Origin of Xiannu Mountain

Xiannu Mountain was originally known as Long-an Mountain. In Tang Dynasty, an eminent monk from Shaanxi came here and settled in a thatched cottage. Following this, his devotees built a temple for him on this mountain, by hand, and named it Long-an Temple.

The story behind the name Xiannu Mountain, separate from its original name, is associated with legend. Most likely during the Song Dynasty, there lived a kind and honest old lady with her industrious and frugal daughter-in-law. The old lady was always willing to take good actions and offer help to others while her daughter-in-law picked herbs and did the farming and weaving. One day, the old lady fell after suddenly fainting. When she came to, but saw nothing except darkness, she had been totally blinded. To cure this lady's eyes, her daughter-in-law went up the mountain, and looked for herbs each day. Following a long day of searching, one day she was so tired and so rested under a big tree. She was just about to close her eyes when she faintly saw a young pretty girl holding a large scarlet peach walking towards her with a big smile. This girl said to her, "take this peach home to your mother-in-law. Her eyes will be cured if she eats it." Surprised and excited, she opened her eyes at once, but the girl had already disappeared. Indeed, after taking just one bite of the peach, the old lady felt heat all over her body and her eyes swelled. A moment later, she could see again, and her sight was clearer than before. People say the kind-heartedness of the old lady and the strength of the daughter-in-law's filial obedience touched the fairy maiden, a figure responsible for helping people in distress. In order to show respect to this fairy, people changed the mountain's name to Fairy Maiden Mountain, and Long-an Temple was also renamed Fairy Maiden Temple.