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Xikou, in Fenghua City, is a 4-star national-grade scenic spot, well-known home and abroad for its integrity of Buddhist culture, humane culture, and scenic beauty. It is the place where Maitreya Buddha practiced his Buddhist rites and also the home town of Mr. Chiang Kai-Shek and his son Chiang Ching-Kuo--two important historical figures in the modern history of China. As a famous scenic spot, it consists of three areas of interest: Xikou Town, Xuedou Hill and Tingxia Lake.
Xikou Town is situated northwest to Fenghua City and 35 km away in the southwest to Ningbo City. Xikou, or literally the Mouth of the River, derives its name from the Shanxi River, a river that originates in the Dahu Mountain of Shanjieling Range, from which it winds its way through Xinchang County to Fenghua, wherein it runs across Fenghua Town from west to east, flowng out of the mouth between Wuling Mountain and Xinan Mountain, hence the town got its name: a town at the mouth of the river. Xikou the town is also called Wuling, a name after the Wuling Mountain that stands south of the town. Xikou is proud of its picturesque scenery and landscape. Far back in ancient times, it was noted for its "Ten Scenic Sights." Of the ten sights, the one of particular interest in Xikou is Xuedou Hill northwest of Xikou Town. With abundant scenic spots and historical sites, Xuedou Hill is a well-known tourist resort in East Zhejiang. Far back in the Han Dynasty (206 B.C-A.D. 220), the Hill was extolled as "Beautiful as the Penglai Fairy Island in the Sea and Magnificent as the Tiangtai Mountain on Land."
Early in the 20th century when Chiang Kai-Shek came to power as head of the Nationalist government in China from 1920's, Xikou, as his hometown, became an attraction to a large number of his admirers and for the time it became a focus of the nationalist party and important government officials who came in flocks to visit Xikou when Chiang Kai-Shek was back at home.
The major places of interest in the area are:
Xikou Museum:Located on the old site of Wushan Temple, this museum exhibits collections of local and special products unearthed historic articles, ancient local handcraft works such as boat drums, traditional beds and bridal sedan chairs, and some Fenghua-made modern handcraft artistic articles.
Wuling Gate Tower: the gateway of Xikou Town, a pseudo-classic building, magnificent and stately with its upturned eaves and curling up roofs built at the expense of. Chiang Kai-Shek.
Pavilion of the Supreme Educator: built in the Qing Dynasty, one of the ancient "en Scenic Spots of Xikou" lso called Wenchang (Confucius) Pavilion. After the 1936 Xi'n Incident,hang Xueliang (one of the two Kuomintang generals who launched a forced remonstration with Chiang Kai-Shek for his non-resistance policy against the Japanese invaders) was put under house arrest in this pavilion.
Fenggao House: a national-class key unit of a historical site, the reformer residence of the clan of the Chiang Kai-Shek, family.
Yutai Salt Shop: Yutai Salt Shop is Chiang Kai-Shek's birthplace.
Passage to the Tomb of Chiang Kai-Shek's Mother: Along the Passage to the Tomb of Chiang Kai-Shek's Mother are such places of interest as the Memorial Gateway, the Kualu Pavilion and others.
Cuckoo Valley: this place of interest comprises such places of interest as the Maple Leaves under Flying Rosy Clouds, the Autumn Chestnut Growth, the Fragrant Meadow, and the Plum Grove.
Xuedou Hill: known as "the Most Beautiful Hill of Siming Mountain".
Miaogao Terrace: also named "Miaogao Peak" or "Heaven Pillar Peak", deserves to be a unique sight in Xuedou Hill for its flat terrace on top of the pillar-like hill.
Qiangzhangya Waterfall: a 186-meter-high waterfall.
Xuedou Temple: built in the Jin Dynasty (265-420), the temple was honored by emperors of the Song Dynasty as Xuedou Holy Temple" and "One of the Ten Greatest Temples of the Zen Sect of the Country."
Suggested Itinerary
Xikou Museum--Wuling Gate Tower--Pavilion of the Supreme Educator--Little Foreign-style Building--Fenggao House--Yutai Salt Shop--Maha Temple--Passage to the Tomb of Chiang Kai-Shek's Mother--Cuckoo Valley--Miaogao Terrace--Qiangzhangya Waterfalls--Xuedou Temple--Memorial Hall of General Zhang Xueliang (National Tourist Agency)--Waterfalls at Sanyin Waterpools--Xufu Cliff--Tingxia Lake.
(Written by Luo Chenjun) |
