Introduction

Jiaoshan Scenic Spot, a national key scenic spot and 5A-level national tourist spot, is located in the northeast of Zhenjiang, a famous historical and cultural city in China. As the only tourism island in the middle of the Yangtze River, Jiaoshan has been renowned for its natural landscape and simplified elegance. Surrounded by water, it resembles a jade floating on the river, so that it has got the name of “Jade Floating Hill”. With lush trees and verdant grass, Jiaoshan is as beautiful as a fairy island. Strolling on the island, tourists always have a feeling of standing in the middle of the River, as if they were on the Island of Mount Putuo.

Jiaoshan has got the name of “a temple wrapped up by the hill”, for its temple, pavilions and other scenic places are basically covered by thick woods.

As the saying goes, mountains are not only about height; they are only famous if immortals live there. The immortal of Jiaoshan was Jiao Guang, a hermit of the Eastern Han Dynasty. As a famous scholar, who traveled all over the nation, he was fascinated with Jiaoshan when he came to this fairy island. Therefore, he settled down, collected herbs, made medicine, helped the poor, and left many legends behind. At that time, the emperor was impressed by his merits and issued three edicts to invite him to be an official, but he declined with excuses of being old and weak. Later generations renamed the cave where he secluded as Sanzhao (three edicts) Cave and the mountain as Jiaoshan in memory of him.

“There is a temple in Jiaoshan, which is wrapped by the hill, completely hidden from visitors' eyes”. This is Shi Nai'an's description of the uniqueness of Dinghui Temple in Jiaoshan in his famous novel “Water Margin”. Dinghui Temple, formerly known as Puji Temple, is one of the earliest temples in the south of the Yangtze River. Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty inscribed himself the name of the temple on a plaque during his southern tour.

Compared with some famous mountains, Jiaoshan is neither tall nor overwhelming, but it has its own feature. The famous Jiaoshan Stele Forest that is the largest of its kind in the south of the Yangtze River makes Jiaoshan a famous calligraphy mountain at home and abroad with magnificent cliff stone carvings and stele art. The inscriptions on Jiaoshan steles are of various scripts, and their different styles and art forms reveal the beauty of ancient carvings and the spirit of calligraphy. The Yihe Inscription (Eulogy for Buring a Crane), which is known as “the King of Steles” and “the Ancestor of Chinese Calligraphy”, makes Jiaoshan well-known in the calligraphy community. In China, Xi'an Stele Forest in the north stands for the vigorous Yellow River culture, while Jiaoshan Stele Forest in the south exemplifies the refined Yangtze River culture.

Ancient Buddhist temple, steles, carvings and verdant trees add infinite elegance to this famous mountain. Sincerely welcome friends from all over the world to Jiaoshan.

Category of the scenic spot: natural landscape, cultural history, folk custom &religion.

Address: No. 83 Dongwu Road, Jingkou District, Zhenjiang

Tel :0511-88817103

Opening time :08:00-17:00

Transportation:

Bus No. 49, 76, 104, 84, 112, 204; Zhenjiang - Yangzhou Intercity Bus