Lion Peak

Lion Peak is located in the northeastern part of Mount Jiuhua UNESCO Global Geopark, Chizhou City, Anhui Province, to the east of Kecun New Area. It is one of the high mountain scenic areas of Mount Jiuhua, with a maximum elevation of 1,091 meters. Lion Peak is composed of several peaks including Lion Peak itself, Jiuzi Peak, Jiulong Pantian (Nine Dragons Coiling the Sky), Tianhua Peak, Duxiu Peak, and Wenshu Peak. The peak resembles a majestic lion lying on its side, with huge rocks stacked on top and deep fissures. Its landscape is characterized by "majesty and strangeness". On January 2, 2006, the Wuhu Explorer Outdoor Sports Club made the first ascent of Lion Peak, opening up a classic route for outdoor rock climbing and rappelling. Since then, multiple summit activities have been organized each year. The passenger cableway project of the Lion Peak Scenic Area has obtained environmental impact assessment approval, and a sports and wellness industrial cluster will be built in the future.

At the summit of Lion Peak, huge rocks resemble a lion sitting in a coiled posture. Along the northern edge of the summit, there is a corridor about one to two meters wide. On the western side, across a stone crevice, there is a raised stone top of about five or six square meters, which one can step onto. About thirty meters northwest of the summit stands a majestic peak shaped like a large Buddha sitting on a lotus platform, with both hands naturally resting on the lap, appearing very solemn. On the west side of Lion Peak, steep cliffs hang in the air. At the eastern foot of the peak, the Lion Hut (Shizi An) was built in the Ming Dynasty, with its stone gate and stone walls still extant. Nearby is the Flying Dragon Cave, which twists and turns three times inside, full of interest. Surrounding the area are ancient sites such as Golden Rooster Cave, Wenshu Hall, White Elephant Cave, as well as historical relics like the Liuchong Rock Carvings. At the base of Lion Peak stands the Thousand Buddha Temple (originally named Zhutian Temple), built backing onto Lion Peak, meaning to enshrine all the heavenly gods who protect Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva. Beside the temple there is a water source suitable for outdoor enthusiasts to camp. The geological structure of this peak is dominated by vertically jointed granite, forming a conical peak through weathering and gravitational collapse.

A local legend about Lion Peak goes as follows: It is said that there was once a pair of stone lions in front of a temple at the foot of the mountain. One day, the two stone lions were playing and frolicking in front of the temple, disturbing the monk who was chanting sutras inside. The monk scolded them. One lion, angered, left and leaped to the mountaintop. When its anger subsided and it wanted to return, it found itself surrounded by sheer cliffs with no way down. It had no choice but to stay on the summit, turning into the main peak that looks like a lying lion. Another version says that in front of Jiuzi Temple (within the Jiuziyan Scenic Area), there was a pair of stone lions from the Tang and Song dynasties. The companion of one of them (i.e., the other stone lion) rode on clouds and mist towards Lion Peak, and the strange rock shaped like a lion on Lion Peak is the transformation of that stone lion.

From the summit of Lion Peak, one can gaze into the distance at the surrounding peaks and watch the sea of clouds at sunrise. The nearby peaks stand tall and imposing, with layers of mountains and rugged strange rocks that resemble human figures and objects, presenting a myriad of magnificent scenes comparable to Tiandu Peak of Mount Huangshan. Starting from Kecun, passing through relics such as Black Tiger Pine, Golden Rooster Cave, Wenshu Hall, and Flying Dragon Cave, visitors can closely appreciate the majestic postures of scenic spots such as "Lion Watching the Sea, Golden Toad Spitting Dew, Five Elders Competing for Immortality, and Duxiu Soaring into the Sky". The famous 99-meter-high bronze statue of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva has its back against the peaks of the Lion Peak cluster.