Jiaoshan & Banlishan Site
Jiaoshan & Banlishan is a cultural heritage site on an island in the lower Yangtze River near Zhenjiang, surrounded by water and nicknamed floating jade. The site includes ancient temples, a forest of stone monuments with over 400 inscriptions, jagged rocks, and seasonal flowers blooming throughout the year.
The site originated during the Eastern Han Dynasty when a hermit named Jiao Guang lived there, making it a place of seclusion that inspired scholars. By the Song Dynasty, it became a defensive location with artillery batteries built to protect against invaders along the river.
The site is known as the mountain of calligraphy because of its over 300 cliff inscriptions created by celebrated writers from different dynasties. Visitors can observe how these carved characters blend naturally into the landscape as they walk through the area.
Access to the island requires a short ferry ride, so check weather conditions as boats may not operate during storms. Autumn is the best time to visit when maple leaves turn red and chrysanthemums bloom throughout the site.
The Forest of Steles collection here is the largest in the southern Yangtze region and second only to Xi'an in all of China, with inscriptions carefully preserved. Ancient trees from the Ming Dynasty and even earlier periods are scattered across the mountain, creating a quiet, timeless setting.
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