Around China Series 15: Xuzhou Yunlong Mountain

🌈Historical Background: Yunlong Mountain is located to the south of Xuzhou city, also known as Shifo Mountain. It has an altitude of 142 meters and stretches for 3 kilometers. The mountain is divided into nine sections, winding and undulating like a divine dragon, with its head pointing to the northeast and its tail to the southwest. During the Song Dynasty, Su Dongpo, who served as the governor of Xuzhou, frequently visited Yunlong Mountain with friends, leaving behind many famous and enduring literary works. 🚗Highlights: Yunlong Mountain boasts both natural scenery and cultural landscapes. There are numerous cultural relics on the mountain, including the Great Stone Buddha from the Northern Wei Dynasty, Tang and Song Dynasty cliff carvings, the Song Dynasty's Crane Releasing Pavilion, the Ming Dynasty's Xinghua Zen Temple, and the Qing Dynasty's Dashiyen, among other historical and cultural monuments. 🎫Ticket Information: Free, with a recommended visiting time of over 3 hours ✨Travel Tips: Yunlong Mountain covers a large area. Although not tall, it is quite long, and the mountains and peaks resemble a series of steps. Entering from the archway opposite the Xuzhou Museum, you can first visit the Yunlong Academy, which has many cliff carvings, and then hike up to the Dashiyen Temple and Xinghua Zen Temple. Alternatively, you can enter directly from the east gate of Yunlong Mountain to Xinghua Zen Temple. After visiting these places, you can head south, climbing up to the scenic viewing platform, which offers the best views. From there, you can see the entire Yunlong Lake. It is recommended to come in the afternoon to witness the sunset over Yunlong Lake, which is particularly stunning. The evening breeze is also very pleasant. There are not many scenic spots in the latter sections of the mountain, and the paths involve a lot of ascending and descending, so it is not recommended to continue. After the viewing platform, you can exit through the west exit. There are many forks in the road down the mountain, and any of them will take you west to Yunlong Lake.