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Fei Lai Feng (also named Ling Jiu Feng), stands
next to Ling Yin Temple and is a must-see in Hangzhou, Zhejiang
Province. There are many legends about the peak's name. A well-known
legend states that an Indian monk named Huili arrived in the valley
1,600 years ago and was surprised to see a peak so dissimilar from
any other one in the valley. He believed that the peak had flown
over from India because the shape, although unique in China, was
common in India. However, he did not know why the peak would have
flown to this spot so far from his country. Hence the peak's name
was created and has passed down to the present day.
Fei Lai Feng, 209 meters (about 700 feet) tall, is a pure limestone
mountain that is very distinctive from the sandstone mountains
around it. Large stones scattered along the peak are said to
resemble animals like a flying dragon, a running elephant, a
crouching tiger, and a fleeing monkey. On the other side of the
peak, a pavilion named Cui Wei was erected to immortalize the
national hero Yue Fei. This man contributed greatly in the war
against Jin Tribe during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279).The
pavilion was destroyed many times before the large restoration of
1942. The current pavilion keeps its old face with fresh paint.
The caves of this mountain shelter about 330 stone statues dating
from the 10th to the 14th centuries. The statues appear in a variety
of poses ranging from standing, to sitting, to sleeping. A favorite
may be the Laughing Buddha, sitting on the cliff along the stream
with exposed breast and belly. If you wonder why he has such a big
belly, the answer is that his belly is where the Buddha keeps all of
the world's troubles. The question always comes out "why are there
so many Buddha statues in the cave?" Local legend has it that the
peak had destroyed many villages before it settled down in Hangzhou.
In order to prevent the peak from causing even more damage, over 500
Buddha statues were caved out of the peak to suppress it.
Consequently, the water-eroded caves in the peak are regarded as the
very birthplace of many local legends.
In 1993, a new site by the name of "China Grotto Art Garden" was set
up around the Fei Lai beauty spot. Thousands of professionals and
aficionados in the fields of engraving and grotto research flock to
this place to study the unparalleled Chinese classical rock
carvings.
Among all the mountains around West Lake, Fei Lai Feng is the one
most likely to simulate the imagination and make one reluctant to
leave. Some even say that one experience at Fei Lai Feng will leave
you with memories that will last the rest of your life.
Visit our Hangzhou
Tour now!
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