Cradleland of world Tea Culture - Mountain Meng Mountain Meng, a Provincial- level Scenic Spot, is the cradleland of the Tea Culture in the world, 7 km east on Mengyang Town, Mingshan County. According to the record of Jiuzhouzhi Records, ”Mountain Meng, named for bathing in the rain and dew ”. Following the footmarks of Xia and Yu emperors’ water-controlling pursuit, ancient people called it “Yu tribute Mountain Meng” .And listed it in the scriptures and history for the popularity of its tribute “celestial tea”. At a altitude of 1,456m, Mountain Meng has five peaks lifting up and circled like a lotus flower, named repectively as Shangqing(Clear) Peak, Lingjiao(Water Caltrop) Peak, Lingquan(Sacred Spring) Peak, Ganlu(Sweet Dew) Peak, Yu’nu(Maiden) Peak, which rise and stretch upon one another with dense green trees and ancient woods rushing seemingly far to the sky, and the clouds and mist twisted together. Besides, there are also ancient Meng Spring, Sweet Dew Stone Treasury, Emperor’s Tea Garden, Stone Kyllin and Precious Wall etc. Under the Five Peaks is the Tiangai Temple, a place where the Tea King, Wu Lizhen had ever lived, ever rebuilt in the Song Dynasty and has been refitted as a new one. In the key hall there is a sitting statue of Wu Lizhen. In front of the Mountain Gate there are five thousand-year-long gingko trees reaching high to the sky and providing sheltering from the heat. On the west side of the Meng Spring Court(Mengquan Court) is the “Five peaks and Buddhist Temple” built in the Tang Dynasty. At the side of the temple, there are Thousand Buddha cliff stone carvings sculptures, White Horse Stone, Tortoise Well and Stone Bamboos etc. In the south of the temple there is a several-ten-hectare tea garden. There’s a museum about history of tea on Mountain Meng built in the Emperor Yu’s Palace in Tiangai Temple. The museum collects 136 cultural relics and samples. Qianfo Mushrooms, Wuding Meng Pines, Squared Bamboos, yews, red camellias, Baifeng grass, Dove Tree and other rare plants as well as the noble flowers such as the yunlan trees with red-and-white flowers left in Song Dynasty, camellias,azaleas, peonies, sweet-scented osmanthus and orchids grow in abundance in the mountain. Beautiful natural sceneries accompanied with age-old tea history and cultures, make 60th the ancient and wodem tourists full of praise to them time out of mind. Tourist can take the ropeways to travel over the layers of green woods and have a bird’s eye view of the 5 peaks and the 48 scenic spots on the top of Mount Meng enjoying the humour and wit while lingering in the beauties without remembering to go back home. |