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2024 Shunchang Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in November)
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Admire the autumn scenery of Shunchang Tiantai Mountain.
Tiantai Mountain in Shunchang, Fujian, is 1,078 meters above sea level and is home to the largest ancient ginkgo forest in Fujian Province, with more than 200 ancient ginkgo trees. Among them, the "King of Ginkgo Trees" in Jiankeng is 1,208 years old.
Every November, the ginkgo leaves, with their unique fan-shaped outline and delicate texture, become a beautiful sight in autumn on Tiantai Mountain, as if covered with a layer of golden light, decorating the beautiful countryside. Together with the autumn harvest, it gives people a sense of tranquility and profound beauty.
Under the ginkgo tree, you can enjoy a pot of tea with a few friends and sit for half a day, feeling good.
The ticket price is CNY 20, and the road to the village is a bit narrow.
Wanfo Cave
Wanfo Cave, also known as Wanfo Grottoes or Hezhangyan Grottoes, is located in the Hezhangyan Scenic Area, 3 km west of Shunchang County, Fujian Province. The cave was built under the supervision of Master Benyuan, the president of the Shunchang County Buddhist Association and the abbot of Xian Temple in Hezhangyan. "Wanfo" means 10,000 Buddha statues. The cave combines the artistic styles of southern and northern Buddhist sculptures and is the largest grotto group in Fujian Province, attracting many tourists to visit.
I rarely use the word "stunning" to describe a place.
To see the "No. 1 Grotto in Jiangnan," I traveled hundreds of kilometers to Shunchang County, Fujian Province, and finally found the "Hezhangyan Grottoes."
When I entered the stone cave, I was stunned:
There are tens of thousands of Buddha statues in various shapes, the tallest is 19 meters, and the smallest is only 2 centimeters. Each stone carving is lifelike❗️
🌟About Hezhangyan
The Hezhangyan Grottoes were built in 2003, with a total length of more than 600 meters. It is still under construction. All the tens of thousands of Buddha statues are carved by hand. Many of the stone carving masters are from Quanzhou, and their skills are exquisite. The number of Buddha statues will reach 100,000 in the future. The grottoes are so large that they are known as the "No. 1 Grotto in Jiangnan"🪨
It is recommended to visit for about 2 hours, take your time to visit and take photos. There are very few tourists, and no tickets are required.
🟡 Hezhangyan Grottoes
📍Hezhangyan Scenic Area, Shunchang County, Nanping City, Fujian Province
🎫 Tickets: Free
⏱️ Opening hours: All day
📷Photo tips
The interior of the grotto is dim, but there are lights inside, which makes the Buddha statues more sacred. The four-faced Buddha in the cave is very stunning📷
🚘About transportation
Hezhangyan is located in Shunchang County, Fujian Province. You can drive directly to "Hezhangyan Grottoes."
🚌 If you take public transportation, you can take a train to "Yanping Station" in Nanping, then take a bus from Yanping Bus Station to Shunchang Bus Station, and then take a taxi for 20 minutes to Hezhangyan.
After visiting the Hezhangyan Grottoes, I was surprised to see such a large Buddha grotto south of the Yangtze River. It was very impressive.
The thousands of carvings at this moment will become a historical work in thousands of years, which is also a kind of witness. This trip is very worthwhile.
Exploring the Mystical Fujian | Discovering the Legend of the Ten Thousand Buddha Caves in the Deep Mountains
| Discovering the Legend of the Ten Thousand Buddha Caves in the Deep Mountains. 🌄 Exploring the Mystical Fujian | Discovering the Legend of the Ten Thousand Buddha Caves 🙏🏻
🏞️ We drove to Shunchang to explore the mysterious Hezhangyan, whose exquisite craftsmanship is awe-inspiring.
📌 Shunchang · Hezhangyan
🎉 Free Admission 🆓
🚗 Only a 20-minute drive from Shunchang County
📜 Although Hezhangyan is not as famous as Longmen or Yungang, its construction has taken nearly twenty years and is still ongoing. Upon completion, the number of Buddha statues is expected to reach 10,000.
👀 Stepping into the cave entrance, we were struck by the central Buddha pillar in the hall, surrounded by thousands of unique Buddhas. Passing through the hall, in the still-under-construction corridor on the right, we could hear pilgrims sharing stories from the 'Fifty-Three Visits of the Avatamsaka Sutra'. The separate caves housing the Thousand-Hand Guanyin and the Great Sage Buddha statues were even more breathtaking.
