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Explore the region
About Stone Bell Hill
Its cliffs and water-worn cavities inspired Su Shi’s investigation of the hill’s bell-like name. Above the water, Zhaozhong Shrine climbs the slope in three successive halls, accompanied by courtyards, subsidiary buildings and rock inscriptions. The combination makes this a compact visit linking river geography, nineteenth-century architecture and the literary tradition of studying the landscape.
Stone Bell Hill lies at the meeting of Poyang Lake and the Yangtze in Hukou county and comprises Upper and Lower Stone Bell Hill, together known as 'Shuangzhong' (双钟); its lower hill takes its name from the bell-like sound made by water striking the rock in its crevices and caves. In the Northern Song, Su Shi (苏轼) examined the cliffs and wrote the essay 'Record of Stone Bell Mountain' (石钟山记). The hill's buildings were destroyed in fighting between Taiping and Xiang forces by 1857, and the Zhaozhong Shrine (昭忠祠) was built on the site, largely completed by 1860.
The Zhaozhong Shrine (昭忠祠) stands on the hill's northwest side, facing the lake with cliffs behind, its halls rising in tiers up the slope. Two subsidiary buildings stand beside it: Baoci Chanlin (报慈禅林), a Buddhist hall, and Huanxiang Villa (浣香别墅), which received officials.
The hill preserves stone inscriptions, including a Tang-era verse, 'Zun Wang Zhi Yi' (遵王之义), by Wei Hui (魏徽); a painting by Su Shi; a poem by Huang Tingjian (黄庭坚); calligraphy by Zeng Guofan (曾国藩); and a modern poem by Guo Moruo (郭沫若). These were listed as a provincial cultural relic protection unit in 1959, and in 2013 the hill's buildings and inscriptions were listed as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level (全国重点文物保护单位).
What to look for
- The river-facing cliffs and cavities associated with Su Shi’s Stone Bell Hill essay.
- Zhaozhong Shrine’s stepped sequence of halls and the adjoining Huanxiang Villa courtyards.
Location & getting there
Getting to Stone Bell Hill
Approach Lower Stone Bell Hill from Hukou’s old town, at the Poyang Lake–Yangtze confluence. This is the riverside historic complex; arrange the road transfer to Hukou separately from a stay in central Jiujiang.
Combine your visit
A suggested sequence linking the specific features of this visit.
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River-facing terraces
See the confluence and the cliff setting behind the hill’s name.
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Zhaozhong Shrine
Follow the ascending hall axis and its memorial architecture.
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Huanxiang Villa
Compare the adjoining reception rooms and enclosed courtyards.
This order is editorial. Confirm access and any transfers between stops; it does not establish a walking route, same-day connection or common admission ticket.
Find Stone Bell Hill
石钟山 · 九江市
The pin marks the area, not the entrance.
More places nearby
Approximate straight-line distances between map pins, not travel distances.
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View guide →Sources & visit information
The sources below support the place-specific description and arrival information. Suggested combinations are editorial planning ideas; confirm current opening, entry arrangements and transport services for your date.
Visitor information adapted and edited from Wikipedia contributors, “石钟山” · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 92175134.
Visitor information adapted and edited from Wikivoyage contributors, listing “Stone Bell Hill” · CC BY-SA 4.0.
Background paragraphs translated and condensed from Wikipedia contributors, "石钟山", Chinese Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 92175134.