Jiaozuo Shennong Mountain Scenic Area is located at the southern foot of the Taihang Mountains, about 23 kilometers northwest of Qinyang City, Jiaozuo City, Henan Province. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction, one of the world's first batch of Global Geoparks, a national-level scenic spot, a national-level macaque nature reserve, and a creative base of the China Photographers Association. The scenic area covers about 96 square kilometers. The terrain is high in the north and low in the south, with an elevation ranging from 250 to 1,116.9 meters. Shennong Mountain is known for its奇特 peaks, sea of clouds, white pines, unusual ridges, and canyons. Its vegetation coverage rate is over 90%, with 1,912 species of plants, more than 300 kinds of valuable Chinese medicinal herbs, and over 260 species of terrestrial vertebrates.
History and Culture
In ancient times, Emperor Yan Shennong distinguished the five grains, tasted hundreds of herbs, and set up an altar to worship heaven here, pioneering agriculture and medicine. This place was therefore named Shennong Mountain. Emperor Yan and Emperor Huang are together known as the founding ancestors of the Chinese nation and have been revered throughout successive dynasties.
Wei Huacun, a female Taoist priest of the Western Jin Dynasty, cultivated herself here for 42 years, wrote the Huangting Jing, one of the "Four Great Heavenly Books," and founded the Shangqing School of Taoism. In the Northern Wei Dynasty, the eminent monk Chou Chan carved the Taiping Temple cliff inscriptions here and built Yunyang Temple, Linchuan Temple, Taiping Temple, and Mujian Temple. Historically, emperors, generals, ministers, and literary figures such as Cao Cao, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Bai, Liu Yuxi, Han Yu, Li Shangyin, and Emperor Kangxi all came here to climb high, enjoy the scenery, and express their feelings.
Main Attractions
Zijin Peak
The main peak, Zijin Peak, has an elevation of 1,028 meters and is known as the "Pillar of the Mid-Heaven." The summit is often surrounded by purple mist. It is said to be the place where the Supreme Lord Laozi built a furnace to refine elixirs. The mountain is steep and towering, majestic in momentum. Here, visitors can overlook the magnificent scenery of the Taihang Mountains and feel the heroism of "reaching the top and seeing all other mountains as small."
Dragon Ridge Great Wall
The world geological wonder Dragon Ridge Great Wall is the most representative natural landscape of Shennong Mountain. It consists of one ridge and nine peaks, with a total length of 11.5 kilometers, winding and undulating. From a distance, it resembles a giant dragon, while the limestone mountain body looks like a man-made great wall, hence the name. The Dragon Ridge Great Wall is covered with more than 16,000 rare white crane pines, also known as dragon-scale pines, which are the only three-needle pines in Asia.
Macaque Garden
This is the most concentrated area of Taihang macaques in Shennong Mountain and the best base for viewing and studying wild Taihang macaques. The Taihang macaque is a national second-class rare wild protected animal. There are about 3,000 in the scenic area, belonging to 9 macaque groups. They are lively and cute, moving freely through the mountain forests, or interacting with tourists in an endearing way.
Yunyang Temple
Originally built in the Tang Dynasty, it was first called Shousheng Temple. In the first year of Zhongtong in the Yuan Dynasty (1260 AD), Shengguo Temple was added. The existing buildings include the mountain gate, the Hall of the Four Heavenly Kings, the Hall of the Three Western Saints, and the Mahavira Hall. To the northeast of the temple are three square dense-eave brick pagodas, 4 to 6 meters high, imitating the Tang style, built in the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties respectively. Yunyang Temple is backed by mountains and faces water, built layer by layer according to the terrain, with four building complexes arranged in sequence on four platforms with a height difference of 5 meters. In 1982, the Qinyang Municipal People's Government listed Yunyang Temple as a key cultural relic protection unit.
Qingjing Palace
First built in 1750 AD (the 15th year of Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty), it is the only remaining Qing Dynasty beamless architectural complex in China. It faces south and is built against the mountain. In the center is the Three Sovereigns Pavilion, on the left is the Queen Mother Hall, and on the right is the Jade Emperor Pavilion. All are double-story pavilion-style buildings. Its architectural style breaks the axial symmetry of Buddhist temples and Taoist temples, combining Eastern cave dwellings with Western pavilions, and all materials are stone. It can be called a masterpiece of ancient architecture in the Central Plains.
