Why is Lotus Hill special
As one of the famous hills of the Pearl River Delta, Lotus Hill is located in the east outskirt of Panyu City in Guangzhou. Covering an area of 2.54 square kilometers, it is composed of 48 red sandstone low hills with the highest being 108 meters. The Lotus Hill Tourist Resort displays a combination of ancient ruggedness and modern delicacy.
The lotus city was built during the Kangxi's reign of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). There is a gold statute of the Goddess of Mercy, which is the biggest in the world. The Lotus Hill gained its name from a fairy tale. It was said that an evil dragon residing in the South China Sea, flooding farmlands and toppling over ships. When Goddess of Mercy saw the misery suffered by the people from the dragon, she threw his lotus seat into the water to tame the dragon. The lotus seat was believed to have turned into the present lotus stone, situated next to Nantianmen of the hill.
Lotus Flower and Peach Blossom Festivals are held in Lotus Hill tourist resort annually. From June to August every year, more than 100 kinds of lotus flowers, the holy flower of Buddhism, are picked for the festival.
Lotus Hill Highlights
The essence of Lotus Hill lies in the quarry works from each of the past dynasties, dating back to the Western Han (206 BC - 24 AD), leave behind a legacy of countless majestic red sandstone cliffs, perilous peaks, stele and winding stone forests and grottoes. The Swallow Rock, Eagle Cliff, Goddess of Mercy Rock, and the Lion Stone formed the essential stone landscape of this ancient stone yard.
Different sceneries are formed from various appreciation spots. Looking up from the Swallow Rock, one will see four cliffs circling around it, shaping the broad sky into a small well. The gigantic tottering cliffs are breathtaking and dazzling. Vines on the rocks are just like a green wall, forming a wonderful watercolor painting in the blooming season. The Eagle Cliff, on the other hand, painted an opposite picture. Looking down from the Eagle Cliff, one will see crisscrossing roads, vast fertile land, and boundless Pearl River winding to the east. The Lion Stone lies in the eastern part of the Lotus Hill. Due to the stone lion roaring towards the direction of the Pearl River, the hill is also sometimes referred to the Lion Hill. According to archaeologist, this place used to be just a small island hundreds of years ago but with passing time, the land elevated and sea level dropped, resulting in what it is today.