Kongwang Mountain
孔望山
Said to be where Confucius climbed to gaze at the sea, with Eastern Han cliff carvings known as the “Number One Buddha of Jiuzhou,” about two centuries older than the Mogao Caves at Dunhuang.
Kongwang Mountain is located south of urban Haizhou District, about 129 meters above sea level. Legend says Confucius climbed it to look out at the sea while consulting the ruler Tanzi about official posts, which is how the mountain got its name. The cliff carvings on its southern slope were carved in the late Eastern Han dynasty. Its 105 Buddhist and Taoist figures share the same cliff, and scholars consider it one of the earliest surviving Buddhist cliff carvings in China, about two centuries older than the Mogao Caves at Dunhuang. It is a national key cultural relic protection unit. Nearby remains include an Eastern Han stone elephant, cup-and-plate carvings, Longdong (Dragon Cave, a sea-eroded cave with inscriptions from the Song to Qing dynasties that show this was once a coastline), and the Chenglu Plate (dew-collecting basin). A visit takes about 1.5–2 hours. Route: entrance gate, cliff carvings, stone elephant, cup-and-plate carvings, Longdong, summit. Admission is generally about 30 yuan, subject to official announcements. Getting there: about 15 minutes by taxi from downtown. It is about 5 km from Haizhou Ancient City, so the two can be visited on the same day.
Opening hours
About 08:00–17:00