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Situated in the South District of Hengyang City, Huiyan Peak, 98 meters above sea level, ranks the first of the 72 peaks of Mount Hengshan. Legend has it that when wild geese flew from North China to South China, they made a migrating stop, hence the name Huiyan (Delaying Wild Goose Migration) Peak. At the foot of the peak lies the Misty Rain Pond. The pond from which “misty rain rises”, has never dried up, making “Misty Rain on Huiyan Peak” one of the Eight Wonders in Hengyang. Famous poet Du Fu wrote the poem in which he said that “having crossed one thousand kilometers, the wild geese in Hengyang returned to the north again”.
:The hill door of Yan Peak is a stone torii. The Banshan Pavilion is not far away from the door hill. Through the upward and across “one hundred step scaling ladder”, one reaches the peak. In the peak, there is Yanfeng Temple. According to records, this temple was built in the Southern and Northern Dynasties. During Liangwu Emperor Period, it is called Chengyun Temple. After Tang Dynasty, it was named Yanfeng Temple, Yanfeng temple, Huayao Temple, Xichan Temple, Luohan (Arhat) Temple are called four pillar temples of Zen Buddhism in Hengyang. There have been many hierarchs coming here to study Zen.
The Stone Drum Academy
Named after its location on the Shigu Mountain north of Hengyang City. It was the place where Li Kuanzhong, a scholar in the Tang Dynasty, built a studio, and later on in the Song Dynasty, became an academy, attracting many famous scholars and followers. Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty bestowed the land and the tablet bearing Shigu Academy on it, making the Academy highly reputed throughout the country. The original academy was destroyed in 1944 because of Japanese bombings. Today the Shigu Academy, the Shigu Park and some other buildings are rebuilt on the base of ruins. Bus Lvyou 1 will take you there, or you can walk there on foot or take a taxi.
岳屏公园
Located in the south of Hengyang city. It covers 21 hectares. In the west of the park is the City Museum, where thousands of pieces of cultural antique and relics are displayed. Additionally, the zoo is located here, which includes a Mount Monkey, Birds and Beasts Lake, Fishpond, etc. Skating rink and man-made lake for boating are constructed on the south mountain of Yueping. Yueping Park presents harmonious world to tourists with elegant pavilions, brilliant bridges, tranquil pebble-paved paths, fragrant flowery gardens and grand rocks. There is the Monument of Martyrs on top of the hill. Not far from the monument stands a Ferris wheel, which offers an interesting look of the city. There is also an amusement park inside that's quite popular with local families. Yueping Park is free of charge, but the zoo isn't. And you can take bus 1/3/12/16/20/33/K1 to go there.
A relaxing destination for who enjoy quite boat rides and shady promenades. During the summer months, the West Lake Water Park is most popular with the young and the old in Hengyang. There's a Lotus Tower featured in poems of the famous ancient poet Zhou Dunyi and a Taichi square where locals practice Taichi in the morning and dancing at night. The West Lake Park also serves as the memorial park for the inspirational Chinese revolutionist Xia Minghan: there's a bronze bust of him at the main entrance to the park.