Langshan (Nantong) 狼山

About Langshan (Nantong)

It belongs to a group of five hills that form a distinct landscape at the river’s lower reaches.

Guangjiao Temple is the hill’s main Buddhist focus. The Catholic Marian shrine north of the hill records a separate religious tradition in the same area. These are active religious places, so choose the precinct you intend to visit and follow its own access arrangements.

According to local tradition, the Chan monk Sengjia (僧伽), regarded as an incarnation of the eleven-faced Guanyin, founded Guangjiao Temple (广教寺) after subduing a white wolf spirit said to have given the hill its name. In the 1930s the Holy See issued edicts granting a plenary indulgence to the Catholic shrine north of the hill, after which Langshan was counted among the twelve major Catholic pilgrimage sites in China.

Langshan belongs to a group of five hills called the Langwushan (狼五山), together with Ma'anshan (马鞍山), Jianshan (剑山), Junshan (军山) and Huangnishan (黄泥山). It stands 106.94 meters high, the tallest of the five. Jianshan, southeast of Langshan and west of Junshan, rises 87.33 meters with an elevation of 74.8 meters and ranks third among the five; its ridge is said to resemble an unsheathed sword, giving the hill its name. Junshan, once an island, is also called Xiangshan (象山) for its resemblance to a crouching elephant.

Langshan is counted among the eight lesser sacred Buddhist mountains of China (中国佛教八小名山). On Jianshan, the tomb of a Dutch engineer who contributed to water-control works in Nantong was rebuilt in June 1987 and, in 1991, was designated a Nantong municipal protected cultural site (南通市文物保护单位).

What to look for

• Guangjiao Temple gives the hill its Buddhist architectural focus.
• The Marian shrine north of the hill adds a separate chapter of local religious history.

Location & getting there

Getting to Langshan (Nantong)

Approach the Langshan scenic area in southern Chongchuan, Nantong, near the Yangtze; the temple and northern Catholic shrine have different visiting approaches.

• Confirm the selected entrance and current internal access before departure.