Nanshan Scenic Area is a provincial scenic area in Jiangsu Province, and the surrounding area of 13.2 square kilometers can be called natural oxygen bar. There are three ancient temples built in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, namely Zhaoyin Temple, Zhulin Temple and Helin Temple, and three famous springs, namely Hupao Spring, Lupao Spring and Pearl Spring. After the Six Dynasties, scholars and celebrities of all ages once lived in seclusion here, which played an important role in the history of Chinese culture. The “Mi family’s painting school” was born here, and earliest surviving anthology Selections of Refined Literature originated from here. Dai Qing, Su Dongpo and Zhou Dunyi all have an indissoluble bond with Nanshan. Nanshan Greenway in Nanshan National Forest Park has a forest coverage rate of 73% and fresh air. The red asphalt road meanders among the green hills and forests, which can be used for hiking, jogging or cycling in picturesque scenery.
[Zhulin Temple]
Zhulin Temple is built on the mountain, with a flight of stone steps, a platform, five floors leading up. There is a crescent-shape river in front of the temple, surrounded by ancient ginkgo, pines and cypresses towering into the clouds. Entering the temple from the gate of Hall of Heavenly Kings, and climbing up to the third platform, we can see a large ground, and five guest halls built on both sides with ingenious design and simple appearance.
[Zhaoyin Temple]
Walking from Zhulin Temple to Zhaoyin Temple, there may be more and more butterflies on the way to Zhaoyin Temple. Urban Forest written on the gate of Zhaoyin Mountain is the authentic work of Mi Fu, a great calligrapher and painter in Northern Song Dynasty. Mi Fu and his son lived in Nanshan for 40 years, where they created the “Mi family’s painting school”.
Dai Yong and his daughter lived in seclusion here for 25 years, and composed three famous songs: “You Xian”, “Guang Ling” and “Zhi Xi”. Xiao Tong, Prince Zhaoming of Nanliang, invited Liu Xie and other talents here from all over the world to compile the earliest collection of poems and essays in China, Selections of Refined Literature.
[Wenyuan Scenic Area]
Located in the east of Zhulin Temple, it is a newly built classical garden in memory of Liu Xie, a famous literary theory critic in the Southern Dynasties of China (420 ~ 589), and his masterpiece The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons.
