山不在高，有仙则名。Shān bù zài gāo, yǒu xiān zé míng – A mountain need not be high; if it has immortals, it has a name.
秀山 Xiù Shān Xiushan – “elegant mountain” – rises just above 通海县 Tōnghǎi Xiàn Tonghai County in 玉溪 Yùxī Yuxi, a hill of a couple of hundred metres worth confirming whose 秀山公园 Xiùshān Gōngyuán Xiushan Park is rated a national 4A scenic area worth confirming. Its fame is not height but ink: the woods carry one of Yunnan’s largest collections of 匾额 biǎn’é horizontal plaques and 对联 duìlián couplets, a density locals sum up as 匾山联海 Biǎn Shān Lián Hǎi “mountain of plaques and sea of couplets,” headlined by the celebrated 「秀甲南滇」 Xiù Jiǎ Nándiān “first in beauty in southern Yunnan” plaque worth confirming. 古柏群 gǔbǎi qún ancient cypresses, some said to date to the 宋 Sòng Song dynasty worth confirming, shade a ridge of halls – 涌金寺 Yǒngjīn Sì Yongjin Temple, 清凉台 Qīngliáng Tái Qingliang Terrace and 玉皇阁 Yùhuáng Gé Yuhuang Pavilion worth confirming. At the hill’s foot, 通海古城 Tōnghǎi Gǔchéng the old town keeps its 十字街 Shízì Jiē crossroads and the 聚奎阁 Jùkuí Gé Juikui Pavilion, a tall 钟楼 zhōnglóu bell tower worth confirming, with 杞麓湖 Qǐlù Hú Qilu Lake beyond. Centuries of 科举 kējǔ examination success earned the county its motto 礼乐名邦 Lǐyuè Míngbāng “famed land of rites and music,” and its souvenir is 豆末糖 Dòumò Táng doumo sugar, a bean-powder sweet sold in paper twists.
The hill is a half-day walk and a small bill: the 秀山公园 Xiùshān Gōngyuán gate is quoted at 20-30 yuan worth confirming, hours roughly 8:00 to 18:00 worth confirming, and the paths climb from temple to terrace under the cypresses. 通海 Tōnghǎi is easy to reach – trains on the 玉蒙铁路 Yù-Měng Tiělù Yuxi-Mengzi line call at 通海站 Tōnghǎi Zhàn worth confirming, buses from 昆明 Kūnmíng Kunming’s southern station take about two hours worth confirming, and driving from 昆明 Kūnmíng takes roughly the same worth confirming. Give the old town at the hill’s foot the other half of the day: the 十字街 Shízì Jiē lanes, the 聚奎阁 Jùkuí Gé tower and the 杞麓湖 Qǐlù Hú shore make a flat, walkable circuit worth confirming. One night in the county town’s modest hotels is plenty; many visitors come as a day trip from 玉溪 Yùxī, or stop on the way to 建水 Jiǎnshuǐ Jishui, which shares the same railway line worth confirming. The town is small enough that the honest transport is your own feet.
Come for the plaques and the cypresses rather than a summit, and give the hill its morning: the light slants in under the trees, the 匾额 biǎn’é and 对联 duìlián read at their best, and the tour groups have not yet arrived. Spring and autumn are the comfortable seasons at the county town’s roughly 1,800 metres worth confirming; summer is green and wet, winter cold and clear. Walk the ridge from 涌金寺 Yǒngjīn Sì up to 清凉台 Qīngliáng Tái for the view over 杞麓湖 Qǐlù Hú, then come down for 豆末糖 Dòumò Táng and a bowl of 通海凉糕 Tōnghǎi Liánggāo Tonghai cold rice cake worth confirming. If the light allows, the 杞麓湖 Qǐlù Hú shore at dusk pairs well with the tower’s silhouette, and the whole county makes a quiet, food-led stop on the old road between 玉溪 Yùxī and 建水 Jiǎnshuǐ. Stay in the county town rather than passing through: the hotels are modest but well placed between the hill and the lake, and 豆末糖 Dòumò Táng bought warm from a 十字街 Shízì Jiē shop beats the souvenir version by a mile. All checked October 2026.
Practicalities
- Rating: 秀山公园 Xiùshān Gōngyuán Xiushan Park – a national 4A hill above 通海古城 Tōnghǎi Gǔchéng and 杞麓湖 Qǐlù Hú, famous for its 匾山联海 Biǎn Shān Lián Hǎi plaques and couplets, ancient cypresses and temple ridge rather than height.
- Tickets: The park gate is quoted at 20-30 yuan, hours roughly 8:00-18:00 (both worth confirming the details); the old town and the 杞麓湖 Qǐlù Hú shore are free to walk.
- Address: 通海县 Tōnghǎi Xiàn, south-central 玉溪 Yùxī; 通海站 Tōnghǎi Zhàn on the 玉蒙铁路 Yù-Měng Tiělù (worth confirming the services), buses from 昆明 Kūnmíng about two hours (worth confirming the details), driving about the same (worth confirming the details).
- Time needed: A single day – two or three hours on the hill, the rest for the 十字街 Shízì Jiē, the 聚奎阁 Jùkuí Gé and the 杞麓湖 Qǐlù Hú shore.
Words and Names
秀山 xiù shān Xiushan, “elegant mountain” · 匾山联海 biǎn shān lián hǎi “mountain of plaques, sea of couplets” · 秀甲南滇 xiù jiǎ nándiān “first in beauty in southern Yunnan” · 涌金寺 yǒngjīn sì Yongjin Temple · 清凉台 qīngliáng tái Qingliang Terrace · 聚奎阁 jùkuí gé Juikui Pavilion, the bell tower · 杞麓湖 qǐlù hú Qilu Lake · 礼乐名邦 lǐyuè míngbāng “famed land of rites and music” · 豆末糖 dòumò táng doumo sugar, the local sweet
flowcloud would say: 通海人把匾额当树林种，爬一圈秀山古文水平自动+1；下山记得称半斤豆末糖——礼乐名邦的伴手礼，比奖状好带。
Getting there: 秀山公园 Xiùshān Gōngyuán above the 通海古城 Tōnghǎi Gǔchéng old town in 通海县 Tōnghǎi Xiàn – gate about 20-30 yuan and buses from 昆明 Kūnmíng about two hours (worth confirming the details), and the honest hour is the morning under the cypresses before the tour groups arrive. All checked October 2026.