Hiking Shibao Shan (Shíbǎo Shān, 石宝山) or "Stone Treasure Mountain," is an amazing trek through bulbous stone hills streaked with waterfalls and covered with temples, shrines and carvings dating back 1000 years and more.

The area seems to have been a retreat for a number of cults, sects and outright religions for many centuries. There are shrines devoted to all manner of gods and spirits, from carvings of the various Buddhist gods to pseudo-animist, slightly-Taoist displays of appreciation for nature's beauty.

Shizong Temple (Shízhōng Sì, 石钟寺) and Baoxiang Temple (Bǎoxiàng Sì, 宝相寺) are the more famous (and larger temples) of the area, but idol-filled caves and grottoes sprawl out across several square kilometers.

Shibao Shan appears as a cleft in the valley that disappears back into hills. A small path leads up into the cleft and along the way you will pass a small gate where you buy your ticket and the dirt path will become hewn steps. Follow the steps up and start exploring. After about a short climb, you will start to see the temples and carvings that make this place special.

Expect to spend a full day hiking around. Some of the highlights are the procession of Indian monks, carved into an overhang just up from Shizhong Temple and a Yoni Shrine in a nearby grotto.

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