Wuquan Mountain Park
五泉山
A temple-and-garden complex on the hill of old Lanzhou's south side, with a thousand-year history, five famous springs, a Ming-dynasty bronze Buddha, and the Vajra Hall. It's a popular place for locals to exercise in the morning and for visitors to climb for views.
Wuquan Mountain Park lies on the north foot of Gaolan Mountain in Chengguan District. It takes its name from five springs on the hill: Ganlu, Jueyue, Mozi, Hui and Meng. Legend says Huo Qubing struck the rock with his whip to make the spring gush out during his western campaign. The park has had temples since the Tang dynasty, and most of the surviving buildings date from the Ming and Qing periods. They are arranged along the slope in three routes. The central route has Chongqing Temple, which houses a bronze welcoming Buddha cast in the Ming dynasty (over 5 metres tall, from the Hongwu reign) and the Vajra Hall. The eastern route has Mani Temple and the Reclining Buddha Hall. The western route has the Thousand Buddha Pavilion, Dizang Temple and Wenchang Palace. The springs are scattered among the halls, and Mozi and Jueyue Springs are the most famous. Ancient trees fill the park and keep it cool in summer. From the summit you can look down over old Lanzhou. Locals come here in the early morning to hike, drink tea and play chess. The Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month and the Buddha Bathing Festival on the 8th day of the fourth lunar month bring huge crowds. Admission to the park is free, though some halls ask for voluntary incense offerings. Inside the park are a zoo (ticketed separately) and a children's play area. Suggested route: Climb the central route from the gate to Chongqing Temple to see the bronze Buddha, then walk down the western route past the spring cluster. The whole loop takes about 1.5 hours. Getting there: Walk about 10 minutes from Wuquan Square Station on Metro Line 1, or take a bus to the 'Wuquan Mountain' stop. Note: There are many steps and steep slopes, so older visitors should go slowly. Photography is not allowed inside the temple halls. Weekends are busy with local visitors.
Opening hours
06:30–20:00
Nearby sights
- Memorial of the Eighth Route Army Lanzhou Office
- Zhengning Road Night Market
- Lanshan Park (Santai Pavilion)
- Lanzhou Museum (Baiyi Temple Pagoda)
- Zhangye Road Pedestrian Street & Dazhong Lane
- Xiguan Mosque
- Lanzhou Prefecture City God Temple
- Zhongshan Bridge (Yellow River Iron Bridge)