Yinxian Resort

The picturesque Yinxian Resort is situated in the Licheng Development Zone, 15 kilometers (about 9 miles) away from Dongguan City. 'Yinxian' means 'the place where a worthy person lives in a secluded life'. The resort was built to commemorate the wise official, Li Juesi, from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). He was quite a high-minded person and wrote many books that are significant in Guangdong. The resort construction, covering an area of over 500,000 square kilometers (more than 124 acres), is based around the former residence of Li Juesi on Yinxian Mountain. Influenced by the local landscape and historical sites, this resort is an integration of charming natural scenes, traditional Chinese culture and several modern amusements.

The uninterrupted mountains and vigorous dense trees endow the resort with attractive natural scenes. The many historical buildings and cultural sites reveal a flavor of antiquity, most of which relates to Buddhism. At the foot of the mountain, there is a statue of the Maitreya Buddha's human form. It is 15 meters high (about 49 feet).The potbellied statue always displays an exaggerated big smile. On the top of the mountain, stands the largest white marble statue of Kwan-yin (the Goddess of Mercy) in China. With a height of 29 meters (about 95 feet), this 2,000 ton white marble carving of the Kwan-yin in a sitting position, appears very solemn and holy. Further down the mountainside there is the Yinxian Temple which overlooks a beautiful green lake. In an area of 130,000 square meters (about 32 acres), the temple includes four majestic main halls and some associated halls and chambers. Every year, many Buddhist activities are held, so the Temple is quite a thriving place.

The most representative building in the resort is the former residence of Li Juesi. It is named the Wancui Residence, also called the Li Juesi Memorial. The residence is of a simple and archaic design with the architectural style of the Ming Dynasty. The decoration and furnishings are kept in their original form. So, it not only reveals to people the life led by this virtuous figure, but also shows the secluded life of those times.

Unlike other historic sites, the Yinxian Resort also boasts many modern features. Here, the music fountain shows innovativeness. By employing different combinations of light and water, the fountain can show various forms. What is interesting is that the traditional Chinese figure of Bagua (The Eight Diagrams) is added within the fountain. Every day, there are more than five acrobatic and animal performances. What is more, the resort also provides barbecues for tourist groups; people could enjoy the delicious food while watching the excellent shows.