Lufeng

Busy with worshippers, Yuanshan Temple on Jieshi's Xuanwu Mountain is joined by Jinxiang Beach, Guanyin Ridge and the lively Jiazi fishing port; Lufeng is known for Jiazi fish balls and sweet rice cakes.

Lufeng is a county-level city under Shanwei in Guangdong Province, on the coast of eastern Guangdong. It borders Haifeng to the west and Huilai to the east, faces Jieshi Bay to the south and has a long coastline, and is a meeting point of Teochew, Hakka and Hoklo cultures. Travel here centres on three routes: in the southeast, Jieshi Town has Yuanshan Temple on Xuanwu Mountain, first built in the Southern Song dynasty, which blends Buddhism and Taoism and draws crowds of worshippers, next to the ruins of Jieshi Garrison City, a key Ming-dynasty coastal defence post; south of the city, Jinxiang Town has the crescent-shaped Jinxiang Beach and Shuiyue Temple on Guanyin Ridge, a well-known seaside spot in eastern Guangdong; at the far eastern end, Jiazi Town has the bustling Jiazi fishing port and the rock formations of Daidu Mountain, and is famed for seafood and Jiazi fish balls. Dingguang Temple on Qingyun Mountain, west of the city, is another popular local place of worship. Lufeng shadow puppetry, Zhengzi opera and Baizi opera are listed as national intangible cultural heritage, and performances can be seen in the villages during festivals. The climate is southern subtropical maritime with warm winters; May–Oct is good for the seaside, but typhoons strike in Jul–Sep, so keep an eye on forecasts. The Xuanwu Mountain temple fair in the first lunar month is the liveliest time of year. Getting there: Lufeng and Jiazi stations on the Xiamen–Shenzhen high-speed railway are served by trains from Shenzhen and Shantou; Jieshi is about 40 minutes by car from the city centre. Allow 2 days: one for Xuanwu Mountain and the garrison city in Jieshi, one for Jinxiang Beach and Guanyin Ridge; with more time, head east to Jiazi for seafood.

Top sights

• Jieshi Xuanwu Mountain & Yuanshan Temple – An ancient temple that combines Buddhism and Daoism, founded in the Southern Song Jianyan era (1127). It enshrines a bronze statue of the N…
• Jinxiang Beach – A crescent of fine white sand beneath Guanyin Ridge, with shallow, clear water and scattered rocks. Known as the 'Golden Coast' of eastern…
• Jieshi Garrison City – The ruins of a coastal garrison city founded during the Hongwu era of the Ming dynasty. Surviving walls and gates bear witness to the defen…
• Guanyin Ridge & Shuiyue Palace – A coastal ridge on the border of Jieshi and Jinxiang, where the Ming-era Shuiyue Palace enshrines Guanyin. From the ridge you can overlook…
• Jiazi Fishing Port – An important fishing port in eastern Guangdong, busy with fishing boats and seafood trade, famous for Jiazi fish balls and seafood street s…
• Daidu Mountain – A coastal rocky hill on the east side of Jiazi Town, on the bank of the Ying River, covered in odd rocks. Legend says the last emperor of t…
• Qingyun Mountain & Dingguang Temple – A large Buddhist temple on Qingyun Mountain, west of Lufeng city, with a great Tathagata Buddha, the eighteen Arhats and a Guanyin pavilion…

Where to eat

• Lu Dama Youcha · Hekou Lekoufu Youcha (Donghai Branch) – A Hakka oil tea house in urban Lufeng. The oil tea starts bitter and turns sweet, and it is served with puffed rice and…