Shennong Culture Square
Built to commemorate the achievements of Emperor Yan Shennong, it is located 200 meters inside the scenic area. Sitting in the center of the square is a pure copper statue of Shennong, 9.9 meters high and weighing 29 tons. The entire square is divided into three levels, symbolizing heaven, earth, and humanity. The main altar has 4 stairways, symbolizing the four seasons of the year. Around the altar are 12 reliefs telling the life story of Emperor Yan, symbolizing the 12 months of the year. The circular road at the bottom of the altar has 24 circles, symbolizing the 24 solar terms. Each circle is paved with 365 bluestone slabs, symbolizing the 365 days of the year. Around the altar, eight spiritual beasts guard the four directions.
Tour Routes：
Recommended one-day tour route: Arrive at the scenic area around 8:00 a.m., first take the sightseeing bus to Yunyang Temple. Here, feel the tranquility and solemnity of the ancient temple, admire the architecture and Buddha statues in the temple, and learn about Buddhist culture. The visit takes about 40 minutes. Then, start hiking up the mountain from Yunyang Temple, enjoy the natural scenery along the way, breathe fresh air, and interact with Taihang macaques. It is expected to take 2 hours to reach Zijin Peak. Take a short rest at Zijin Peak, enjoy the magnificent scenery of the Taihang Mountains, and take photos. The stay is about 30 minutes. Then, stroll along the Dragon Ridge Great Wall, experience the thrilling walk, and enjoy the unique geological landscape. After that, choose to take the cable car or continue hiking down the mountain according to your own condition.
Recommended two-day tour route: Arrive at the scenic area in the morning on the first day and visit attractions such as Yunyang Temple and Macaque Garden. In the afternoon, climb Zijin Peak. At night, you can choose to stay at the Shennong Mountain Yunjing Hotel in the scenic area. The hotel is located in the core area of the scenic area, with rooms in a new Chinese style and complete facilities. You can enjoy the scenery of Shennong Mountain from the window. On the second day, go to the Dragon Ridge Great Wall, then visit Qingjing Palace, Shennong Culture Square, and other attractions. End the trip in the afternoon.
Travel Suggestions：
Wear comfortable, non-slip sports shoes or hiking shoes, because the mountain roads in the scenic area are rugged and some sections are steep. Suitable shoes can reduce foot fatigue and the risk of injury.
In summer, take sun protection measures, carry high-SPF sunscreen (such as SPF50 , PA products), a wide-brimmed sun hat, sunglasses, and light, breathable sun-protective clothing.
You may prepare some snacks and drinking water appropriately, but keep the scenic area clean and do not litter. When feeding at Macaque Garden, use food designated by the scenic area to avoid feeding unhealthy food that may make the macaques sick, and be careful not to be scratched by the macaques.
Mobile phone signal may be poor in some sections of the scenic area. Inform your family of your itinerary in advance. If traveling alone, it is recommended to keep in touch with others.
Notes：
Open flames are strictly prohibited in the scenic area. Do not smoke or use open flames in the scenic area to avoid causing forest fires.
During the climb, follow the scenic area's signs and do not leave the designated tour route to prevent getting lost or accidents.
Some attractions such as the Dragon Ridge Great Wall are dangerous. Pay attention to safety when visiting, do not approach the edge of cliffs, and avoid crowding or pushing.
Respect the religious beliefs and cultural customs in the scenic area. Keep quiet in religious places such as temples. Do not make loud noises or touch cultural relics at will.
In severe weather (such as heavy rain, strong wind, etc.), some attractions may be temporarily closed. Before traveling, it is recommended to check the weather forecast and scenic area announcements and arrange your itinerary reasonably.
Transportation：
Public transportation: In Jiaozuo City, you can first take a bus to Qinyang City. After arriving in Qinyang, transfer to a bus or tourist shuttle to Shennong Mountain Scenic Area.
Self-driving: From the urban area of Jiaozuo, drive northwest along S308 Provincial Road and follow the navigation prompts to Shennong Mountain Scenic Area. The scenic area has a parking lot. If departing from other cities, you can get off at the Qinyang exit of the expressway and then go to the scenic area. For example, from Zhengzhou, take Zheng-Yun Expressway to Chang-Ji Expressway, get off at Qinyang Station, and then go to the scenic area. The whole journey takes about 1.5 to 2 hours by car (the specific time depends on traffic conditions).
Opening Hours：
Opening hours are 7:00 - 18:00. Generally speaking, summer for escaping the heat and autumn for enjoying red leaves are both good times to visit Shennong Mountain. The specific itinerary can be adjusted according to the actual situation of the scenic area and weather conditions that year.
Tickets：
Tickets are 39.9 yuan per person.