Dayuan Cultural Park

The Dayuan Cultural Park in Mount Jiuhua is located in Kecun New Area at the northern foot of Mount Jiuhua UNESCO Global Geopark, and is an important part of the Mount Jiuhua Scenic Area. Covering an area of over 1,500 mu (approximately 100 hectares), its core attraction is a 99-meter-high outdoor bronze statue of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, the tallest statue of Ksitigarbha in the world. The statue used 1,168 tons of bronze and was plated with 65 kilograms of gold. It depicts the bodhisattva in the standing bhiksu (monk) form, holding a khakkhara (Buddhist staff) in the right hand and a mani jewel in the left. The design incorporates the ingenious concept of revealing a "Buddha's halo" during the spring and autumn equinoxes. The statue was first envisioned by Master Rende in 1990, received state approval in 1998, began construction in 2005, was completed in 2012, and held its consecration ceremony and opened to the public in August 2013. It is a tourist attraction that integrates natural landscape with Buddhist culture, and traditional art with modern technology. The site selection also strictly follows traditional architectural principles: the main statue faces west with its back to the east, using Lion Peak as a backdrop, forming a unique pattern of "a topographically superior location".

The Dayuan Cultural Park is laid out along a central axis. The straight-line distance from the main entrance to the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva statue is 1,900 meters. Along the axis, there are over ten attractions including Hongyuan Tang (Great Vow Hall), the Lotus Pure Land, the Khakkhara Square, Wanfang Mani, Hongqiao Feitian (Rainbow Bridge with Flying Apsaras), Jiuzi Kasaya Square, and the Buddha Light Pool. The park features a rich variety of architectural styles. The overall design boldly innovates upon traditional architectural forms, skillfully blending the majestic style of Tang Dynasty architecture with the distinctive features of Huizhou architecture, creating a unique charm known as "Tang-style grandeur with Huizhou architectural charm".

The construction of the park emphasizes the symbolic meaning of the number "99", echoing traditional elements associated with Mount Jiuhua: the mountain's 99 peaks, its 99 temples, and the fact that Jin Dizang (Ksitigarbha) entered nirvana at the age of 99. Specifically: the bronze statue is 99 meters high; the Jiuzi Kasaya Square is 99 meters in diameter; the Buddha Light Pool is 99 meters in diameter; 99 stones are placed in the square to symbolize the 99 peaks; and the Great Vow Hall has a depth of 99 meters.

As a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and an integral part of Mount Jiuhua UNESCO Global Geopark, the Dayuan Cultural Park does not charge an admission fee – visitors can enter for free. Hongyuan Tang, which serves as the Ksitigarbha Cultural Exhibition Center, sells separate tickets. Shuttle buses are available within the park for visitors who wish to use them. The park also regularly presents a large-scale Buddhist cultural performance titled May the Great Vow Be Fulfilled, offering visitors a unique audiovisual experience.

Through a panoramic display of its mystical, exquisite, and beautiful natural landscapes, the Jiuhuashan Geological Museum enables visitors to recognize that Jiuhuashan is not only a renowned religious mountain and a cultural mountain, but also a scenic mountain and an ecological mountain. The exhibition focuses on the formation of Jiuhuashan, its geological heritage sites, and geological specimens, highlighting the three major functions of collection, scientific research, and education. As a result, the museum has become a comprehensive museum integrating science popularization, teaching, appreciation, and academic exchange.