Chinese Famous Mountain Scenic Area

Author: Zhou Weiguan
Editor-in-Chief: Duan Chuanji
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1996-12-01
Features:
Excerpt: China is one of the earliest countries to develop mountains as scenic resources and one of the earliest to use mountain landscapes as tourist attractions. It is self-evident that in China's traditional scenic areas, mountainous scenic areas that rely on or are primarily composed of mountains necessarily occupy a significant proportion. People use "mountains and water" as a synonym for natural landscapes, implying that about half of natural landscapes are mountainous. Most traditional mountainous scenic areas are also the bases for Buddhist and Taoist activities, with temples, monasteries, and other religious structures as the main human elements, demonstrating the close relationship between religion and mountainous landscapes, forming a situation where landscape construction and religious construction are combined. The development of these scenic areas has accompanied the long history of China's feudal society and the long history of Buddhism and Taoism, accordingly experiencing a long process from emergence, growth, to prosperity and decline. From a humanistic perspective, their attributes differ from those of ordinary mountainous scenic areas, and therefore, they should be regarded as a special category, which is the "famous mountain scenic area" discussed in this book. According to traditional beliefs, the term "famous mountain" not only refers to its high reputation but also includes two meanings:
1. Mountains with relatively high elevations. Classical texts mention famous mountains such as "reporting to the emperors and earth gods at the famous mountains and rivers passed" in Shangshu·Wucheng (Thirteen Classics Annotations, Zhonghua Book Company, 1980) and "ascending to the middle of the sky along the famous mountains" in Liji·Liqi (same source), both interpreted as high mountains or large mountains.
2. Mountains with certain religious connotations, including early primal religions and later Buddhism and Taoism, some of which developed into national and regional religious activity centers. The term "famous mountain scenic area" refers to scenic areas that possess the characteristics of famous mountains or have a scenic area layout. This special category is also an important one in China's traditional scenic areas, its importance reflected not only in its significant proportion in quantity but also in its distinct quality:
1. Famous mountain scenic areas are the outstanding survivors after centuries of selection and elimination, ultimately recognized and preserved by society. In these well-maintained natural ecological mountainous environments, there are abundant natural elements and phenomena, such as rocks, soil, water bodies, plants, animals, clouds, fog, rain, snow, and seasonal variations like brightness and darkness. Their combination or individuality, from the overall to the local, forms a variety of rich and diverse natural landscapes, providing people with extensive aesthetic enjoyment. They are the essence of China's mountainous natural landscapes, possessing high aesthetic value. The mountain bodies of famous mountain scenic areas are diverse in form, with most geological structures, landforms, and lithological features having scientific significance. They have long attracted the attention of scholars and scientific conclusions since ancient times. Additionally, the plant and animal resources, natural ecological communities, rare species, unique water bodies, rare microclimates, and exceptional meteorological phenomena they contain provide vast research fields and material for ecology, geology, geography, botany, zoology, and meteorology. All of these hold high scientific value.
2. Famous mountain scenic areas are generally far from cities, with high mountains and steep paths, and their natural ecological environments are rarely disturbed or damaged by wars, military conflicts, or large-scale human settlement. Some famous mountains are even officially designated by the imperial court for afforestation, similar to modern nature reserves. Buddhism has always prohibited indiscriminate deforestation and harm to wildlife; Taoism considers famous mountains as paradises for immortals, placing greater emphasis on protecting every blade of grass and tree. Temples and monasteries regard afforestation as meritorious deeds, often organizing greening efforts for barren mountains and the surrounding areas. To this day, many famous mountains and temples are surrounded by ancient trees and dense shade. Monks and Taoists have demonstrated moving religious devotion in nurturing mountain ecosystems. For example, during the Ming Dynasty, the monk Bi Chuan led the construction of the Golden Dragon Temple on Mount Emei. After the temple was completed, he planted 69,777 trees—each corresponding to a character in the Lotus Sutra—including camphor, pine, cypress, and fir trees, reciting one verse of the Lotus Sutra for each tree, naming the grove "Merit Forest." When the forest matured, it became a lush green cloud, providing extreme coolness (Luo Kunqi, Folklore of Buddhism and Taoism on Mount Emei, Sichuan People's Publishing House, 1988). Similar cases are recorded in historical documents, contributing positively to the protection and cultivation of the natural ecology of famous mountains. As a result, the vegetation coverage in famous mountain scenic areas is generally high, and the natural "communities" maintain an ecological balance. Correspondingly, famous mountains can preserve their sustainable aesthetic and scientific value.
