Zhonghua Temple, located at the junction of Shenyang and Liaoyang, was first built in the Tang Dynasty and originally named Lingshan Temple. It is said that there are two giant pythons in the temple, one with the word "Hua" on its head and the other with the word "Sheng" on its head. Therefore, the temple was renamed Zhonghua Temple. The scenic area is beautiful, combining Buddhism and Taoism. In the summer of 1888, it was continuously renovated and perfected. There are few tourists and the architecture is very elegant, reminiscent of Japanese court style. In addition, the park is clean, tidy, and full of colorful flowers, making it particularly suitable for family outings and spring outings.
Liaoyang Longfeng Mountain Scenic Area
Longfeng Mountain is a group of temples, all built against the mountain. The planned area of the scenic area is 200,000 square kilometers, with an area of over 1,000 acres on the mountain. It is spectacular when viewed from below. Longfeng Temple was founded during the Tang Dynasty and has a history of over 1,300 years. It was damaged during the Cultural Revolution. In the northeast of the mountain, there is a stupa that houses the relics of Shakyamuni Buddha. There are few online recommendations for Longfeng Temple and little information available, so there are few tourists. It is an interesting experience to climb the stairs to explore the entire scenic area, and it is a good choice to visit in spring or autumn.
Guangyou Temple, established during the reign of Emperor Han Wu, was one of the earliest Buddhist temples in China. It was a royal temple during the Jin Dynasty. However, it was burned down by the Russian Empire in 1900 during the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion in Liaoyang. It was reconstructed in 2002. The rebuilt Guangyou Temple scenic area covers an area of 267,000 square meters and consists of five parts: the temple area, the White Pagoda Park, the Youth Lake Park, the China Square, and the moat water tour. Guangyou Temple itself is impressive, boasting five world records: the largest bronze incense burner, the largest Main Buddha Hall and stone archway, the largest palace lantern, and the world's largest wooden sitting Buddha statue. Although Guangyou Temple is located in the urban area of Liaoyang, it is quite spacious, so the tourists are relatively dispersed, making it suitable for weekend strolls.
Fushun Gaolishan Scenic Area
As a landmark landscape of Fushun City, Gao'er Mountain has 1.5 million square meters of natural forests and scenic spots, and is the only park in Liaoning Province built on the site of an ancient city. The Gao'er Mountain Ancient Pagoda, built in 1088 AD, has experienced nearly a thousand years of wind and rain. This pagoda is the oldest existing pagoda in the Fushun area, and there is a Guanyin Pavilion halfway up the mountain that complements this pagoda. Gao'er Mountain itself is not very high, but the terrain changes greatly, making it especially suitable for climbing in autumn and winter.
Liaoyang Longshi Scenic Area
Longshi Scenic Area includes Longding Mountain and Shidong Gully, with a total planned area of 20.3 square kilometers and a forest coverage rate of 90%. On Longding Mountain, the Wanhao Bell, the first bell tower in Northeast China, harmonizes with the ancient Great Wall, while the mountains in the Shidong Gully undulate. It's worth taking a good walk here on weekends. There are not many restaurants in the scenic area, so it is suggested to bring your own food. If you want to climb the mountain, you need to be physically fit and prepared with water, as there is little shade after the forest fire and it can be very hot in summer.
