Wandering through the Spirit Rock Wonderland, one can appreciate the elegance of 'Mingting'

'Yandang reigns supreme, Spirit Rock is particularly extraordinary.' Spirit Rock is the foremost of the 'three marvels' of Yandang, hailed as the 'Mingting' of Yandang Mountain. To embrace the beauty of Spirit Rock is a must-visit spot on a tour of Yandang Mountain. On the afternoon of February 7th, after finishing the Wo Yun plank walkway, I entered the Spirit Rock scenic area. Descending along the cliffside plank walkway, I arrived at the Wo Long (Crouching Dragon) Pool. Indeed, this is a descending route that starts from the top, offering views of clear pools, plank walkways, perilous peaks, streams, waterfalls, ancient temples, cliffs, and secluded caves along the way, exiting through the South Heaven Gate and ending at the southern gate of the scenic area. Objectively speaking, the 'top-down' tour is downhill and relatively less strenuous. Moreover, without taking the 'same way back', one can almost see all the main attractions of the scenic area. Wo Long Pool is the starting point of Wo Long Valley, a clear pool resembling a high mountain hanging pond. There is a water outlet on the side of the mountain rock, and amidst the sound of massive flowing water, the water cascades down like white silk. It resembles a white dragon diving into the winding Wo Long Valley. A few dozen meters down the cliffside plank walkway, looking back at the water flowing out of Wo Long Pool, one sees the Flying Waterfall. Continuing down the cliffside plank walkway, the stream between the mountains slows down, and the overflowing water crossing the stones becomes the Divine Water of the Stone Boat. Continuing down the walkway, another clear pool is nestled between the cliffs. On the side of the cliff, a stone tablet stands erect, marking the 'Broken Heart Cliff'. At the edge of the cliff, the water from the clear pool falls, marking the source of the Xiao Long (Little Dragon) Spring. Looking ahead, the solitary beauty of Du Xiu Peak stands facing us, with the plank walkway encircling the mountain. Looking down, the valley is a thousand feet deep. Passing Du Xiu Peak, the Lingyan Temple in the valley becomes clearly visible. Descending the plank walkway, with the mountain cliff on one side and winding stairs on the other, the sound of the waterfall roars as one turns right and climbs several dozen meters up the wall. Passing through a valley bottom that is dark, damp, and filled with giant boulders, one reaches the approximately 70-meter-high Xiao Long Spring Waterfall. Approaching the waterfall, surrounded by cliffs, the waterfall cascades from above, like a ribbon from the sky. Arriving at Lingyan Temple, the 'Spirit Rock Crossing' performance begins between 3:30 and 4:00 in the afternoon, which is also the best viewing point. First, performers demonstrate the harvesting of Dendrobium by jumping down the cliffside of Tianzhu Peak with bamboo baskets on their backs. Then, the two peaks are crossed, with a 250-meter-long cable suspended 260 meters in the air between Tianzhu Peak and Zhanqi Peak, moving through the air, a truly thrilling spectacle. Lingyan Temple was originally established during the Northern Song Dynasty and is listed as the foremost among the eighteen ancient temples of Yandang. Surrounded by mountains, with the Pingxia Peak behind the temple standing tall against the clouds. In front of the temple, Tianzhu Peak and Zhanqi Peak stand opposite each other, resembling the 'South Heaven Gate', with Wo Long Creek flowing through it. To the right of the temple, the Dragon Nose Cave contains inscriptions from the Tang Dynasty to the Republic of China, 82 stone tablets and 7 steles, known as the 'Yan Mountain Stele Grottoes'. On the left side, the 'Heaven's Hearing Cave' is located at the waist of Zhanqi Peak. After touring the surroundings of Lingyan Temple, follow Wo Long Creek down the mountain path, where you can see the Pagoda Peak and the statue of Xu Xiake, reaching the southern gate of the scenic area by 5:30 in the evening. Looking back on the tour of Spirit Rock, it starts from the heavens and winds around the precipices. Admiring the clear jade pools, seeking the flying waterfalls of the dragon. Marveling at the solidness of the cliff stones, astonished by the sheer cliffs. Gazing into the dangerous valleys, exploring the mysterious caves; and further admiring the ancient Lingyan Temple, where all mountains come to worship. The beauty of the scenery is breathtaking! The poem says: Wandering through Spirit Rock Walking the plank walkway around the cliffs, one feels as if soaring, while the water of Wo Yun Pool enters the valley with a roar. In front of Du Xiu Peak, one's soul feels torn, as the Xiao Long Spring Waterfall flies high into the sky. The stream in front of the temple clears the view, and the two peaks are crossed on a single rope. If you ask where the beauty of Spirit Rock lies, just sit and watch the white clouds wrap around the cliff peaks. Address: 88 Yanshan Road, Yandang Mountain Town, Yueqing City, Wenzhou Ticket: Full ticket 50 yuan, half ticket 25 yuan. Tour Duration: 2.5 hours.