Lulin scenic area
Lulin scenic area, developed by Jingshan Mount Dahong Tourism Development Co., Ltd., is the core scenic area of Mount Dahong National Famous Tourist Site. It is an AAAA tourist attraction located in Jingshan County, Hubei Province and covers an area of 120m2. Lulin is where the second great peasant uprising in Chinese history - "Lulin Uprising" - started, and also the hometown of Liu Xiu, founding emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty (23-220). That's where the word "Lulin hero" originated. The Lulin mountain has developed 4 scenic spots which are open to the public: Lulin Stockaded Village, Beauty Valley, Mandarin Duck Creek and Empty Cave. Two thirds of the tourist resources have stayed unexploited for the moment. With pure and unpolluted spring water as well as boundless and mysterious virgin forest, it is a "natural oxygen bar". It has deep culture deposits and is also home to 4 emperors and 13 powerful and noble people. As a real eco resort for sightseeing, ancient relics visit, special experience, vacation and health preservation, it is credited as "back garden of Wuhan". In 2016 alone, it attracted 2 million visitors.
Lulin ● Lulin Stockaded Village Scenic Area
Lulin Stockaded Village scenic area, with a history of over 2000 years, is the cradle of the "Lulin Uprising" led by Wang Kuang and Wang Feng at the end of the Western Han Dynasty, and also the birthplace of the first emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Liu Xiu. This is known to history as "The time of peace and prosperity under the reign of Emperor Guangwu starts from Lulin". The "Lulin Uprising" lasted for 9 years, and there were once more than a troop of 50 thousand peasants during the 5 years when they were stationed in the Lulin Stockaded Village. Historical sites can be found everywhere; stories about Lulin heroes become household; and the natural landscape is second to none. There are national famous scenic spots like Hantian Gate, South Stockaded Village and Ancient Troop Stockaded Village as well as amazing Eight-Diagram Tactics Maze, Camel Peak and Xifeng Temple that can be dated back to 2000 years ago. Lulin Stocakde, together with Wagang Stockaded Village in Henan Province and Liangshan March in Shandong Province, is credited as "China's Top Three Famous Historical and Cultural Stockaded Villages". Among the three of them, Lulin Stockaded Village has the longest history and the greatest influence, making it "Top Ancient Troop Stockaded Village of China".
The Lulin Stockaded Village bears profound cultural connotation. There is also the former location of Lulin Alliance -- Liu Xiu Square. Chairman Mao Zedong once praised Liu Xiu as the "most learned emperor who has the best military strategic competence and knowledge about selecting and using talents. Liu Xiu is also the first emperor without harem in Chinese history. In fact, the former residence of Yan Ziling(39 B.C.-41, litterateur and ideologist in Eastern Han Dynasty), military advisor of the Lulin troop, is also located here. It embodies Yan Ziling's extraordinary ideology and wisdom as a famous recluse through the ages as well as the earliest presentative of Chinese wisdom culture. In addition to all these, here is also where the practice of peasant troops opening up wasteland and growing food grain was initiated. Today, more than 10,000 mu ancient terraces opened up back then are still existing here. The two Wang's (Wang Kang, Wang Feng: Lulin Uprising leaders) Stockaded Villages together exhibit the fearlessness and loftiness of Wang Kuang and Wang Feng. "Lulin Hero" and "Doing Justice" are the very demonstration of chivalrous culture in the Lulin mountain.
Lulin● Beauty Valley Scenic Area
It is one of the core scenic area of the whole Lulin scenic area. Situated at the Wanfu Valley and consisted of a series of deep pools, waterfalls, rare stones and secluded caves, the Beauty Valley scenic area is a valley-type ecological leisure and sightseeing area themed on landscape. The waterfall family composed of dozens of magnificent waterfalls, in special, is a peerless spectacle in central China.
It is a typical Danxia landform, with spectacular red valley composed of red stones and slopes. Here is also a sea of flowers. Both sides of the slopes are planted with all kinds of flowers and trees, and fragrant flowers are blooming all round the year. Furthermore, here is also where the Lulin Uprising leaders' family dwelled and freshened up. Legend has it that a host of beautiful women were once gathering and competing for attention here. One lady who had unparalleled beauty is Liu Xiu's wife, Yin Lihua, who was also very smart and virtuous. Hence the name of the "Beauty Valley". A series of romantic and affecting things happened between her and Liu Xiu in the Beauty Valley. Lovesickness Pond, Bathing Pool, Beauty Waterfall and Beauty Palace all witnessed their love story. The big-budget ancient costume drama Singing All Along, produced by China International Television Corporation narrates the very romantic story of the couple in the Beauty Valley. Later in history, the Beauty Valley gradually became a blessed place where people seek for love and pledge lifetime love, a blessed place that witnessed the affection between lovers. The Beauty Valley as a blessed place, together with continuous love stories and beauty statues in different shapes that have undergone several renovation as well as antiphonal singing, runaway shows, beauty contests and other activities featuring beauty culture, has made the visit to the Beauty Valley a romantic search for mysteries and love.
