1. Level: national AAAA scenic area

2. Address: Hutang Subdistrict, Keqiao District

3. Transport: Search “Daxianglin Scenic Spot (大香林风景区)” on Baidu map or Google Map, and select route according to actual conditions.

4. Admission Ticket: 40 yuan (free: over-70 people, tourism guilds, journalists, servicemen, children not taller than 120cm; half-price ticket: people under 18 or over 60, people with degree of bachelor or inferior degree , the disable)

5.Tel: 0575-84360077

6. Introduction

Daxianglin Scenic Spot is located in Hutang Subsistrict, 15 kilometers southwest of Keqiao District, covering an area of 4 square meters. The Spot features ancient sweet osmanthus forest and natural sight as a tourist attraction combining of religion, folk custom, leisure, and vocation service. The Spot boasts beautiful mountains and clear rivers, enjoying warm winter and cool summer, and its sweet osmanthus forest extends as long as 5 kilometers, offering grand sight and sweet smell fragrant in every season. There are ancient Buddhist temples hidden in forest in mountains, so visitors can hear Buddhist bell, drum, and sutra chanting lingering in mountains. Mican, famous zen master, stayed here for cultivating himself and passed into his parinirvana here, leaving over 200 sariras (Buddha’s relics) which are well known in Buddhist circle. Many famous scholars or celebrities in ancient or modern times visited here and created poems for it, such as Lu You, famous poet in South Song Dynasty, Zhao Dai, scholar in Ming Dynasty, Nan Huaijin, well-known modern Buddhist-studying scholar.

Agreeable environment and rich cultural sights make Daxianglin Scenic Spot a high-end tourism attraction. In 2005, the Spot was greatly repaired and improved, investing 500 million RMB for 2 stages. The first stage had an investment of 200 million RMB to build 5 major areas, Sutra Chanting in the Mountain, Sweet Forest, Moon and Flowers, Bamboo Forest, Deep Valley, which mainly offer village style leisure and vocation service. The second stage investment was put to build 1 pavilion (Buddha Pavilion), 4 gardens (Guanyin Garden, Fuxianyuan Garden, Wushu Garden, Dizang Garden) and 1 house (Zen House), which mainly provide summer health maintenance and Buddhist culture. Adhering to the principle of combining protection and exploitation, the entire spot has rare artificial marks as an excellent idyll place. It’s also a natural oxygen bar and provincial model area of ecological environment.

The Spot features fragrance and it boasts Four Fabs— fragrance of sweet osmanthus, ancient temples, idyllic sight and antique architecture:

Fragrance of sweet osmanthus. According to historical records, such as Guiji Record of Jiatai Years (Tai Jia Gui Ji Zhi), since 3rd year of Zhiping of Song Dynasty (1066 AD), villagers of family Jin and family Bao had grown sweet osmanthus trees in quantities in the spot area using the geographical advantages. Then the planting becomes a tradition and is passed down generation to generation, so now a large area of sweet osmanthus forest stretching several lis (1 li=0.5 kilometer)is formed, which is well known as an amazing sight in south area of Yangtze River. During autumn days, the Spot is ornamented by large amount of gold or silver flowers and their sweet smell reaches far. When the flowers fall down in breeze, their petals fall like raindrops, producing a poetic sight.

Ancient temples. Xianglin Temple and Baolin Temple were built in 950 AD as famous historical temples. Mican, famous zen master, was the abbot of Jijing Temple, where he passed into his parinirvana, leaving over 200 sariras (Buddha’s relics) kept in the pagoda. In Jijing Temple, there is a Sarira Pagoda Garden, whose plaque bears an inscription made by Nan Huaijin, famous Taiwan scholar. Master Mican adhered to the principle of “draining out everything distracting thoughts and devoting to Buddhist sutras study”, which is inherited by his students and a unique Buddhist culture is formed here. These ancient temples in lingering smoke are good places for life inspiration as a peaceful world.

Idyllic sight. Maolinshan Mountain in the Spot is rich in streams, flowers, and fruits. Smell of flowers and fruits makes air fresh and agreeable. Streams turn and meander along greed bamboo forest, creating picturesque sights. Visitors can appreciate antique rural ware in rural home inns, as well as the natural farmland sight. Additionally, visitors can experience planting and breeding, together with   picking fresh vegetables and fruit for meal.

Antique architecture. Architecture in the Spot is made with Qing style, it’s exquisite in design and making, imparting antique atmosphere for the Spot with beautiful resident houses which are worth studying. Snack made by sweet osmanthus and red bayberry wine are of strong local flavor.

The wise love mountains, benevolent rivers, and brave men are strong while soft men are kind, which is told by Chinese traditional culture. In the peaceful villages, mountains in the Sport, visitor can get life inspirations.