Magic Tortoise Greeting Tourists

Approaching Guifeng, people firstly see two giant stone tortoises on two sides.They stand erectly on two sides of the road, holding their head on its long neck. They are just like a pair of greeting tortoises and are named with Magic Tortoise Greeting Tourists. Next is a clear Guifeng Lake. An arch bridge on the lake combined with the greeting tortoises against the blue sky and clouds constitute a wonderful painting. All visitors would take a photo with the greeting tortoises by the lake, bringing the greeting tortoises their kindness back home.

Threefold Tortoise Peak

200 meters to the south of the center of the scenic area, a upright stone column towers over 70 meters into clouds. On top of the peak, three tortoise-like rock pile against each other and is named by Threefold Tortoise Peak. According to legend, the three tortoises were born by Mother Tortoise Dragon King’s Palace in East China Sea. The mother died in war after the palace met with catastrophe. Missing their mother so much, the three tortoises crawled consequently to the high peak to lookout the distance, hoping their mother back to the palace soon. Long time passed, the three tortoises became three rocks. Although we have deep regret for the legend, yet the lovely tortoises bring endless interest and pleasure to tourists.

Waiting for Husband Peak

To the east of the Threefold Tortoise Peak is a 40-meter high isolated strip-shaped rock. It looks like a lady in skirt lookouting her relative. According to legend, her husband went on an expedition with a dragon king without coming back. She stood there everyday and gradually became a rock.See her on the Hero Slope at dawn or dusk, we can truly feel her sad feeling.

Lion Peak

It’s 500 meters to the east of the Threefold Tortoise Peak.With three steep cliff sides and one abrupt slope side, the peak looks like a lion . From the front, the lion is imposing. From its side, it looks like roaring with head turning back. So it’s also called Looking Back Lion. You may feel its head turning with you when you goes around it. It’s teeth can be numbered with its mouth open. To the southwest of the peak, jagged rocks and imposing peaks take all shapes, creating a scene of steepness, elegance and beauty. To the northeast of the peak is relative plain with trees making a pleasant shade.

Great Man Peak

It’s opposite the Hero Slope and 500 meters to the southeast of the Threefold Tortoise Peak. It’s an eastward giant rock. The peak top north slope is a thrilling precipice towering into clouds,which is called Suicide Cliff.The east side of the peak top takes the shape of Chairman Mao’s head. It’s simply a natural wonder with its upright forehead, straight nose bridge, heavy eyebrows ,clear eyes and visible mole on its chin.

Natural Camel Barrier

The noble and magnificent Camel Peak,with altitude of 486.3 meters,is the highest peak in Guifeng Scenic Area. It can be seen within a radius of dozens of kilometers. It’s characterized by steepness, ruggedness and majesty among all peaks of Guifeng. There are seven natural barriers on the main course: The 1st is the Crucian Back with lofty cliff on both sides. The 2nd is the Cloud-climbing Ladder, clinging to steep rocks, is the only way up to the Camel Peak. The 3rd is the narrow and steep One-Line Sky. The 4th is the Hurricane Strait with strong winds going through, reminding us of the boundless universe. Although it’s picturesque, yet the strait is very chilling. The 5th is the Gecko Cliff which signifies that one cannot climb up without gecko’s skill. The 6th is Deep Sorrow Ditch. Even up to the Camel Peak, you cannot appreciate the charming scenery on top of the peak without going through the ditch. The 7th is the Final Success Slope with an incline of 45 degrees. You must go through the slope to have a bird’s eye view of the whole Guifeng and its neighboring cities and counties. So people say “Only a hero is able to climb up the Camel Peak.”

Old Man Peak

An old-Man-Like isolated peak ,which is about 51 meters high, stands to the east of the Threefold Tortoise Peak.The old man looks like a Taoist free from vulgarity with his even figure and perfect composure. That ’s why the scene is also called the Taoist Peak. The peak takes different images from different perspectives. When we take a horizontal view from the west to the east, we can see three holes in the joint of a stone on the peak top and another in central part of the peak(i.e. the joint of the old man’s head and his body), forming a spectacular scene of no falling in a state of falling.Focusing on the old man’s head, we find it looks like a cauldron ancient people use to cook food, creating a situation of tripartite confrontation.When we take a whole view, the peak is similar to an armoured warrior. In this situation, the scene can be called Warrior Peak.Seen with the same angle from the right to the left, the peak can be visualized as a dolphin playing with a ball. When we stand on the west sight-seeing stand and view from high to low, we can find a vivid image of a village girl going back home with a pack basket full of harvests. When you stand on the Hero Slope to the south of the central scenic area and see from the south to the north, the peak becomes a very big vivipara. That’s why the peak has another name Spiral Shell Peak. If you have a close look, you may find the peak becomes a naive panda with clear nose and eyes. This is scenery of Guifeng. Whenever we take a different perspective, we can find a totally different view. All in all, people are more willing to take the Old Man Peak as a symbol of longevity and auspiciousness. Nowadays, more and more lovers and brides take it as a watchmaker. They come purposely to the Osmanthus Garden to lock it up in their wedding photon, hoping that their marriage would be sweet and last long.