👁️🗨️ We were fortunate to meet a master who was explaining the mysteries of the caves to visitors. It turns out that the smallest Buddha statue in the cave is only 2 centimeters, half the size of the Buddhas in the Longmen Grottoes. These caves were built through countless hardships with donations collected by the abbot. Hezhangyan, as a shared spiritual home, is naturally open to everyone for free.
✅ Besides the caves, there is a mountain trail near the parking lot.
🔍 On the trail, you can see the word 'heart ❤️' engraved on the ground, echoing the word 'Buddha 🙏🏻' on the mountain wall.
🔔 Reaching the bell tower, the sound of the bell resonates, bringing peace to the mind.
🏞️ At the top, the beautiful scenery of Shunchang County unfolds, with the Futun River meandering through it.
🛤️ There are two routes to the top:
🔄 One is a winding mountain road with 180-degree turns, which can be a bit dizzying.
🛤️ The other is a gentle and wide path, just a few hundred meters longer.
🅿️ There is a free parking lot at the top, recommended for self-driving tourists for convenience when descending.
🍳 After visiting Hezhangyan, you might want to stop by Shunchang County to taste local intangible cultural heritage snacks such as stuffed eggs, Guangbing, and coarse noodles. You can also connect to Huayang Mountain, Baoshan, and Yuankeng Ancient Town for a unique one-day tour.
Shunchang - Yuankeng Ancient Town
Yuankeng Ancient Town is located 12 kilometers southwest of Shunchang County. Jinxi, one of the three major tributaries of the Min River, runs through the town. As early as the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was an important transportation hub in ancient northwest Fujian. The busy water transportation made it a famous commercial center at that time. The Ming Dynasty tribute tea 'Qianshan Tea' and the Qing Dynasty 'Tongshunxing' rough-edged paper were sold overseas from here, enjoying a good reputation in Southeast Asia. Yuankeng Ancient Town still preserves a large number of ancient buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Xiao Family Ancestral Hall, covering an area of about 5,000 square meters, is the oldest, originally built during the Chongzhen period of the Ming Dynasty. It was rebuilt as the town and district office in the early Republic of China period, and only the main gate of the ancestral hall remains today. Most of the ancient residences in Yuankeng consist of several adjacent four-entry courtyards, with exquisitely carved doorways and beams, diverse shapes of crossbeams and moon beams, and tiles laid on the eaves boards. The layout style is simple and clear, fully reflecting the elegance of the noble residences of the time. Yuankeng Ancient Town also has many ancient covered bridges such as Dengyun Bridge, Wenchang Bridge, and Chaxi Bridge. The well-preserved Dengyun Bridge inherits the architectural features of the Ming and Qing dynasties, with its exquisite design and beautiful shape, making it of great scientific research and artistic appreciation value.
A truly worthwhile visit—Gassho Rock
Gassho Rock is located in Xidalong, Shuangxi Town, Shunchang County, Fujian Province, about 2.5 kilometers from the city. The area is lush with greenery and beautiful scenery, making it an ideal summer retreat. Surrounding attractions include Yuan Pond Borrowing, Board Pine Welcoming Guests, Salt Rice Divine Cave, Xi'an Temple Moon, Immortal Gathering Platform, Flying Divine Ship, Tiger Opening Mouth, Copper Bell Spring Sound, Eagle Beak Remaining Life, and others. The Xi'an Temple in the mountains was built in the 26th year of the Yuan Dynasty's Zhi Zheng era (1366).
Geographic location: Xidalong, Shuangxi Town, Shunchang County, Fujian Province
This is a less-known spot, no reservation is needed, there is no entrance fee, and it is free to visit. Currently, there is no public transportation that goes directly there, but you can navigate to the entrance of the Gassho Rock Scenic Area, where parking is free.
The Buddha statues are very large and exquisitely carved. Both the inside of the caves and the outside viewing platforms are beautiful.
Hometown of the Great Sage
The Gao Laozhuang in Shunchang is located under the treasure mountain, hidden in the deep mountains.
Ancient village.
In Zhang Jizhong's "Journey to the West", the "Gao Laozhuang" in the treasure mountain of Shunchang, Nanping
is a scene in a small village.
