A mountain in Henan province is drawing visitors with its ‘Yugong spirit’
A mountain is appealing to many people with its household folklore, rising patriotism education, Taoism culture and stunning scenery.
Many Chinese learned the classic tale The Foolish Old Man Removes the Mountains back in elementary school. In the story, a 90-year-old man named Yugong attempts, by himself, to move two mountains standing in his way. Failing to make much headway he decides the job should fall on his children. But his perseverance impresses the gods, who grant his wish.
One of the two mountains is Wangwu Mountain, located in Jiyuan, Henan province. It was clad in red and yellow leaves in earlier October.
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Wangwu Mountain in Henan province is seeing more tourists as awareness of the “Yugong spirit” increases. Photos by Yang Feiyue / China Daily |
Wangwu Mountain, which became a UNESCO world geological park in 2006, covers 270 square kilometers and has an altitude of 1,715 meters. It has many Taoist temples.
“The Yugong spirit is what visitors look forward to here,” says Gu Luyu, a local tour guide.
The fable’s author, Lie Yukou, from the Warring States Period (475-221 BC), was inspired by the real-life story of a man who helped build a road in the area.
The story was widely popularized after being quoted by Mao Zedong in 1945, in a call for collective action against imperialism and feudalism.
President Xi Jinping has also referred to the story, saying after the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012 that it embodies the spirit of the new era. Xi also mentioned the story when talking about connectivity at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Beijing in 2014, and when talking about poverty alleviation in 2015.
A resort on the mountain is seeing more tourists, as awareness of the “Yugong spirit” increases. A patriotism education facility was also opened to the public in May.
“People can come here and experience the plain living of old times,” says Zhao Xiaomin, manager at the patriotism facility, which is in the southeastern foothills of the mountain.
“We built a road and made the best use of a deserted village to present the simplicity of households in the past.”
People dressed in Red Army uniforms were seen moving around in October. They were from government offices and companies, Zhao says.
The facility has been in touch with some 12,000 Party branches across Henan, and usually receives 10,000 people a month seeking “red tourism” education, Zhao says.
Museums, films, shadow plays and frescos recounting Yugong’s life have been created for visitors to experience the spirit of the story’s character up close. Carrying poles and pushing wheelbarrows are activities available for those who want to feel “what it’s like to move a mountain”. In the future, infrastructure at the facility and nearby will likely be improved to cater to patriotism education.
Some 300 standard rooms and 40 sets of boutique homestays will be developed.
A large-scale conference site will also be built, with the largest room able to house up to 10,000 people.
Moving upward from the base of the mountain, one can see cypress trees near the Yangtai Palace, a hall believed to house the largest timber structure of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) in Henan. Many visitors can be seen burning incense sticks and praying in the Taoist hall. The relief sculptures on stones in the hall feature dragons and other mythical figures.
Leaving the palace, people can opt for a funicular coach that takes them to the top of the mountain quickly. Hiking to the peak from the palace takes about two hours. The peak is covered in mist in the mornings, especially on colder days. The cliffs and views below are magnificent, especially when the mist clears.
Visitors can also see monkeys near a temple at the mountaintop. The animals are not bothered by the presence of people.
“We will build a street featuring local folk culture,” Gu says of an ongoing construction project in the foothills. The project, once completed, will include food, yoga, tai chi and traditional Chinese medicine kiosks along the street.
“We’re looking forward to more people staying here for a while,” Gu says, “to better appreciate the charm of the mountain.”
(China Daily European Weekly 11/02/2018 page21)