The national scenic area - Mt. Gu (meaning drum hill in Chinese) is located in the eastern suburb and it is a famous Buddhist scenic spot, sitting on the north bank of the Min River. It is 17 kilometers (about 10.6 miles) from downtown area. It gained its name from a large rock on the mountaintop shaped like a drum, and during thunderstorms, thunder appeared to emanate from atop the mountain-'drum'. From the Song Dynasty (960-1279), there are 500 inscriptions on the cliff face by literates of this time, which is rare in China.
With a main peak of 925 meters above sea level and a total area of 48 square kilometers, Mt. Gu is the most famous landscape in Fuzhou City. Listed into the national scenic spots in China, Mt. Gu has numerous historical sites and attractive natural sceneries. Apart from the central site of Yongquan Temple, there are over 100 scenes in the hill. Most of the scenic spots are rocks in diverse postures which are the results of long-term denudation, weathering, collapse and accumulation in the historical development.
The 18 Scenes in Mt.Gu is famous for 18 distinctive vivid scenes of rocks and caves. Each scene implies a beautiful story. Some are lively portray the images of beasts like the Lion Peak and Tiger-suppressed Rock; some are related to popular myths and legends about Avalokitesvara, the Queen of the Heaven or the Eight Immortals.
The Overlooking Stand in Mt. Gu is built 400 meters above the sea level in ancient style. It is a perfect site for a good view of the whole city of Fuzhou, which is also a popular resting site for visitors to have a tea after a tired climbing, and also a great place to relax and enjoy authentic farm dishes with native poultry and fresh vegetables.
The White Cloud Cave locates in the northwest of the hill and is over 700 meters above the sea level. White Cloud Cave gets its name as clouds often flying into the cave from a distance look. White Cloud Cave is famous for precipitous steep and cliffs, clear springs, waterfalls and legend's sites and celebrities' footprints.
Opening Hours: 06:00 - 17:30
Admission Fee: Free for climbing the mountain, CNY 40 for Yongquan Temple; CNY 10 for 18 Scenes; CNY 50 for round trip cable car, and CNY 35 for one way cable car.
Recommended Time for a Visit: 3 Hours
Type: Nature
Location: at the north bank of Min River, 8 kilometers east of downtown Fuzhou City, Fujian Province.
Transportation: You can take the Mt. Gu Special Line from Wuyi Square or take bus Nos. 7, 36, 37, 808, 815, 949, 957, 960 and Mawei Special Bus Line to Mt. Gu, get off at the stop of Drum Mount Xiayuan.