Eagle Teasing Chicken

It’s 200 meters to the southeast of the Threefold Peak and to the north of the Boy Obeisancing Guanyin. One rock on the right while another on the left. The right one looks like a terrified chicken, with spreading wings ,crouching neck and hidden head. The left one seems to be a greedy eagle, staring at the chicken. The two rocks and the Boy Obeisancing Guanyin,all appealing to our senses and feelings, are so lifelike. As Wang Chaowen, a famous Chinese artist, said, the contents of all hills, rocks and landscapes of Guifeng can not be expressed by language itself but harbor far-reaching significance.

Spring-locking Cave

This is a natural cave below the Flag-flying Peak, broadened in 1954.It is 77 meters long, 16.2 meters wide and 8.2 meters high. It’s like spring all year round inside the cave, through which we can see the charming scenery of Guifeng. This is why the cave is named.

Clear Water Lake

The lake , built in 2000, occupies an area of near 20 hectares with capacity of 999,900 cubic meters. The deepest place of the lake reaches 40 meters. The water of the lake is of good quality. It’s said “what matters most for a mountain is not its height, but its heavenly inspiration; what matters most for a lake is not its depth, but its habitats include dragons.”Clear lake water surrounds the scenic spots of Guifeng, creating a scene of fairyland. What a wonderland with mandarin ducks here and there, water birds back and forth, fish going through swiftly and hills up and down. The whole scenery is a good explanation of “mountains and water creating each others’ beauty and handsome.” Xu Xiake, a famous traveler of the Ming Dynasty wrote “ Yandang Mountain in east China’s Zhejiang Province lacks the wonder of mountain chain of Guifeng. But water of Guifeng is no so wonderful.”Actually, the fine water of Guifeng is pretty enough to offset Xu Xiake’s remark.

Clothes-swinging Terrace

The Clothes-swinging Terrace is 10 meters long and three meters wide. It was chiseled in the middle of the Tang Dynasty. We can appreciate all sorts of stone inscriptions of all dynasties with quite different styles. They demonstrate rich cultural contents of Guifeng. By the way, we can take a look at landscapes such as Old Man Peak and gorillas.

Silent Spring

The spring pond ,with its diameter of 50cm and 70cm deep, was cut was a monk of the Song Dynasty. The clear and sweet spring has been running silently all year round. The three Chinese characters “无声泉”(silent spring) were written by Liu Jiang, vice-director of Zhejiang Xiling Seal Engravers Society and Professor of China Academy of Art.

Four Echo Valley

The left side of the valley is a giant blue rock board on which is carved with four Chinese characters “渊默雷声”which means to be mute in peace which make thunderous act in need. Wang Siren, a tourist of the Ming Dynasty, inscribed Four Echo Valley on the rock. The inscription is very big and striking. Shouting loudly at the inscription, you can listen a series of four echos as if to roar the whole valley.

100-year Lane

Beneath the Painting Board Peak and next to the Water Curtain Cave, a giant rock board(20 meters high and 30 meters long) stands next to the Painting Board, leaving a very narrow lane which is less than 50cm wide and even 20cm wide at the narrowest site, allowing an individual to pass by one side. One may be locked up if he is too fat or is not technical. So they say passing this lane is like 100 years life. According to others, one can live up to 100 years after going through this lane. This is why the lane is named.

Fairy Dog Guarding Jade Pillar

The Fairy Dog Peak ,next to the Heavenly Column Peak and the Flag-flying Peak ,is 300 meters to the north of Threefold Tortoise Peak.The Peak is adjacent to the Big Bell Peak in its northeast. The peak top is just like a crouching dog with long tongue.

Head-Raising Tortoise

Xu Xiake, a famous traveler of the Ming Dynasty wrote in his travel notes “Yandang Mountain in east China’s Zhejiang Province lacks the wonder of mountain chain of Guifeng. ”He was quite attracted by the natural wonder and uniqueness that every hill and rock here has something to do with tortoise. Looking from the distance, you can find that Guifeng is simply a giant, auspicious and magic tortoise with its head raised eastward that guards this ancient and miraculous land.

Guifeng Stone Forest

Turning bac on Hero Slope, you can see natural marvels:the magic tortoise and the old man wishing each other longevity, fun of the eagle teasing the chicken,ascending of the double sword and the hairpin, forest greenery.Work of crust movement attracts so many VIPs and TV plays to present their tribute.

Clear Water Lake & Horizontal Wave Bridge

In morning twilight, you can see through mist a rainbow-like bridge lying silently on the still lake. The distant hills are waking up from dream.Morning breeze sweeps thousands of ripples on the lake. A glance of the inverted images on the lake brings us calmness. All is so tranquil, just like a dedicate and charming painting.