Great Five Osmanthus Hill is both an old scenic spot and one enlisted in the “New Scenic Spots of Zhongshan City.” There are soaring peaks, unique flowers and exotic plants, the new look of development, touching folk tales, and the most stirring – the moving stories of the revolutionaries fighting the enemies.
The imposing Five Osmanthus Hill is located at the mouth of the Pearl River and stretches far around. It consists of 7 towns and districts and 9 hill ranges such as Nantai Hill in the Nantai Hill Range, the old site of “Nantai Autumn Moon,” one of the Eight Scenic Spots of Xiangshan County. The main peak of Five Osmanthus Hill is 531 meters and so close to sea it is more imposing set off by the sea. The hill was called “Xiangshan Hill.” As recorded in Around the Globe, Xiangshan Hill is in the south of Dongguan County, 150 kilometers from the county seat across the sea. There are many unique flowers and exotic plants so it is called Xiangshan (fragrant) Hill. So here is the roof for Zhongshan and Zhuhai City. According to tales and legends about this place, there are natural beautiful scenes, peculiar stones and rocks, unusual birds, fantastic springs, and falls so its scenery is by no means inferior to the scenery of Xijiao Mountain or Luofu Mountain in Liangnan.
The hinterland of Five Osmanthus Hill includes Shiying Bridge Village and Binlangshan Hill, which are villages of heroes. In early 1942, to meet the requirements of the revolutionary development, a revolutionary base was to be opened. In October 1944, Zhongshan County Democratic Regime Congress was held in Shiying Bridge Village, at which, Zhongshan Administration Supervision and Instruction Department was declared coming active. In January 1945, the First Detachment of Pearl River Column was established at the Gu Pantheon of Binlangshan Village. The headquarters of Pearl River Column, Pearl River Delta People’s Anti-Japanese Guerilla were also created at the Gu Pantheon. The establishment of these military and political organizations contributed greatly to the ultimate victory. Today, the Gu Pantheon has been renovated. In the pantheon there are showcased the documents and actual artifacts of the column and in the front yard flowers and plants are grown. In the front of the village, there stands a monument to the war martyrs for the visitors to commemorate and stimulate nationalism and patriotism.
Across the area of Five Osmanthus Hill, there also goes a story about Brother Zeng Pool. Brother Zeng and his wife lived by a pool. They were hard working clever people and were so inspired by the running force of the river they invented a device for husking rice. They led a happy life. Unfortunately, one time a mountain torrent broke out and washed their husking device into the pool. The husband plunged into the pool to retrieve the device followed by the wife, both ending up dead in each other’s arms. To their memory, people call this pool Brother Zeng Pool…
Five Osmanthus Hill teems with bellflowers, azaleas, orchids, and sandalwoods. At each year’s spring-welcoming flower fair there cannot be a fair without bellflowers. The Zhongshan orchid-lovers take to their Five Osmanthus Orchids very much. Most of the hill area, however, is covered by the pine trees, eucalyptuses, firs and acacia rachiis planted since the liberation of the People’s Republic of China. These trees lushly cover the hill and preserve and protect the water resources of this area and that is why the water here is very fresh and the air, salubrious. The industrial and agricultural development of this are has been on the rise. The smooth highways and newly built buildings give the hilly area a remarkably new look.
If chance permits, just go up to the hilltop to view a major project – a TV rebroadcast station for good communications connecting Zhongshan City with other places in China in a bid to make it more beautiful in culture. On the top when the weather is good you can witness the immensity of South Sea and catch sight of the scenes of Zhuhai and Macao around you. It is quite a spectacle!
The newly built Zhongshan Forest Amusement Manor boasts swimming pools, barbecue places and fishing by making use of its forest resources and beautiful environment, by which the tourists come closer to nature and get refreshed. So just go visit this renowned place for your forest travel and health building!