Western Hills & Dragon Gate

西山龙门

A Taoist rock-cut cave complex on the cliffs of the Sleeping Beauty mountain on Dianchi's western shore. The Dragon Gate and Datian Pavilion are carved into the cliff face, offering the best views over Dianchi and Kunming.

The Western Hills lie on the western shore of Dianchi and include Huating Hill, Taihua Hill, and Luohan Hill. From the city, their ridgeline resembles a young woman lying on her back, earning the name 'Sleeping Beauty.' The Dragon Gate is a Taoist cave complex on the cliffs of Luohan Hill. Beginning in the Qianlong era of the Qing dynasty, Taoist priests and stonemasons spent more than 70 years carving stone paths, chambers, and Datian Pavilion (dedicated to Kuixing) into the cliff. The stone path beneath the characters 'Dragon Gate' is about 300 meters above the lake. It is the best viewpoint for looking over Dianchi and the city of Kunming. Highlights include the Dragon Gate caves (Datian Pavilion, Ciyun Cave, and Yunhua Cave), Sanqing Pavilion (a Ming-era Taoist complex built along the cliff), Taihua Temple (a Yuan-era monastery known for camellias and magnolias), Huating Temple (the largest Buddhist temple in the Western Hills, founded in the Song dynasty), the tomb of Nie Er, the composer of China's national anthem, and views of Dianchi from the ridge trails. Admission to the Dragon Gate costs about 30 to 40 yuan. There are three ways up the mountain. You can take the Dianchi cable car across the lake from Haigeng Park (about 40 yuan one way, or about 70 yuan round trip, with the best views). You can also take a scenic shuttle or bus from the foot of the hill (about 12.5 yuan). Or you can hike up from Gaoyao Village in about 2 hours. From the cable car station on top, a short cable car (about 25 yuan) takes you to the Dragon Gate. A suggested route is the cable car from Haigeng Park, then the Dragon Gate, Sanqing Pavilion, Taihua Temple, and Huating Temple, before heading back down. It takes about 3 to 4 hours. Fit hikers can walk the ridge trail from the Dragon Gate to Huating Temple. Getting there: take Metro Line 3 to Xishan Park Station and transfer to a scenic shuttle bus, or take the cable car from the eastern end of Haigeng Dam. Tips: the stone path at the Dragon Gate is narrow and one-way, and holidays bring long queues. Stay safe near the cliffs, and never climb past the railings. It is cooler on the mountain than in the city, so bring a jacket. On rainy and foggy days, you may not be able to see the lake.

Western Hills & Dragon Gate

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