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Drum Hill (Gu Shan) stands 12 kilometers east of Fuzhou. It got its name for a large rock on top of the hill which is said to give reverberations like the beating of drums during storms. It stands by the River Min, 969 meters above sea level and abounds in springs and precipitous cliffs, covered all over by green vegetation. More than 150 places of interest are found on and around Drum Hill, including natural spectacles and historical or cultural sites.
The sight that has the strongest attraction is Yongquan Temple (Yongquan si), which gets its name from the spring in front of its gate. For over one thousand years, it has been the foremost temple in Fuzhou, probably because of the collection of 20,000 Buddhist scriptures, of which 700 are allegedly written in blood.
To the east of the temple are Source of Spirits Cave (Lingyuandong), the Water Sound Chamber (Tingshuizhai), and White Ape Gorge (Gaiyuanxia), where precipitous stone cliffs are carved with calligraphic inscriptions and Buddhist statues.
To the west of the temple, luxuriant pines and cypresses shade the "eighteen views of Drum Hill" and White Cloud Cave (Baiyundong), and narrow paths Zigzag through the woods.
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