Article
Shanghai Sheshan National Holiday Resort is located at the northwest of Songjiang District, 30 kilometers away from downtown area. From northeast to southwest lie 12 mountains ranging 13 kilometers and covering an area of 401 hectares. They are the Beigan Mountain, Phoenix Mountain, Yuping Mountain, Kugong Mountain, East Sheshan Mountain, West Sheshan Mountain, Chenshan Mountain, Zhongjia Mountain, Tianma Mountain, Xiaoji Mountain, Hengyun Mountain, and Xiaokun Mountain.
In China,"nine" is considered as the biggest digit and since Songjiang District is also known as Yunjian, the mountains are called in short "Nine Peaks of Yunjian". Since in history, Sheshan Mountain has been the most famous, the mountains are called in general the Sheshan Mountain area, which has a long history in religion and with a splendid culture. This area is the place where Catholicism, Christianity, Islamism, Buddhism and Taoism can be found. For over a century, it has been the sacred place of the Catholicism in Southeast Asia. The West Sheshan Mountain is where Sheshan Catholic Church, the biggest church in the Far East, and Sheshan Astronomical Observatory, China's first astronomical observatory, are situated.
The East Sheshan Mountain National Forest Park, which boasts beautiful mountains, luxurious forests and ample plants and animals, is the most beautiful of all the peaks. The Foxiang Spring, Xixin Spring, Sanleng Spring, and Meigong Angling Projecting Rock add luster and beauty to each other; the Wooden Fish Stone, Qilongyan Stele, Qilong Ancient Path, Songyue Terrace, and Moon Shadow Tower set off each other; the Huanglong Cave, Immortal Cave, Three-Phrase Artificial Waterfall, Dragon Pond, Dishui Guanyin are new scenic spots that give tourists a pleasant impression; the unique Lansun Villa and Forest Bathing Pool provide tranquil and comfortable places for tourists to spend their holidays in leisure. Between the East and West Sheshan Mountains stands a Catholic tower constructed in the North Song Dynasty, which is made of brick and wood and has seven floors and eight angles, looking beautiful and elegant. A mid-air cable is constructed between the two mountains, which enable the tourists to have a hearty appreciation of the sceneries of the Sheshan Mountain.