From the Reclining Buddha to the Underground Palace: A Mysterious Deep Dive into the Buddhist Culture of Niushou Mountain

Niushou Mountain, the birthplace of the Ox Head Zen sect, is located in Jiangning District, Nanjing. This place is a famous Buddhist mountain in China, named for its two peaks that resemble ox horns. There are many breathtaking sights on the mountain, often referred to as 'Niushou Mountain in Spring'. Address: No. 18 Ningdan Avenue, Jiangning District, Nanjing Tickets: Advance booking 145 RMB/person, student/senior tickets 80 RMB, scenic area shuttle bus 10 RMB/one-way Opening hours: 8:30-17:30 Transportation: Subway + Taxi, take the subway S3 line to Jiaxi Station, then a 10min taxi ride to the west gate of Niushou Mountain Travel Tips 👀 After entering the west gate with your ID card, turn right to take the scenic area's shuttle bus, which costs 10 RMB per person. The bus ride to the mid-slope takes only two minutes. The slope is quite steep, so it's recommended to take the bus to save energy for climbing the Buddha Top Pagoda. 👀 After getting off the bus, there's an elevator ahead. Take it to reach the Buddha Top Sacred Realm. 👀 Continue walking, and you'll see the building that looks like a giant durian, which is the Buddha Top Palace. Both in front of it and diagonally opposite are great spots for taking photos. How to visit the Buddha Top Palace without taking a detour: 👀 First, look to the left of the giant durian to find the entrance to the 'Reclining Buddha' on the first floor. The Reclining Buddha is impressive and even rotates. 👀 After visiting the Reclining Buddha, turn left to find the entrance to the 'Underground Palace'. You need to wear shoe covers to enter. The Underground Palace has six floors; take the escalator to the bottom and then come up one floor at a time. The popular video of pushing the door was filmed on the fourth floor. 👀 After visiting the Underground Palace, you can slowly make your way up to the Buddha Top Pagoda. If you came by taxi, remember to call for one in advance. 👀 If time allows, after exiting the west gate, you can also visit the Jinling Little Town 2 kilometers away. Be sure to leave through the west gate, as the east gate is 10 kilometers further. Jinling Little Town is not big, but it has performances, and the lighting effects are great at night, making it a fantastic place for photos.