Being one of the famous mountains in China, Qingyuan Mountain is a 5A-level national tourist attraction, a state-leveled scenic spot, and among the first batch of national natural and cultural heritage spots. The scenic spot is majorly composed of three parts of Qingyuan Mountain district, Jiuri Mountain district and Lingshan Holy Tomb district, with a total area of 62 square kilometers. Qingyuan Mountain scenic spot covers 40 li, of which the main peak is 615 meters above sea level. Qingyuan Mountain is the mother mount and name card of Quanzhou, it is loaded up with nostalgia and cultural sentiment of Minnan (southern Fujian Province) people for their hometown. She has been unfolding her arms like the Earth Mother, protecting the beautiful and fertile Jinjiang Plain, and keeping watch on the ancient and vigorous Quanzhou for thousands of years. She stretches long and deep without a break, historical imprints all over the mountain and cultural rarities all around establish the footing stone of Minnan culture. Like a resplendent Oriental pearl, Qingyuan Mountain is always concerned about the heart and nostalgia of Minnan people all over the world to return home as Minnan culture spreads in Southeast Asia. 

      No matter how high the mountain is, its name will spread far and wide if there is a fairy. The name of Qingyuan Mountain is originated from Yuxian Rock(also named Lao Tze Rock), the ghost Lao Tze made its presence here, his soul converted into three spirits, Lord of Heaven（Primord Tianzun）, Spirit Tianzun, and Morals Tianzun, which attained to ‘the source of Triple purity’ of the Qingyuan Mountain. Historically, Qingyuan Mountain had more than one name. There were many spring mouths on the mountain and the spring water was fresh and sweet, which was the reason that it was called ‘Spring Mountain’. The mountain rises high into clouds, which float around its peak gracefully, hence, it’s called ‘Cloud Mountain’. Climbing to the summit and overlooking the whole city, it looks like a pearl in jade. The mountain is located in the north of the city, so people in the city call it ‘North Mountain’. 

Geographic location

      Being located at the land of southern Fujian on the west coast of the Straits, Qingyuan Mountain is in the northern suburb of Quanzhou City, Fujian Province, the main scenic spot area is only three miles away from the downtown of Quanzhou City. On account of the advantage of a hill in the city, Quanzhou City is thus called ‘Quanzhou’. As a stretching branch of Daiyun Mountain in the middle of Fujian Province, Qingyuan Mountain with peaks rising and falling is full of life and rocks, scenic beauty naturally made is a lot, the mountain stretches for 20 kilometers, and enjoys its good name of ‘No. 1 Mountain of Penglai in Fujian Sea’ thanks to its pictographic rocks and spectacular and amazing natural scenery. 

（Quanzhou map in Ming Dynasty）

Humanistic history

      As recorded in local chronicles of Quanzhou Prefecture, Qingyuan Mountain was first developed in Qin Dynasty. Since ‘Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism’ coexisted in Tang Dynasty, besides religious activity traces of Islam, Manichaeism, Tibetan Buddhism and other religions, it gradually developed into a famous multi-cultural mountain that embraced religions. There are strange rocks and uncommon caves, ridges and peaks exuberant with trees, all things thriving and historic site of ancient celebrities in the scenic spot, places of cultural interest spread all over Qingyuan Mountain, which are composed of religious temples and Taoist temples, academy for literati, stone chambers, stone carvings, stone architecture, stone inscriptions, and other cultural relics. There are nine large-scale stone sculptures of Taoism and Buddhism of Tang, Song and Yuan Dynasties in seven locations altogether, which preserve intact, more than 600 inscriptions on precipices of the past dynasties, three mimic wood structured stone chamber of granite of Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, as well as Sarira dagoba of Master Hongyi(Li Shutong), an eminent monk in modern times and Guangqin Master Tower. 

Influence 

     Quanzhou is the first East Asian cultural capital in China and famous home town of overseas Chinese. Qingyuan Mountain is the mother mountain of Quanzhou and footing stone of southern Fujian culture. Thus, Qingyuan Mountain becomes the emotional sustenance of southern Fujian people in Southeast Asia and all over the world. 

     Qingyuan Mountain is one of the birthplaces of Taoism in China. It’s defined as ‘a famous Taoist mountain in China’ in Chinese Taoism Dictionary. Taoist sites and cultural relic are here and there at Qingyuan Mountain, which is a ‘Taoist holy land’ in name and in fact.

     Culturally, Qingyuan mountain not only has research value and influence, but also plays a significant role in political and economic exchanges. All officials in charge have come here to pray piously since ancient times, and successful entrepreneurs believe in Taoist concepts on commerce, no matter busy they are, they come to bow in worship before Lao Tze’s statue, praying for safety, health and all wishes coming true.