2. As bases for Buddhist and Taoist religious activities, religious buildings have always been the main human elements and primary resources of the cultural landscape. Many temples and monasteries are renowned both domestically and internationally, possessing high visibility. In contrast, secular buildings are relatively few and occupy a secondary position. Due to their distance from cities and a certain degree of separation from the feudal regime of the imperial court, temples and monasteries gradually developed a unique local economy (temple economy) and organizational management (temple system). Some temples and monasteries even practiced martial arts, with many "external family martial arts" schools originating from famous mountains. These factors have strengthened the cohesion and regional structure of famous mountains, giving them a nature similar to grassroots governance, making them relatively independent political and economic entities. With this political and economic strength and the cohesion generated by temples and monasteries, Buddhism and Taoism have taken root on famous mountains. As the pioneering forces for early development and the main forces for later construction, they have made indelible contributions. Historical records and folk legends abound with touching stories of monks and Taoists struggling through hardships to establish their institutions. Except for a few temples and monasteries built by imperial decree or funded by the government, most were planned and constructed by monks and Taoists, with the support of high-ranking officials, local gentry, or through the generous contributions of believers. Often, these efforts were sustained with unwavering religious conviction over long periods. For example, on Mount Putuo, the only stone pavilion originally existed on the Buddha's Peak. In the Ming Dynasty, the monk Yuanhui vowed to build a temple here. Through the relentless efforts of several generations of monks and disciples, the grand Huji Temple was finally completed during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. On Mount Emei, the original winding and perilous mountain paths made pilgrims and visitors reluctant to ascend, and the cost of transporting goods to the summit was often higher than the goods themselves. Therefore, the renovation of the paths became an urgent issue, though the large-scale project remained unresolved for a long time. In the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, the layman Jueyan vowed to complete the renovation of the mountain paths, widely publicizing his efforts, raising funds, and gathering craftsmen. After thorough surveys, he constructed a stone-paved path stretching from the base at Fuhu Temple through Liangfeng Bridge, Jiedu Slope, Huayan Temple, Zhongfeng Temple, Sanwang Slope, Baishui Temple, around Gongbeishan, and up to the golden summit. This improved transportation conditions and included pavilions for travelers to rest. His achievement was widely praised (Xie Chongguang, Monks Built Many Famous Mountains in the World, Buddhist Culture, April 1992 issue). Such cases are recorded in historical documents.
Postscript: In the late 1970s and early 1980s, I was fortunate to participate in the preparation of the master plans for the scenic areas of Mount Huangshan and Mount Putuo, undertaken by the Department of Architecture at Tsinghua University. At that time, China's scenic industry was still in its early stages after the Cultural Revolution, lacking mature experience and relying more on practical exploration. In addition to detailed field investigations, I read various documents and books, visited management personnel and monks, and gathered primary materials for the planning through these methods. This also broadened my horizons and provided me with much knowledge about "famous mountains," giving me a preliminary understanding of their value. It was this opportunity that prompted me to expand my focus from classical Chinese gardens to traditional scenic areas while studying them, paying particular attention to famous mountain scenic areas. Over the past decade, I have visited and studied nearly forty famous mountains, read numerous works and papers by experts and scholars in the fields of landscape and garden design, and gained valuable insights. I have also written several articles based on my observations and studies, published in domestic journals. As time passed, my knowledge about famous mountains gradually accumulated, forming clearer ideas and systematic perspectives, which led me to the idea of writing a dedicated book. However, the manuscript was delayed for several years after I began writing, and it is only now that it has been completed and presented to the public as my humble contribution. Due to my academic capabilities and working conditions, the scope of my research on documents and physical materials was limited, and there may be inaccuracies, omissions, or errors in the arguments and citations. I sincerely hope for corrections and guidance from my peers and experts in the fields of landscape and garden design. The photographs used in the book, except for those with specified sources, were taken by me. The ink-line illustrations are mostly adapted from other works, while the majority are based on my on-site measurements, with varying degrees of accuracy, intended only as supplementary explanations for the text. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the management authorities of scenic areas in various regions for their warm hospitality during my visits, to the Tsinghua University Architecture Library for assisting in reproducing all the photographs in the book, and to Tsinghua University Press for providing the opportunity to publish this work.
Zhou Weiguan
Completed on June 5, 1995
Revised on October 16, 1996