Liaoxi's "First Cave Heaven," Guanwail's "First Buddha Mountain"
1. Location of Beiputuo Mountain: 7 kilometers northwest of Guta District, Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province
2. Route: Take bus 133 from the west gate of Bohai University to Jinzhou Station, then take bus 601 directly to Beiputuo Mountain Scenic Area. Bus 601 is a tourist line with scheduled departures. You can also drive yourself; private cars are allowed to enter the scenic area, with a fee of 20 yuan.
3. Ticket price: Regular ticket for the scenic area is 50 yuan, student ticket is half price.
4. Geographical environment
Beiputuo Mountain is located 7 kilometers northwest of Guta District, Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province. It extends from southeast to northwest, with a length of 10 kilometers and a width of 5 kilometers, covering an area of 27.26 square kilometers. The highest peak, Jiguan Mountain, has an altitude of 366 meters.
Beiputuo Mountain Scenic Area is located 7 kilometers northwest of Jinzhou City and is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction, a provincial-level ecological tourism demonstration area, and a photography creation base of the Liaoning Provincial Tourism Photography Association. Beiputuo Mountain has a history of over 1,400 years, with the sea to the south and the Taiji to the north. It is a place of auspiciousness and longevity, a true paradise on earth. The scenic area includes attractions such as Panlong Mountain, Jiguan Mountain, Guanyin Cave Mountain, Hongshi Mountain, and Wulao Peak, integrating natural and cultural landscapes.
The history of Beiputuo Mountain's development is long and rich in cultural heritage. It is known as the "First Buddha Mountain outside the Pass" and has been building temples since the first year of Tang Wude (618 AD). The name Beiputuo Mountain was established during the Liao Dynasty when Yelü Bei, the eldest son of Liao Taizu Yelü Abaoji, resided on the mountain.
5. Development history
The history of Beiputuo Mountain's development is long and rich in cultural heritage. Temples were built as early as the first year of Tang Wude, with the sound of morning bells and evening drums, and Buddhist chants echoing throughout the year. During the Liao Dynasty, the mountain was officially named Beiputuo Mountain by the Liao Empress at the request of the eminent monk Dexiao. The mountain is famous for its scenic spots such as "Stone Hall Pine Snow, Maple Forest Sunrise, Green Mountain Sea View, Red Stone Crouching Dragon, Dripping Water Guanyin, Hongchi Clear Radiance, and Beacon Tower Sunset." During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was renowned as the "First Cave Heaven" in western Liaoning and a sacred place for Buddhist and Taoist pilgrims.
6. Main attractions of Beiputuo Mountain
Beiputuo Mountain Scenic Area is divided into nine major scenic areas with over 50 attractions, combining unique caves, marvelous Buddhas, holy springs, and precious trees. It includes areas such as East and West Panlong Mountain, Jiguan Mountain, Pingding Mountain, Hongshi Mountain, Guanyin Cave Mountain, and Erlang Cave Mountain. Notable attractions include Dripping Water Guanyin, the largest standing Guanyin statue in western Liaoning, standing 25 meters tall, pure white like jade, and known as the "Largest Buddha in Western Liaoning"; Guanyin Holy Land, the largest Guanyin culture exhibition hall in China; the Stone Hall Pine Snow area, where the Thousand-Hand Thousand-Eye Guanyin and the Eighteen Arhats with different expressions are enshrined in the Round Hall; the Buddha Hall, where Shakyamuni Buddha, Medicine Buddha, and Amitabha Buddha are enshrined; Beiputuo Zen Temple, built during the Northern Wei Dynasty, with Buddha statues over a thousand years old; the Dharma Treasure Hall of Beiputuo Zen Temple, enshrining the reclining jade Buddha from Myanmar and the rare true relics of the Buddha, depicting the Buddha's nirvana at the age of 80; the Five Hundred Arhats Slope on the east side of Beiputuo Zen Temple, with lifelike statues of the Five Hundred Arhats protecting the Buddha, creating a solemn atmosphere of the Western Pure Land. The eminent monk Weixian personally inscribed the name "The First Five Hundred Arhats Slope in the World." Additionally, there are attractions such as the Yuanchen Hall, enshrining the Taoist Sixty Jiazi Gods and the Three Xiao Palace, the Twenty-Four Filial Piety Gallery depicting stories of filial piety, and the cliffside landscape of Fushou Mountain.