forests. The zonal vegetation is mixed coniferous-broad-leaved forest dominated by North China flora. Large stretches of natural Chinese pine forest are unique to East Asia. Following the undulating terrain, the woods form a layered rolling forest sea widely known as “Lüshan Forest Ocean”.

Ancient and famous trees stand tall and sturdy, endowing the mountain with spiritual vitality and outshining all other living things. Notable specimens include the King of Medicine Pine, Ornamental Pillar Pine, Heroine Pine, Dragon Claw Pine and Twin Pines. Each tree carries extraordinary legends that leave visitors deep in thought and admiration.

The forest park is covered with jagged peaks, grotesque rocks, secluded caves and vivid natural rock formations. They resemble three-dimensional paintings and silent poems that bring supreme artistic enjoyment. Steep cliff faces look as if chiselled by axes. Exotic rocks scatter all over the slopes, taking the shapes of humans, immortals, rare birds, beasts and blooming flowers. Famous scenic spots include Sailing Boat on the Forest Sea, Two Stone Monkeys Facing Each Other, Camel Peak, Eighteen Stone Steps, Twin Sky Cracks and Crescent Cave — all masterpieces carved by nature’s craftsmanship.

Spectacular celestial landscapes emerge all year round. After rain, visitors can behold the vast sea of clouds. On summer afternoons following rainfall, if you climb Goose Head Peak, you may witness the Buddha’s Light formed by light diffraction. Moreover, the sunrise and sunset views over the mountain are exceptionally magnificent and gorgeous.

In remote antiquity, nature crafted Yiwulu Mountain with miraculous skill, gathering all the exquisite scenery of the land to form the northern sacred mountain. Emperor Shun recognised its outstanding value and conferred on it the title of Northern Guardian Mountain. Majestic and mysterious, Yiwulu Mountain was revered by emperors throughout dynasties. From Emperor Yu Shun down to the Daoguang Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, imperial rulers ascended the mountain dozens of times, leaving precious calligraphy and poems behind.

The mountain boasts profound historical and cultural heritage. Remains of Taoist culture associated with Chen Tuan and Zhang Sanfeng can still be found here. The stone carving of the character “Blessing and Longevity” with an embedded smaller character, preserved in the middle courtyard of Sanqing Temple at Dachaoyang, ranks among the finest stone inscriptions nationwide.

Countless ancient temples nestle along the mountain from south to north:

Yiwulu Mountain National Forest Park combines the grandeur of Mount Tai, the grace of Huangshan Mountain, the precipices of Huashan Mountain and the exotic wonders of Yandang Mountain. Each season brings distinct views:

With fresh air and an elegant environment, the park serves as a natural oxygen bar. Rich wildlife and fantastic natural scenery make it an ideal destination for summer getaways, leisure holidays, scientific surveys and field teaching, as well as a large open classroom for popular science education