Lingyun Mountain locates 15 kilometers northwest of Gaoming District in Foshan. It is named since the mountains usually are hidden behind the clouds. It is regarded as one of the four famous mountains in Gaoming District and the "Jiuzhaigou in the Pearl River Delta".
Legends of Lingyun Mountain
According to the legend, some fairies once came to the top of Lingyun Mountain to catch chess together. During the reign period of Emperor Jiaqing of Ming Dynasty, the Taoist from Fanzhou Village, Tan Yu, showed great interests in Lingyun Mountain. He concentrated on practicing in the mountain and secluded from the world.
The footprint of a fairy was left on the mountain, which is 20 centimeters wide. Near the footprints, there is a stone drum and a spring. According to the historic records, there was a stone spring on the mountain top, sweet and clear, which could cure the diseases and prolong life. It is said that during the early 1940s, people from Gaoming, Nanhai, Shunde and other places came to Lingyun Mountain praying for the good health.
Features of Lingyun Mountain
Lingyun Mountain leans against the Zaomu Mountain in the south, Xiangshan Mountain in the west, and reaches into the clouds. The mountain has its own unique shape and charms.
In the early years, several tourist scholars came to Lingyun Mountain for the investigation. They were surprised to find that the reservoir and surrounding scenery here resembled the beautiful epitome of Jiuzhaigou, so they nicknamed it as "Jiuzhaigou in the Pearl River Delta".
The clear water in Lingyun Mountain formed into three lakes. The three lakes rise up along the mountain. They are scattered separately like three emeralds embedded in Lingyun Mountain. The streams are endless and the trees are lush. This kind of beautiful scenery- three lakes in on mountain is indeed rare to find in the Pearl River Delta.
The first lake is called as Jing Lake or Mirror Lake. The lake is very wide with clear water looking like a mirror. The storage capacity is 1.42 million cubic meters.
After bypassing the green trees, people will see the second lake, Yun Lake, with a storage capacity of 720,000 cubic meters. Surrounded by mountains, the lake is like the green ribbon. People could take a boat tour on the lake to feel ease and refreshing.
The third lake, Ling Lake locates on the top of the mountain, 414 meters above sea level, surrounded by green trees and white clouds. The storage capacity is only 300,000 cubic meters. This is one of the highest lakes in the Pearl River Delta.