Hengshan Mountain

Located in Hengyang City, Hengshan Mountain, also known as Nanyue, is one of the Five Sacred Mountains in China. It is a famous Taoist and Buddhist holy site.

Renowned for its breathtaking natural beauty and cultural heritage, Hengshan Mountain boasts a unique blend of spiritual and scenic attractions that draw visitors from far and wide.

At the foot of the mountain stands the biggest temple in southern China, Nanyue Temple, which is the largest group of ancient buildings in Hunan Province. The original temple is said to have dated back to at least as far as the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), although it was destroyed by fire at various stages. The present temple dates back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 AD) and is based on Beijing's Imperial Palace. There are nine courtyards here, with the main hall as a highlight, at 22 meters high and supported by 72 stone pillars in tribute to the mountain's peaks. The temple, glazed in red and yellow, is linked with many other buildings and is a grand palace complex.

The magnificent and ancient temple of Hengshan Mountain is located in Nanyue District, Hengyang City.

The temple is renowned for its ancient building complex consisting of folk ancestral temples, Buddhist temples, Taoist temples and imperial palaces. It is the largest group of ancient buildings in south China and in Five Great Mountains. It is known as “the First Temple in South China” and “the Imperial Palace in South China”.

Originally built in the Sui Dynasty (581-618), the temple has been destroyed by fire for six times, and maintained and rebuilt for 17 times through the Song Dynasty (960-1279), Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). The present temple dates from the eighth year of Emperor Guangxu’s reign of the Qing Dynasty (the year of 1882). The temple was put under state protection in 2006.