Sheer Awe

By+Ding+Ying

Mianshan Mountain is a famous cultural and historical site in the city of Jiexiu in north Chinas Shanxi Province. As part of a mountain range that extends over 50 km in length. The mountain， which reaches a height of 2，571 meters above sea level， has held great religious and cultural significance over the last 2，600 years. The influence of different religions has resulted in a highly unique and spiritual environment.

Unlike any other

Along the 295-square-km mountain range， some of the steeper cliffs within the valley sit at nearly a 90-degree angle. Thus， the buildings on Mianshan were never really constructed， but built into the huge caves along the edges of its cliffs.

“It shows the infinite power of nature that such a wonder has been created，” Ma Zhizheng， a professor with Shanxi Normal University， said. Formed of granite， limestone and sandstone， Mianshan is located on a geological fault zone. It took shape from the shifting of Pacific tectonic plates over billions of years， while water and wind eroded the mountains south slope， resulting in the enormous natural caves seen there today.

Yunfeng Temple， built about 1，500 years ago， is located in such a cave. The temple， along a steep cliff side， not only contains over 200 rooms but also has its own water supply， with several natural springs running through.

“The special topographic structure of the mountain has created a unique microclimate for warm winters and cool summers，” said Ma. Mianshan is 90 percent covered by forest， with a mean annual precipitation of over 65 centimeters.

“Mianshan is a mountain with deep cultural and historical significance. It was first mentioned in Chinas earliest historical records more than 2，000 years ago，” said Meng Manxi， a local cultural scholar. He noted with pride that the first Buddhist temple on Mianshan was established in the second century A.D.， only around 100 years after the first Buddhist temple in all of China was constructed. In addition to its many Buddhist structures， Mianshan is a place that has concentrated temples from several other religions； there are 88 temples spread over the mountain.

However， Mianshan is known， first and foremost， as a Buddhist site. It is one of the founding areas of the Pure Land Buddhism， as Tanluan， a master of this sect， lived on Mianshan for some time about 1，500 years ago. Buddhist monks also believe that the mountain is a propitious place to become immortal through religious practice.

“Mianshan is the perfect place for hermits like monks and Taoist priests，” said Guo Na， a tour guide there. She explained that the huge natural caves on the mountainside facing the south can protect people from bad weather， the proliferation of edible wild fruits and herbs can keep them fed and they can drink from the mountains natural mineral water springs. Guo believes that these Taoists and Buddhists are able to expel toxins out of their bodies more easily， as they maintain natural organic diets， breathe clean air and religiously restrict their intake of grains.

According to Mianshans records， 17 Buddhist monks were turned into natural mummies there， after passing away while sitting in a cross-legged meditative pose. Their bodies were painted with clay and converted into sculptures， enshrined in the mountains Zhengguo Temple， where today， they are worshiped as immortals.

For similar reasons， Taoist priests have also considered Mianshan an ideal dwelling place. Ancient priests even formed their own special set of therapeutic health guidelines some 2，600 years ago to follow in accordance with the four different seasons. All the guidelines and temple records are stored in a library in Dailuo Palace， a grand Taoist temple on the mountain. Additionally， Confucians regard Mianshan as a place that epitomizes the traditional essence of Confucianism by promoting ideals such as loyalty and good faith.

A monumental restoration

With its strong cultural heritage and historical atmosphere as well as its beautiful scenery， Mianshan was approved as a 5A-level tourist site， the highest possible rating， by the National Tourism Administration in 2013.

“Mianshan is one of the six famous Shanxi scenic spots first approved in 1987，” recalled Wu Chunlin， a local tourism official. “At that time， Mianshan was merely a huge mountain with several old temples scattered across it. It wasnt until 1993 that the mountain started to be developed as a tourist site.”

That year， a fire burned through part of the 1，500-year-old Yunfeng Temple. The Jiexiu City Government was so financially strained that it had to seek support from local entrepreneurs in a bid to repair the temple. Yan Jiying， Chairman of the Board of the Shanxi Sanjia Group， volunteered to help， donating 300，000 yuan （$60，000 at that time）.

Born in a village near Mianshan， he borrowed 700 yuan （then $350） in 1983 to start his business. One decade later， he became the richest man in Jiexiu and his company employed over 6，000 workers. To his town fellows， Yan is not only a successful businessman， but also a good Samaritan due to his generous contributions.

At first， Yans decision to help develop Mianshan was firmly refused by other members of the companys board， as the cost of restoring such a huge mountain would require an abyss of money. But Yan convinced them by saying he felt a need to repay the natural environment that his industry was polluting.

Due to the steepness of the cliffs and the high altitude， Yans donation， which was then a large amount of money， covered only the expenses of repairing the temples main hall. The local government then signed a contract with Yans company on the development of Mianshan over the next 50 years， so that it could continue to invest in the project.

“In the mid-1990s， we were facing problems with industrial upgrading and environmental protection. The development of Mianshan was part of our overall upgrading plan，” said Wu.“Now， the project has succeeded.”

To date， the development of Mianshan has cost over 3 billion yuan （$488 million）. About 25 square km has been revamped， including over 360 scenic vantage points. On May 1， 2000， the tourist site was opened to the public. Now about 10 million tourists visit the area each year， bringing in an annual income of more than 300 million yuan （$48.8 million）. In the meantime， Yans company has switched its main business from producing coke from coal to organosilicon chemistry， an industry that better meets environmental protection standards.

Zhi Shijun， Publicity Manager of Yans group， noted that todays Mianshan largely attracts tourists in three categories： those seeking a cultural atmosphere， those interested in the mountains religious history and those who want to enjoy its natural scenery. For example， due to the influence of Pure Land Buddhism in East Asia， many Buddhists from Japan and South Korea come to pay homage at temples on the mountain.

“Seeing the majestic scenery on Mianshan and experiencing the traditional culture， I felt an urge to leave the city behind and stay here to cleanse my spirit，” said Wang Jin， a tourist from Beijing.

Zhi stressed that the development plan over the next five years will focus on ecological tourism， which will cost over 500 million yuan（$81.4 million）. The projects include a natural mineral water plant and a millet wine plant， which are possible thanks to the well-protected water resources on Mianshan.

“The ecological development of Mianshan will reap benefits for posterity，” said Du Guohua， Vice General Manager of the Shanxi Sanjia Group. He said that thanks to the last 20 years of continued ecological protection， large wild animals like musk deer and leopards have returned to Mianshan.

“In the past， people used to joke about Shanxis air pollution problem， exaggeratedly saying that there were no white pigeons in the coal-rich province because of the amount of coal ash in the air. Now， it is our hope that we can work to change these conditions through our concerted efforts，” said Du.