This attraction introduction is compiled from historical materials in the "Zhangjiajie Tour Guide Network" (33519.com · Scenic Spots section). Ticket prices, opening hours, transportation, and contact information mentioned in the text may be outdated. Please refer to the latest official announcements from the scenic area before traveling; some content consists of historical background/cultural introductions and is for reference only.
The towering Mount Heng, with the majestic posture of its seventy-two peaks, is praised as a "famous mountain under heaven." Yet Phoenix Mountain, one of the seventy-two peaks of Mount Heng, is little known. "Swiftly gallop the white horse to chase the lion; one must recognize the spiritual bird as the phoenix" is a line from a Qing dynasty poem "The Seventy-Two Peaks," praising what is today Qishan in Hengnan, also known as Phoenix Mountain. Qishan is located in the northwest of Hengnan County (the county seat is in Hengyang City). It is 55 kilometers from Hengyang City. Administratively it belongs to the Qishan Office of Hengnan County. (Note: its predecessor was the Qishan Renrui Temple direct team of Yongxing Commune. In 1976, Hengnan County Dongfeng Forest Farm was established, changed to Qishan Township in 1984, later changed to Qishan Forest Park Management Bureau, and in 2005 the Qishan Office was established.) It borders Hengyang County to the north, adjoins Qidong County to the southwest, and touches Jilong Town of this county to the east.
Its geographical location is roughly:
Longitude 112º06'30"E——112º10'13"E
Latitude 26º53'44"N ——26º59'59"N
Qishan belongs to the Nanling mountain system and is an offshoot of the Dayun Mountains. Here mountain ridges pile up and forests are dense with clear springs. The highest peak at the junction of three counties on the northwestern border is Huoshi Peak (also called Flame Mountain), with an elevation of 741.3 meters; within the territory the elevation is 735 meters, and the lowest point, at the tail of Shuangbanqiao Reservoir, is 140 meters above sea level, with a relative height of nearly 600 meters. The mountain ranges at the border with Hengyang County in the north are all over 500 meters high, forming a northern barrier, which is also one of the main reasons Qishan is warm in severe winter. The overall terrain is high in the northwest and low in the southeast. Streams and river ports all flow southeast into Shuangbanqiao Reservoir.
The main peak of Qishan is called Phoenix Mountain, so Qishan was also called Phoenix Mountain in ancient times. Qishan's existing main temple, "Wanshou Renrui Temple," was built on the mountainside of Phoenix Mountain. This is one of the main historic sites.
Tourism at Qishan is a delightful pleasure. This is one of the famous Buddhist holy sites in our province, with many historic sites and legends, mainly including "Wanshou Renrui Temple," the "Thousand-Person Rice Cauldron," "Immortal Boat," "Immortal Bridge," "Immortal Crane Ridge," "Pudong Pagoda," and the "Gaopu Natural Stone Statue." The historical stories "Zeng Guoquan Comes to Offer Incense" and "Lord Chunfeng Resists the Qing" link history with the rise and fall of Qishan. The myths and legends "Divine Frog Facing Heaven," "White Bamboo Fairy," and "The Sharp-Mouthed Catfish Foretells Peace" reflect and embody the beautiful wishes of the working people. For hundreds of years, people have come here drawn by its fame, and visitors have gathered like clouds. Here ancient trees tower to the sky, lush and verdant; the trees are tall and straight, with flourishing branches and leaves; the dense green never changes through the four seasons; livestock call and birds sing; streams are clear and murmuring; summers are cool and winters warm. It is an ideal summer resort. Here forest tree species are rich and the primeval forests are well preserved, truly rare south of the Yangtze River. In 1994 it was designated a nature reserve, and Hunan TV once produced a continuous special television report on it. It is now a Hengyang municipal-level tourist area and a provincial-level forest park, and is applying to be a national-level forest park. We look forward to more people coming to know and understand Qishan.
