Located northeast of Nanjing City, Mount Qixia, originally called Mount She, is named after the Qixia Temple on the mountain. There are three peaks of Mount Qixia. Dragon Peak is in the east and Tiger Peak in the west. The main peak is called Phoenix-flying Peak. The three names come from their shapes. Mount Qixia is covered by thick forest and decorated by beautiful valleys and rocks. The trees are mainly maples. Every autumn, people are deeply moved by the bright red color that covers the mountain.
The eponymous building of Mount Qixia, Qixia Temple, has contributed greatly to the reputation of the mountain. At the top of the temple is a holy shrine with an exquisite statue of a Buddha carved from a large slab of white marble. In addition, there is a figure of Monk Jianzhen to commemorate his great deeds in sailing to Japan and his bravery in overcoming so many difficulties. To the southeast of Qixia Temple, there is a masterpiece of Buddhist art in China.
Mount Qixia, with its beautiful scenery and strong religious atmosphere, attracts thousands of visitors from home and abroad.
Sarira Pagoda is southeast of Qixia temple, built of white stone it is a five story octagonal construction. The exterior walls are decorated with vivid reliefs. Those on the base of the pagoda base depict the Buddha's birth, travels, ascetic practices, meditation, the expounding of Buddhist sutras, subjugating evil spirits as well as the nirvana of Sakyamuni. The carvings include dragons and phoenixes together with other birds and flowers. The main body of the pagoda has sculptures of Heavenly Kings, Wenshu Buddha (Manjusri, Buddha of Wisdom) and Puxian Buddha (Bodhisattva of Universal Benevolence) riding an elephant. A shrine containing a Buddha is located on each story. Under the eaves are images of Feitian (flying Apsaras) and Letian (the Buddhist god of sweet music). In a word the elegant sculpting, the exquisite reliefs and the magnificent decoration make this pagoda representative of Buddhist art south of the Yangtze River.
The Thousand Buddhas Cliff is at the southeast foot of the main peak, and comprises 294 shrines and 515 statues of Buddhas - hence the name. Most of the shrines house a Buddha with two disciples. Some sit while some stand, their sizes varying from several cun (a unit of length, equal to 1/3 decimeter) to several zhang (a unit of length, equal to 10.9 feet). Among these, the statue of Amitabha is the biggest, at a height of 11 meters (36 feet) including its base. The most famous is the East Feitian in No. 102 shrine. Sadly, some of the sculptures have suffered damage due to perennial efflorescence.
You can sample the vegetarian noodles that are served in Qixia Temple. A specialty, they really do taste different with fragrant mushroom, suji (steamed bean curd roll) and other vegetables. The souvenirs available here include various maple leaf bookmarks and ornaments.
The best time to visit Mount Qixia is in late autumn when the maple leaves have turned crimson. We wish you a good time when visiting the mountain.
Admission Fee : RMB 12