Jiuhua Mountain(Jiuhua Mountain, Jiuhuashan, Mount Jiuhua)

Jiuhua Mountain is located southeast of Chizhou. During the Kaiyuan reign of the Tang Dynasty (719 AD), Prince Jin Qiaojue of the ancient Silla Kingdom (an ancient regime on the Korean Peninsula) came here to practice Buddhism. Because various auspicious signs before and after his death closely resembled those of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, he was recognized as an incarnation of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and revered as Jin Ksitigarbha. Thus, Jiuhua Mountain became Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's bodhimanda and, together with Mount Putuo, Mount Wutai, and Emeishan, was listed as one of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains. The preserved bodies of eminent monks from various dynasties are a major feature here. Under the perpetually humid climate, the bodies of these monks have been preserved after their passing. Currently, there are five such flesh-body bodhisattvas available for viewing.

Jiuhua Street on the mountain is ring-shaped and serves as the core tourist hub of the attraction. Most trips to the various attractions start from Jiuhua Street, and many important temples are also located here. Temples are scattered throughout the mountain, and three key temples are recommended: Baisui Palace, the Hall of the Flesh Body, and Huacheng Temple. Except for Baisui Palace, which is built on a small hill, the latter two are both within the area of Jiuhua Street. To reach Baisui Palace, it takes about half an hour on foot up the mountain, or you can take the cable car. Baisui Palace enshrines the flesh body of the Ming Dynasty monk Wuxia, one of the oldest extant flesh-body bodhisattvas on Jiuhua Mountain, who was imperially conferred the title of "Response Body Bodhisattva." The Hall of the Flesh Body enshrines the flesh body of the Tang Dynasty Jin Dizang; the flesh body is sealed within a pagoda, so visitors cannot directly view the true body, but they may walk clockwise around the pagoda inside the hall. Huacheng Temple is the founding ancestral temple of Jiuhua Mountain and also the site of the Jiuhua Mountain History and Cultural Relics Museum, which houses the "Huayan Blood Sutra," copied by monk Wuxia over twenty-eight years using his own finger blood, a national first-class cultural relic.

In addition to the two flesh bodies at Baisui Palace and Roushen Baodian, the other three flesh-body bodhisattvas are: Monk Mingjing of Zhantan Zen Forest, Monk Ciming of Dizang Zen Temple, and Master Renyi, a bhikkhuni, of Tonghui Zen Forest. Master Renyi is a bhikkhuni flesh body that can be visited. These three temples are all located on Jiuhua Street and can be visited in sequence. In the evening, the Qiyuan Zen Temple, the foremost of the four great monasteries, is brightly lit, and many large-scale Buddhist ceremonies are held here. Travelers may observe quietly, but must strictly observe Buddhist etiquette, refraining from loud noise and pointing at will.

Travelers on a 1-day tour generally only need to visit the key temples; those with plenty of energy can continue upward from Baisuigong to Dongya Temple, and walk from Roushen Hall to **Shangchan Hall and Xiaotiantai**. Travelers on a 2-day tour can visit temples on the first day and hike up the mountain to enjoy the natural scenery on the second day, with three options: the Tiantai scenic area, the Huatai scenic area, or the ridge traverse from Tiantai to Huatai. Visiting Tiantai or Huatai separately generally takes about half a day; the Tiantai–Huatai traverse is a hiking route with a certain level of intensity, so it is recommended to set aside a full day. Tiantai is located on the south side, with its entrance at Fenghuang Pine south of Jiuhua Street; from Tiantai Temple at the top, you can enjoy the sunrise and sea of clouds and overlook the panoramic view of Jiuhua Street. Huatai is located in the northern part of the attraction, where the natural scenery is more pristine and pure, with exotic peaks and grotesque rocks scattered in varied forms; every May, rhododendrons bloom across the mountains in succession. The entrances to the two scenic areas are far apart, but they are connected by a hiking trail along the ridge.

This place is foggy year-round, especially in spring and fall, when clouds and mist shroud the temple, giving it a sense of a Buddhist wonderland. Foggy days are often accompanied by drizzle, so bringing a rain poncho is recommended. In winter, snowy scenery is common in the mountains, but the steps are wet and slippery, so be sure to take anti-slip precautions when climbing.