There are many ancient ginkgo trees in the ginkgo forest, and the most beautiful one is right here.
xavier.demetrius.nightshade There's no need to envy the Mogao Caves, as the number one Buddhist grotto in the south of the Yangtze River is right here in Fujian
Hello, this is your guide to exploring off-the-beaten-path travel destinations and photo strategies in Fujian, with more great places recommended on my homepage.
On the way back from a self-drive trip from Wuyi Mountain, I made a detour to Shunchang's Hezhangyan in Nanping, and it was truly astonishing!
Inside a single cave, so many Buddha statues have been carved that it rivals the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, rightfully earning its title as the number one Buddhist grotto in the south of the Yangtze River.
Take the chance to visit before it becomes well-known.
📍Hezhangyan Scenic Area, Shunchang County, Nanping City
🎫: Free
🚗: Self-driving is recommended, located at the top of the mountain, the mountain roads are easy to navigate
⏰:1h
📝History:
Hezhangyan started construction in 2003 and is still being carved. The tallest Buddha statue inside the cave is over 8 meters high, and the smallest is only 2 centimeters. There are more than ten thousand Buddha statues in total, making it the largest stone grotto south of the Yangtze River, hence it is known as "the number one grotto in the south of the Yangtze River".
⚠️Most parts are now open to the public, but it is still in a semi-open and semi-construction state, so be sure to pay attention to safety when entering. The completed parts are very safe, but do not go to the areas that are still under construction🗑️!
📸: The lighting inside the cave is rather dim, so increase the ISO and aperture of the camera to ensure the photos are not blurred, and you can take some photos of people with the Buddha statues in the grotto.
My shooting parameters: Aperture: f4 Shutter: 1/100 ISO2000
It can't be hidden anymore! This place has finally been discovered
"Yuan Pit Ancient Town", this place is neither too big nor too small
Yuan Pit was economically prosperous during the Ming and Qing dynasties, with industries such as the Mao Bian paper industry and the Min bamboo shoot industry leading to the success of many merchants. During this period, a large number of people from Yuan Pit went out to be officials or to do business, and upon returning, they initiated the construction of ancestral halls and grand mansions, resulting in the well-preserved ancient town's magnificent architectural complex that we see today. These grand and varied ancient buildings, exquisite in craftsmanship, are distributed in every corner of Yuan Pit Ancient Town. They can generally be categorized into public welfare buildings such as bridges, roads, and pavilions, religious buildings such as temples and monasteries, clan buildings such as ancestral halls and family temples, and residential buildings such as private homes, among which the ancestral halls and ancient residences are numerous and distinctive.
Gassho Rock
Gassho Rock, the largest stone cave in Jiangnan
Transportation: It's a 20-minute drive from Shunchang County, Fujian Province, and you can drive directly to the cave entrance. Tickets: Free
Era: Modern, but the statue style is ancient
Gassho Rock, named for its mountain shape like clasped hands. This cave group currently has over 10,000 Buddha statues. The tallest statue is 19 meters, and the smallest is 2 centimeters.
The project has been ongoing for 17 years and is still under expansion.
In Fujian! The first cave in Jiangnan! Super shocking!
I went to Shunchang to see ginkgo in mid-November, and by the way, I went to Hezhangyan. "The first cave in Jiangnan", it's really too shocking!
Hezhangyan, because its mountain shape is like clasping hands, it means "clasp hands to show one heart", hence the name.
The Wanfo Stone Cave has been excavated since 2003, and it is still being carved. Now there are more than 10,000 large and small Buddha statues carved in the stone cave. The tallest Buddha statue in the cave is more than 8 meters high, and the smallest is only 2 cm.
When it is completed, it will be the largest stone cave south of the Yangtze River, so it is known as "the first cave in Jiangnan".
It is said that there will be a reclining Buddha that is one hundred meters long in the future, and I am looking forward to it!
Each Buddha statue is carved very delicately, with different expressions, lifelike. The stories on the Buddhist scriptures are carved on the stone wall, including the Eastern Glass World, the Southern Joy World, the Western Bliss World, and the Northern Lotus World; the exquisite craftsmanship is breathtaking.
The mountains outside the stone cave are continuous, the scenery is beautiful, and it is also good to take some landscape photos!
🎫Ticket cost: Free
📍Transportation: It is recommended to drive by yourself. Navigate to Hezhangyan.
Only a part of the stone cave is now open, and the rest is still being carved.
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