Zhongshan

Author: He Xuan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-06-01
Features: Zhongshan was once hailed as one of the Four Famous Mountains of Jiangnan in ancient times. The Tang Dynasty's "Geographic Records": "In Jiangnan Circuit, the famous mountains are Heng, Lu, Mao, and Jiang." Jiang Mountain refers to Zhongshan. Zhongshan is the highest peak of the Ningzhen Mountains. The mountain range runs east-west, approximately seven kilometers long, three kilometers wide north-south, and covers an area of over twenty square kilometers, with a circumference of over thirty kilometers. Zhongshan has three peaks, aligned east-west like a penholder. The main peak is located in the center-north, also known as Beifeng Peak or Zhongmao Mountain, with an elevation of 448.9 meters. The Mausoleum of the Nanyue King is situated on its southern slope. The eastern peak, also called Xiaomao Mountain, has an elevation of 365.8 meters. The western peak is also known as Xiyafeng Peak or Tianbao Mountain, with an elevation of 244.5 meters. The mountain is home to the Purple Mountain Observatory and the ruins of Tianbao City. Zhongshan features majestic and steep terrain, slightly arched with the arc opening southward, winding like a dragon. The ridge's direction turns at Beifeng Peak, with the western section trending southwest and passing near Taipingmen to enter the city. The remaining foothills extend westward intermittently, forming Fugui Mountain and Jiuhua Mountain, ending at Beiguo Pavilion. The eastern section trends southeast and ends at Majun.