Qixia Mountain Scenic Area

Known by the ancient name She Mountain, it carries the reputation “One Qixia Mountain holds half of Jinling’s history”. With origins tracing back to the Southern Dynasties, it preserves over 80 historic relic sites blending Buddhist culture, imperial heritage and geological wonders. Qixia Temple, ancestral shrine of the Three‑Treatise School of Buddhism, rests on its western slope. Core highlights include Mirror Lake with Rainbow‑Bright Mirror scenery, thousand‑year‑old Qixia Temple, Sarira Pagoda with exquisite stone reliefs, Thousand‑Buddha Cliff grottoes, Red‑Leaf Valley, Peach Blossom Lake and Emperor Qin’s Riverside Viewpoint for overlooking the Yangtze River. The famed Qixia Red Maple turns hills ablaze from mid‑October to December. Layers of maples, liquidambar and other deciduous trees create fiery red‑and‑gold landscapes against ancient grottoes, pagodas and temple buildings. It perfectly merges Southern‑Dynasty Buddhist relics, mountain‑forest ecology and spectacular autumn foliage, making it a top destination for hiking, historical exploration, ancient‑style photography and autumn‑leaf sightseeing in Nanjing.