Fangshan County 方山县

History

A Fangshan County was first set up under the Sui and was folded into Lishi (离石) under the Yuan. It was split off again in 1918, merged with Lishi in 1954 and re-established in 1971. The Qing official Yu Chenglong (于成龙, 1617–1684) was born in Laibao (来堡村), a village in Beiwudang town on the road to the mountain. The Kangxi Emperor called him the most incorruptible official in the empire; his tomb, former home and family shrine survive, and Lüliang city counts 82 relics connected with the Yu family in the county.

What to see

Beiwudang Mountain, about 120 kilometres from Taiyuan (太原), was once called Dragon King Mountain (龙王山) and is also known as Zhenwu Mountain (真武山). It took the name Wudang after the Ming restored its Xuantian Hall (玄天大殿), with "north" added for its position. The granite massif has 72 peaks, with Xianglu Peak (香炉峰) at 1,985 metres, and a stairway of about 1,455 steps with iron chains on the steep parts leads up past old pines and weathered rocks to the Zhenwu Temple on the summit, which old stelae say was founded under the Tang. The State Council listed it as a national scenic area in January 1994, and its temple fair falls on the first to third days of the third lunar month.

Elsewhere in the county, the Nancun walled-town site (南村城址) is a national monument, and the Fangshan Drum Tower (方山鼓楼) and the He Long Middle School (贺龙中学) are provincial monuments.

Food and local products

Fangshan's signature dish is chao'e (方山炒恶), "fried e". Steamed, peeled potatoes are pressed into strands, kneaded with potato starch and sometimes a little carrot, rolled into a thick cake and steamed; once cool the cake turns semi-translucent and is cut into slices, cubes or strips and stir-fried with tomato, green chilli, cabbage, carrot or bean sprouts. In the local dialect "e" (恶) means "clever" or "capable", after the farmer said to have invented it. Heilengze (黑愣则) and crystal noodles (水晶面) are other potato foods developed from it.

Highlights

• Beiwudang Mountain 北武当山: Daoist granite peak, 1,985 m, national scenic area since 1994.
• Yu Chenglong's former home 于成龙故居: Birthplace of the Qing official in Laibao village; tomb and family shrine also survive.
• Nancun walled-town site 南村城址: National monument in the county.
• Fangshan chao'e 方山炒恶: Steamed potato-and-starch cake, sliced and stir-fried with vegetables.