There's a Special Scenic Area in Yunnan with 3268 Stone Lions – Where Did They Come From?

Mango Travel Diary: There's a mountain in Yunnan with 3268 stone lions, dating back to the Wei, Jin, Northern and Southern Dynasties, the Tang, Song, Yuan, and Ming and Qing dynasties. It's a truly incredible sight! Let Mango uncover the mystery of where all these lions came from.

This mountain is called Qian Shishan (Thousand Lions Mountain), located 1.5 kilometers from the city of Jianchuan in Dali, Yunnan Province. It was originally named Muxianglin (Full Sage Forest) and was built during the Ming Dynasty. Explorer Xu Xiake visited this place, but at the time Muxianglin didn't have so many stone lions. However, the mountain has ancient trees and temples with many pilgrims visiting.

Jianchuan belongs to Dali, but compared to the Dali Ancient City, it's quite quiet. However, there are two notable attractions here: the Sandaxi Ancient Town and Qian Shishan. Qian Shishan is relatively unknown, and most visitors are local people. I came here to climb with Yang, the manager of the homestay, Henglu Gongguan (Yang's Lodge).

Qian Shishan's entrance ticket costs 27 yuan and is a national 3A scenic area. As you enter, you'll see a variety of stone lions of different shapes and sizes, incredibly lifelike and full of meaning. According to Yang, the lions carved below the mountain are mostly created in the past ten years by stone sculptors from across the county (Jianchuan is renowned for its wood and stone carving). The lions on the mountain, however, are from different dynasties – the oldest are donated by collectors. In total, there are 3268 stone lions on Qian Shishan, making it the location with the most stone lions in the world.

Yang is a local, and he told me that his family often came here to climb when he was a child. I asked him where all these lions came from, and he said most of them were carved by local stone sculptors directly from stone or cliff faces. Initially, they were just practicing or out of interest, but later the locals wanted to create a tourist attraction, so they invited stone sculptors from the entire county to carve along the route. Some of the older lions are donations.

We saw the lions at the bank entrance – dignified and imposing, not displaying any aggression but projecting power. Here, we saw many lions with open mouths, looking cute and adorable. Along the way, admiring the various shapes of stone lions was a fascinating experience. (Image: Three Lions Parade, a family of three, symbolizing good luck and fortune.)

(Image: Qian Shishan's most famous stone lion carving group, Qian Shishan Wall). As the name suggests, there are many stone lion heads carved on the cliff, most of which are only visible from a distance, as you can't get close. I wonder how they were carved? Now, Qian Shishan Wall is covered in moss.

Here, almost every stone place was carved into a stone lion. The sculptors used the materials at hand, as the stones were of different sizes and shapes, so the lions they created were also different in form, and there was no identical pair of stone lions. Walking along the route, I couldn't help but marvel at it.

(Image: Xu Xiake statue on Qian Shishan). After climbing the last section of steep stone steps, I finally reached the top of Qian Shishan and saw the largest stone lion in the world, which stands 25 meters tall, 15 meters long, and 12 meters wide. It's said to have been certified by the Guinness World Records. Just the lion's mouth is taller than a person, and several people could lie inside. However, due to its height and danger, no tourists have ever climbed it yet.

Qian Shishan in Yunnan, the world's most numerous stone lion location, with 3268 stone lions. At the top, there is also the largest lion king. If you're in Jianchuan, don't miss the opportunity to follow in Xu Xiake's footsteps.

I am Mango, traveling and recording China. Welcome to follow Mango Travel Diary, sharing travel experiences every day.

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