Jinggangshan, or Jinggang Mountain, situated in the southwestern corner of Jiangxi Province near the border to Hunan Province - and located some 350 kilometers southwest of the province's capital, Nanchang - is known mainly for its role in the Chinese Communist movement, but it is also a place of rare natural beauty, a fact that is sometimes overlooked in the eagerness to profile the mountain as "the Cradle of the Chinese Revolution", "the Cornerstone of the People's Republic of China", "the First Mountain in China", etc. Besides its well-known revolutionary-historical sites, Jinggang Mountain boasts of sites of natural wonder that can be divided into the following categories: mountains & peaks, rocks & stones, waterfalls, meteorological phenomena, karst caves, hot springs, rare animal- & plant species, and alpine rural scenery, though in the presentation below, we concentrate mainly on the mountain's peaks and waterfalls as well as its revolutionary-historical sites.
This mountain has great significance in the annals of modern Chinese history for it was here that important events during the Chinese revolution took place. For those who are interested in the history of the revolution, it is possible to take a tour on Mt. Jinggang that the people who against great odds struggled to establish the Peoples' Republic of China. Mt. Jinggang is famous for the fact that it was here that forces led by Zhu De joined those headed by Mao Zedong. Together, the combined forces of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) marched on to a victory that was to establish the new China under the Chairmanship of Mao Zedong. Mt. Jinggang with its special features is quite different from the other sights, which makes a visit so rewarding.
In the autumn of 1927, Chairman Mao and Zhu De led the Red Army to establish the first revolutionary base here, so Jingganshan Mountain is also called "the Cradle of Revolution" and is written about in the histories of the Chinese revolution. Currently there are over 30 revolutionary sites on the mountain, and 10 of them are national protected sites. For example, the Revolution Museum, the Martyrs Monument, the former military headquarters of the Fourth Red Army and the former residences of Mao Zedong, Zhu De and Chen Yi are all worth visiting.
The famous Monument and Memorial to the joining of Forces on Mt. Jinggang is situated in the Dragon-city (Longshi) area, southwest of Huangyang Jie. The monument commemorates the achievement of Mao Zedong and Zhu De. The five exhibition rooms present the important event in Chinese history to tourists. The monument is 19.28 meters (about 21.1 yards) high, 5 meters (about 5.5 yards) long and 4 meters (about 4.4 yards) wide which indicates the date of join forces-May 4th, 1928. The two sides of the monument are inlaid with red marble, symbolizing two oriflammes, depicting the successful meeting of the two forces on Mt. Jinggang.
Mt. Jinggang has an indispensable place in Chinese revolutionary history and offers a good insight into the history of the Chinese revolution. However, this is not only a Red Army tourist spot but is also an area of natural beauty that offers you plenty of scope for relaxation.
Location: Jingangshan Mountain is situated in Jiangxi Province, bordering Hunan Province in southwestern Jiangxi.
Special Distinction: Jinggangshan Mountain was "the best mountain of the world" in Zhu De's eyes. It is one of the greatest national scenic spots, and enjoys a ranking in "China's top 40 tourist attractions".
How to get there:
Highway: round-trip coach about ten times per day from Nanchang City, Ji'an City to Ciping, then you can change to a bus from Ciping to every sightseeing spot around Mt. Jinggang
Airline: from Guangzhou City, Shanghai City and Nanchang City etc. to Mt. Jinggang Airport (former Taihe Airport), which is 80 kilometers (about 50 miles) away from Ciping
Railway: Train from Beijing to Kowloon set a stop in Mt. Jinggang and the special trains from Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Zhengzhou etc. to Mt. Jinggang were opened
Admission Fee: CNY 156 (through ticket)
Best season: Late March to early April
Opening hours: 9:00-17:00 (for tickets sale)