Lulin●Mandarin Duck Creek Scenic Area
Mandarin Duck Creek scenic area is one of the most attractive scenic spot. The creek has a length of 6.7km, and rafting along it takes about 2h. The number of tourists received per day is 10,000. The scenery on both sides of the creek is amazing, and there are in total more than 10 scenery spots for visitors to enjoy. When sitting on a raft, it feels like that the mountains are moving with the water, and the scenery is moving with the raft. The mountains and water seem to be linked together with the sky. All these together gives a really breathtaking view. Hence the saying "Zigzag Mandarin Duck Creek forms a long water gallery". The creek water is spring water from the White Dragon Pool on the top of Mount Dahong. It is of high quality and has beauty soothing and health building effects. The rafting is neither too fast nor too slow, but torrential and thrilling enough at a point to arouse screams, while in the next second you can even splash in the water to have fun. It is this noticeable feature of being thrilling but safe that makes it the only tourist attraction in central Hubei Province where rafting features family affection and romantic relations, and even children and senior citizens can join. There are a range of rafting choices, including flying rafting, masque rafting, loop rafting, repeated surfing, night rafting and winter rafting. Night rafting and winter rafting, in special, are the only and unique items across all rafting scenic spots in China. Mandarin Duck Creek scenic area is among the earliest scenic areas in Hubei Province to develop a rafting program.
Lulin●Empty Cave Scenic Area
The Empty Cave scenic area is located south to the outskirts of Jingshan County, Hubei Province. It is a typical karst cave spanning 1,548m, and high as 48m at a point and wide as 26m somewhere else. It is also the one and only cave characterized by immortal culture in central China. The cave consists of 6 palaces: Heavenly Palace, Immortal Palace, Moon Palace, Dragon Palace, Underground Palace and Music Palace. Inside it there are splendid straight stalagmites and stalactites hanging here and there, giving a really fascinating spectacle. It also integrates all widely-known fairy tales on the earth, and in this sense, it is highly worthy of a visit. The most amazing thing in the cave is the 11 natural stalactites in the Music Palace. These stalactites can give complete notes and play domestic and overseas masterpieces when percussed. It is therefore praised by geologists and the music industry as a "natural stone chime" and a wonder of the world. Albums of beautiful songs and musical compositions created with the "stone chime" have been released, so that people can witness the miracle of nature by hearing the pure natural sound!
Lulin Culture
1.Emperor Culture
The Lulin mountain is the cradle of four emperors: Liu Xuan, Emperor Gengshi of the Han Dynasty; Liu Xiu, Emperor Guangwu of the Han Dynasty; Yang Jian, Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty; and Zhu Houcong, Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty.
Emperor Guangwu of the Han Dynasty, Liu Xiu: (5 B.C.-29/03/57) founding emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty, with temple title "Shizu" and posthumous title "Emperor Guangwu". Late Xin Dynasty (founding emperor: Wang Mang), the whole country collapsed and fell into chaos. Liu Xiu, a commoner with royal lineage from a former dynasty, took the initiative to gather a troop and and formed alliance with Wang Kuang and Wang Feng in the Lulin mountain. Between 17-25, Liu was firmly entrenched in the Lulin mountain where his governing ideology as an emperor took shape. In 25, after Liu Xuan was murdered by Red-browed Peasant Rebels, Liu Xiu proclaimed himself emperor at the Millennium Pavillon in Hebei Province. In order to commemorate the revival of the Liu's dynasty, he kept "Han" as the title of the new dynasty, known to history as "Eastern Han Dynasty".
Emperor Gengshi of the Han Dynasty: (?-25), Liu Xuan, with a style name "Shenggong". He was born to a loyal family of the Western Han Dynasty in Caiyang County, Nanyang Prefecture (today's southwest of Zaoyang, Hubei Province), as a descendant of Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty, Liu Qi and a cousin of Emperor Guangwu of the Han Dynasty, Liu Xiu. Late Xin Dynasty, Wang Mang's tyranny was quite unsatisfactory, so Wang Kuang and Wang Feng took the lead in rising in revolt in the Lulin mountain, kicking off the revolution of "Rising against Wang Mang and Revival of the Han Dynasty". Liu Xuan joined the Lulin troop and was hailed as "Emperor Gengshi of the Han Dynasty" by the Lulin troop in February 23 since he was a descendant of Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty.
Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty, Yang Jian: (541-607), founding emperor of the Sui Dynasty. He was born to a family of Han ethnic in Huayin County, Hongnong Prefecture, and also the 14th generation offspring of the supreme government officer in charge of military affairs of Han Dynasty, Yang Zhen. Yang Jian's father Yang Zhong was once ennobled as "Duck of the Sui Dynasty", with Suizhou as the fief, due to his great contribution to the country. The second year of the reign under Emperor Wen of the Northern Zhou Dynasty (reign title: Baoding) , 561, 19-year-old Yang Jian was promoted "Little Seigneur" and sent to Suizhou (today's Suizhou, Hubei Province) as "Prefectural Governor". After that, he was appointed "Senior General" and had since been living amidst the Mount Dahong to which his life was tightly bounded. Later, Emperor Jing of the Northern Zhou Dynasty abdicated and handed over the crown to Yang Jian, and Yang Jian used "Sui" as the reign title.
Emperor Jiajing of Ming Dynasty, Zhu Houcong: (16/09/1507-23/01/1567), the 11th emperor of the Ming Dynasty. He is also the grandson of Emperor Chenghua and a concubine, a cousin of Emperor Wu of the Ming Dynasty and the second son of Lord Xingxian named Zhu Youyuan. He lived in the Lulin mountain for 15 years. Since Emperor Wu died without an heir, Emperor Dowager Zhang (mother of Emperor Wu of Ming Dynasty) and Cabinet Prime Minister Yang Tinghe decided to let Zhu Houcong inherit the throne, with "Jiajing" as the reign title.
2.Lulin Hero Culture
The Lulin Culture originated from the "Lulin Uprising". The Lulin mountain witnessed the second peasant uprising, widely known as "Lulin Uprising", in Chinese history. It is also the place where Liu Xiu, founding emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty, established his reputation. This is known to history as "The time of peace and prosperity under the reign of Emperor Guangwu starts from the Lulin"and it is how the Lulin Culture with a history of thousands of years was established, which is a rich cultural heritage for later generations.
The Lulin Uprising not only drew great attention in ancient Chinese history, but also left long-standing and profound spiritual and cultural heritage, Lulin Culture. This is mainly reflected in the following aspects:
(1) The Lulin Uprising bears a special significance in Chinese history. It is different from other peasant uprisings in three ways. First, the Lulin Uprising has its clear ideology and target, with the maximum program as "Rise against Wang Mang and Revive the Han Dynasty". Second, the Lulin troop established a base area, and for Liu Xiu, the very base area was the Lulin Mountain. Third, the Eastern Han Dynasty was a feudal dynasty founded via peasant uprising in Chinese history. The idiom "Lulin hero" actually came from this uprising and has now become an alternative way of addressing "Swordsman in the Martial Arts World" and "Chivalrous People from all over the World". It has also been used to describe spiritual qualities like "Extreme Loyalty" and behaviors like "Rob the Rich to Feed the Poor" and "Doing Justice". In short, "Lulin Hero" has been a symbol of such spiritual quality.
(2) The Lulin Stockaded Village is one of the main sources of Chinese martial arts. Since ancient times, martial arts have been strongly advocated in Jingshan County. Actually, the Lulin troop successfully developed and initiated a series of boxing, cudgel and spear play techniques in actual combats. These techniques have been passed down throughout history. According to relevant records of Chinese boxing history, the Xiong's Boxing, once quite popular in the Jianghan Plain and still existing today in Jingshan County, was also invented by the Lulin troop.
(3) The Lulin is the very origin of hero culture. There are three famous ancient stockaded villages in Chinese history: Lulin Stockaded Village, Wagang Stockaded Village (in today's Hua County, Henan Province) and Liangshan Stockaded Village (also known as Shuipoliangshan, in today's Liangshan County, Shandong Province). All of the three ancient stockaded villages have exerted long-standing influence on hero culture. Among them, the Lulin hero culture has the longest history and the greatest influence. It is the very beginning of hero culture in China.
3.Han Culture
The Han Culture is also known as Two Hans (Western Han and Eastern Han) Culture. Lulin mountain region is the origin of the "Lulin Uprising" taking place during the transition from the Western Han Dynasty to the Western Han Dynasty. It is typical of Two Hans Culture. The relic troop stockaded villages, terraces, stone carvings, tablet inscriptions and architecture from the Han Dynasty give full expression to the features of Two Hans Culture.
4. Religious Culture
The Lulin Mountain has long been a famous Buddhist resort in central China. There are a lot of temples amidst the mountains, among which Xifeng Temple and Wenchang Temple are the most widely known to people. Both of the two temples were built more than 2,000 years ago. They have survived successive reigns and dynasties, enjoying a booming pilgrimage ever since and also formed the praying for "Eight Blessings": heir, wealth, justice, destiny, longevity, luck, peace and career. According to folk tales, any sincere worshiper kneeling down here will get whatever he is praying for.