Mount Mao, Mountain peak in Zhenjiang, China.

Mount Mao is a forested peak in the Zhenjiang area with several temples built on its slopes. The natural landscape features different hiking routes through wooded terrain and mountain passages.

The mountain was named after Mao Ying, Mao Gu and Mao Zhong, three brothers from Xianyang who came to Gouqu Mountain during the Western Han to practise Taoism. In the Southern Qi-Liang period Tao Hongjing lived here and compiled the Zhen'gao. Under the Tang and Song the mountain held three palaces, five abbeys and seventy hermitages with over 3,000 rooms; in 1938 Chen Yi and Su Yu established the New Fourth Army base here.

The mountain's name comes from the three Mao brothers, Mao Ying, Mao Gu and Mao Zhong, who came from Xianyang in Shaanxi during the Western Han and cultivated the Way here. Taoism calls Mount Mao the "Eighth Cave Heaven, First Blessed Land", and it is the birthplace of the Shangqing school. The 33-metre open-air statue of Laozi at Yuanfu Wannning Palace is listed in the Guinness World Records.

The area has well-marked hiking trails with varying difficulty levels for beginners through to experienced hikers. Wear sturdy footwear and bring plenty of water, especially for longer routes through the terrain.

The 33-metre open-air statue of Laozi at Yuanfu Wannning Palace is listed in the Guinness World Records. The bronze figure in the photograph sits above grey-tiled halls on Jijin Peak, holding a partly open scroll. The mountain's old name, Gouqu Shan, comes from its ridge winding like the character 己.