Mount Langya – Scenic History

The Mount Langya Scenic Area, advantageously located within Baoding, is about 50 kilometers from Yixian county. Langya means “Wolf Teeth.”

Although few foreigners are aware of Mount Langya, almost all Chinese people know of it: not for its scenery, but for its history. Mount Langya recalls the five brave soldiers who fought off Japanese invaders while Chinese civilians were evacuated. The five men eventually ran out of ammunition, destroyed their rifles, and then leapt off the mountain to their deaths. This heroic tale has been the subject of a number of paintings, and a movie. A museum at the foot of the mountain provides more insight into the five men’s courage. In addition, a tower memorializing the five heroes stands at the mountain summit.

The beautiful scenery on Langya Mountain includes abundant old pines and cypresses. The karst cave halfway up led to the first discovery in China of natural scenery in red agate. Stalactites, stalagmites and other strange rock formations drip water beneath multicolor lights. Climbing higher, through trees and jagged rocks you come to a winding paved pathway. A few extended stairways push on toward the summit. If the weather is clear, visitors are treated to sensational views of the surrounding mountain area.

Mount Langya is made up of 36 peaks divided naturally into five groups. Lianhuaban (Lotus Petal) Peak, the main peak on Mount Langya, is 1,105 meters above sea level, with steep cliffs on the northern and western sides of the mountain. Due to this unique natural topography, tourists may reach the peak through the paths only on either the eastern or southern part. However, there are some narrow points along the paths where you may need to edge through clinging onto the rock face. When you reach the peak, you appear to stand on top of the world, surrounded by sharp wolf teeth.

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