Western Mountains
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The Western Mountains or Western Hills ( ''Xi Shan'') are a scenic mountain area located 12 km to the west of
Kunming Kunming (; ), also known as Yunnan-Fu, is the capital and largest city of Yunnan province, China. It is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of the province as well as the seat of the provincial government. The headquar ...
,
Yunnan Yunnan , () is a landlocked Provinces of China, province in Southwest China, the southwest of the People's Republic of China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 48.3 million (as of 2018). The capital of the province is ...
,
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
. They are formed by the Huating, Taihua and Luohan mountain ranges rising above the eastern and northern banks of
Dianchi Lake Dianchi Lake (), also known as Lake Dian and Kunming Lake (), is a large lake located on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau close to Kunming, Yunnan, China. Its nickname is the "Sparkling Pearl Embedded in a Highland" () and it was the model for the Kunm ...
.


Protected area

The Western Hills are a
protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...
known as the Western Hills Forest Reserve (). The ranges have spectacular steep cliffs and stretch from the wooded Huating Temple to the
Longmen Mountains The Longmen Mountains (), also tautologically referred to in English-language publications as the Longmenshan Mountains, are a mountain range in Sichuan province in southwestern China. Geography The range runs in a roughly northeast to southwest ...
(Dragon's Gate Mountains). Clouds and mist often hide the mountain sides covered with giant
firs Firs (''Abies'') are a genus of 48–56 species of evergreen coniferous trees in the family Pinaceae. They are found on mountains throughout much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa. The genus is most closely related to ...
and
pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accep ...
s where some ancient temples are to be found.


Caves

In the cliffs under Luohan Peak, in the Western Hills, are the
Longmen Grottoes The Longmen Grottoes () or Longmen Caves are some of the finest examples of Chinese Buddhist art. Housing tens of thousands of statues of Shakyamuni Buddha and his disciples, they are located south of present-day Luoyang in Henan province, C ...
, with a stone gate leading to the Datiange chamber. 2,300 metres above sea level, these are the largest Taoist grottoes in Yunnan. It took 72 years to build these grottoes during the
Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...
, from the 46th year of the
Qianlong Emperor The Qianlong Emperor (25 September 17117 February 1799), also known by his temple name Emperor Gaozong of Qing, born Hongli, was the fifth Emperor of the Qing dynasty and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China proper, reigning from 1735 t ...
's reign (1782) to the 3rd year of the
Xianfeng Emperor The Xianfeng Emperor (17 July 1831 – 22 August 1861), or by temple name Emperor Wenzong of Qing (), given name Yizhu (), was the eighth Emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the seventh Qing emperor to rule over China proper, reigned from 1850 t ...
's reign (1854). The project was undertaken by stone craftsmen living at the foot of the Western Hills. It is said that the workers could get a measure of rice for each measure of stone, poor payment for such hard and dangerous work. Datiange ( Mansion of Heaven) is a stone chamber carved out of the cliffs and is regarded as the finest of the Longmen Grottoes. The relief carving on the walls, the gods, the sacrificial table and the candlesticks are all sculpted following the original shape of the rocks. The '' Kuixing'' (God of literature and exams) in the center has one foot on a huge turtle. Holding a dipper and a brush, he turns back to look into the blue sky above the cliffs. Yet his brush has no point. It is said that the stone carver broke the brush point by accident and spoiled the work of decades. He dropped his knife and threw himself over the cliffs. Standing on the Longmen, the lake is vast and the sky is endless. In the morning, it is an ideal place to greet the rising sun. In the evening, one can admire the sparkling lights of downtown Kunming. The 3rd of March is a festive time in the Western Hills, when it is considered the best time for Kunming residents to climb the mountains and look into the distance, to admire the spring flowers and appreciate the feeling of new life.


The Sleeping Beauty

Local folklore describes this mountain range as a young girl with her hair drifting into the lake. Thus it is also known as "Sleeping Beauty" or "Sleeping Maiden". The lake itself is said to have formed from her tears, shed while she awaited her lover's return according to local tradition. This range is alternatively known as the "Sleeping Buddha".“City of Spring”-- Kunming: A Famous Historical and Cultural City
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Dragon Gate

Lying 15 km west of Kunming City, the Dragon Gate in the Western Hills is close to the west shore of the
Dianchi Lake Dianchi Lake (), also known as Lake Dian and Kunming Lake (), is a large lake located on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau close to Kunming, Yunnan, China. Its nickname is the "Sparkling Pearl Embedded in a Highland" () and it was the model for the Kunm ...
. It consists of the Sanqing Temple Complex and the Dragon Gate Grotto Complex. The buildings of the Sanqing Taoist Temple are arranged in nine tiers: They are the Lingguan Hall, the Chunyang Pavilion, the Sanqing Hall, the Yuhuang Temple, the Taiqing Palace, the Zhenwu Hall, the Luzu Temple, the Qisheng Temple, Lingxiao Pavilion, the Laojun Pavilion and the Taiji Palace. The Dragon Gate Grotto Complex includes Lanhaichu, the Ciyun Cave, the Yunhua Cave and the Datian Pavilion. The marvelous Dragon Gate Grotto Complex was accomplished through 72 years of hard work (1781–1853). The Dragon Gate consists of 3 parts: a stone archway, a platform, a stone room and a number of sculptures, all carved out of the same rock. It is both the summit of the grotto and the highlight of the grotto as well. The characters "Longmen-Dragon Gate, (the sign of the Dragon Gate)" are inscribed in red and gold upon the arch. On the left, a platform surrounded by a stone railing is the ideal place to welcome the wind and to view the bold cliff. The elevation of the Dragon Gate is over 2,300 meters, 300 meters higher than the water surface of the Dianchi Lake.


Temples

The Huating Temple, the Taihua Temple, Sanqingge and Longmen were all built around the
Ming The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...
and
Qing The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speaki ...
dynasties. In the Taihua Mountains, old roads lead to places surrounded by trees. The Huating Temple is famous for its colorful statues that combine styles of
Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
and
Taoism Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of Philosophy, philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of China, Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmo ...
. The solemnity of Buddhism and the freedom of Taoism blend into one. The Taihua Temple, often shrouded in mist, is 1.5 km from the Huating Temple on the main peak of the Taihua Mountains. This tranquil and isolated temple is reputed as a place of "heavenly peace". The main halls are built along the rising slopes. Covered corridors connect each pavilion and mansion. With its ancient trees, perfumed orchids, camellias, osmanthus and plum trees, the Taihua Temple is noted for its tranquility and elegance.


See also

*
List of mountain ranges in the world named The Sleeping Lady The Sleeping Woman is a name or nickname for certain mountain formations located in different places in the world that are said to look like a reclining or deceased woman in the local tradition. Ranges by the name of "The Sleeping Lady" *Western ...


References


External links

* *
Yunnan Tourism - sightseeing in Kunming
{{Yunnan Geography of Kunming Mountain ranges of Yunnan Tourist attractions in Yunnan