In Photos: The Temples of Mount Fanjing

Mount Fanjing, or Fanjingshan, is part of the Wuling mountain range in southwestern China’s Guizhou province. Named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site last year, the mountain is home to a conservation area, a nature reserve, and a number of Buddhist temples—it has been considered a sacred site for centuries.

Two of these temples sit atop a lonely spire called the New Golden Summit, or Red Clouds Golden Summit, which rises more than 330 feet (100 meters) above the surrounding mountaintop. The Temple of the Buddha and Maitreya Temple are separated by a narrow gorge that visitors can cross via a short bridge.


The Temple of the Buddha and Maitreya Temple, photographed from above, atop the New Golden Summit on Mount Fanjing.

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A sea of clouds, photographed at sunset in Mount Fanjing Nature Reserve.

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An aerial view of the short bridge connecting the temples atop the New Golden Summit.

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A view of the New Golden Summit, looking west.

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A rainbow appears above Buddhist temples on Mount Fanjing.

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Stairs lead up to a temple on Mount Fanjing.

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A view to the south.

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Climbing up through the gorge of the New Golden Summit.

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A closer look at the peak.

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Mount Fanjing is considered one of Chinese Buddhism’s sacred mountains—the fifth most important one in China.

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Unique geological landforms, including the “Mushroom Stone” at right.

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