| Sitting
at the south foot of Mount Lushan and northwest of Poyang
Lake, Xingzi became a prefectural capital eight hundred
years ago. There are now many historical sites in the
county. Visitors to Xingzi usually take a trip there from
Mount Lushan, while staying at the summer resort hotels
on the mountain.
White
Deer Cave Academy (Bailudong Shuyaun)
One
of the four prestigious institutions of learning in the
Song Dynasty, this academy housed many studies, halls,
and temples I its heyday. The buildings left standing
today include the Hall for Worshipping the Sage (Lishengdian)
and Library Tower (Cangshuge).
Goddess
of Mercy Bridge (Guanyinqiao)
This
bridge which is 24,4 meters long, was joined with granite
slabs without the use of mortar. The thousand-year-old
bridge still stands as a masterpiece of ancient Chiense
bridge architecture.
Jade
Screed Spring (Yulianquan)
Though
called a spring, this is a cascade which plunges down
more than a hundred meters and looks like a jade screen
suspended in the sky. Visitors to the spring on a hot
day will fell a welcome breeze caressing their faces.
Beauty
Peak (Xiufeng)
Composed
of several lesser peaks, such as Cry of the Crane (Heming),
Double Swords (Shuangjian), Incense Burner (Xianglu),
Manjusri (Wenzhu) and Sisters (Jiemei), Beauty Peak is
a spectacular sight with waterfalls cascading down the
cliff-sides. The scene inspired the great Tang Dynasty
poet Li Bai to compose a poem on the splendor of the falls,
containing these words: Pouring down three thousand feet,
it could be the Milky Way visiting the human land.
Hot
Spring
The
spring water here contains over thirty chemical elements
including potassium, magnesium, and sodium and is said
to be effective in curing rheumatoid arthritis, skin diseases,
and stomach troubles. The well-equipped sanatorium at
the hot spring has offered treatment to foreign visitors
from many countries.
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