Chuxiong Zixi Mountain Scenic Area

Chuxiong Zixi Mountain Scenic Area is located more than 20 kilometers west of Chuxiong City, about a 40-minute drive. Entering from the south gate and following the winding mountain road upwards, you will soon reach the Xiangshuiqing Waterfall Tourist Area, which has a convenient parking lot. Walking south across the dam of the reservoir and following the stone path downwards, you gradually enter the primeval forest. A trickling stream flows beside the path, and trees, shrubs, vines, and flowers grow freely in their own ways. The humid environment has covered many trees with moss, and some large trees, unable to withstand the passage of time, lie quietly by the stream, waiting to turn into dust. To reach the Xiangguoshu Waterfall, you need to descend a staircase of about 70 degrees for several dozen meters. There are stone tables and benches beside the waterfall for resting. A large Xiangguoshu tree with beautiful flowers stands nearby, with a cluster of yellow stamens in the center and a circle of white petals around it. Some flowers have fallen to the ground but still retain their fragrance and beauty. Due to the small water flow, the waterfall is not particularly impressive, but the deep forest hiking trail leaves a lasting impression. From the parking lot, heading north, there is a single-room archway with the inscription 'Cuiyue Lingfeng' on the front and 'Zixi Fairyland' on the back. This is a hiking route leading to the top of the mountain, towards the Camellia Garden and Ziding Temple. Passing through the archway and a few farmhouse courtyards, you reach the Camellia Garden, where mottled stone railings and a stone tablet attract attention. The tablet informs that the stone railings once surrounded a 660-year-old camellia tree, which unfortunately has perished and been replaced by two young camellia trees. According to locals, a few years ago, artificial intervention with fertilizers to help the old camellia tree grow better ended its life. Looking around the Camellia Garden, the east wind has blossomed many buds, with bright red, tender pink, and snow-white flowers all charming and delightful, becoming the subject of many people's photos. The path through the Camellia Garden enters the primeval forest, winding and gradually ascending. If tired, you can rest at two pavilions along the way. Reaching Ziding Temple requires some effort, but you can also drive around to a parking lot not far from the temple. The mountain gate of Ziding Temple is a three-bay archway with a side door open. A suspension bridge on the left side of the gate also leads to the temple. Inside the courtyard, facing the mountain gate, is a pond for releasing animals, with goldfish swimming among floating leaves. Remarkably, a several-hundred-year-old Yuanjiang Kuo tree stands by the pond, leaning at about 45 degrees, with a hollow trunk and half its bark gone, yet still lush with foliage. A Song Dynasty ginkgo tree, said to have been planted by Gao Liangcheng, a prime minister of the Dali Kingdom, has a trunk diameter of 118 centimeters and is 860 years old. At noon, the temple is quiet, with occasional sightings of monks and volunteers but no other visitors. The temple gate, Guanyin Pavilion, Mahavira Hall, Sutra Library, and stone carvings all look new, with construction materials still piled up in the courtyard. The monks practicing in this deep forest atop the mountain must be undisturbed by worldly concerns. The Zixi Mountain Scenic Area spans more than ten kilometers from the south gate to the north gate, with the north gate being the main entrance. The scenic area has multiple parking lots, several hiking routes, large areas of primeval forest and artificial pine forests, grassland villages, as well as sculptures of the Baotou King and legendary stories, making it an ideal place for leisure, exercise, or seeking tranquility.