Panshan was formerly known as Wuzhong Mountain, Xuwu Mountain, Sizheng Mountain, and Panlong Mountain. According to legend, at the end of the Eastern Han dynasty, the renowned scholar Tian Chou of Wuzhong led his clan to take refuge here. In the twelfth year of the Jian’an era (207 AD), when Cao Cao led his army on a northern campaign against the Wuhuan, Tian Chou volunteered to serve as their guide, earning distinguished merit in the decisive defeat of the Wuhuan. In recognition, Cao Cao “presented him with the title of Marquis of Ting, granting him a fief of five hundred households.” Yet Tian Chou declined the honor and continued to live in seclusion on this mountain; hence it came to be called Tianpanshan, or simply Panshan.  

　　According to the “Records of Panshan,” beginning with Emperor Cao Cao of the Wei Dynasty, emperors of successive dynasties—including Tang Taizong, Liao Taizong, Liao Shengzong, Jin Shijong, and the Qing emperors Kangxi and Qianlong—visited Panshan. They commissioned extensive construction projects, carved temples into the mountainside, and left behind more than 300 cliffside stone inscriptions. From imperial rulers and high officials to scholars, literati, and devout believers, countless people flocked to the mountain to enjoy its scenery, engage in Zen meditation, and pay homage to the Buddha, their footsteps never ceasing. As early as the early Tang period, Emperor Taizong Li Shimin, on his triumphant return from an eastern campaign, praised Panshan’s splendor, composing the poem: “Here one may roam and delight; why seek beyond Xiangcheng?” This exalted tribute underscored the mountain’s breathtaking beauty. By the Ming and Qing dynasties, Panshan had grown to boast 72 monasteries, 13 pagodas, and a profusion of imperial palaces and pavilions, creating a landscape unparalleled in grandeur and becoming a thriving Buddhist sanctuary. During the Tang era, as Buddhism flourished, Panshan, together with Mount Wutai in Shanxi, was hailed as the “Eastern Wutai.” Its serene natural beauty and abundance of Buddhist temples drew a steady stream of pilgrims and visitors; many scholars and artists came either to practice Zen and worship or simply to savor the mountain’s charms, leaving behind countless poems, calligraphic masterpieces, inscribed steles, and legendary tales that enriched Panshan with profound cultural landmarks and boundless charm. The Qing emperor Kangxi visited the mountain nine times, while Emperor Qianlong, during his first tour of Panshan, exclaimed in awe: “Had I known of Panshan, why would I have ventured south of the Yangtze?” He then ordered the construction of the vast imperial retreat, the Jingji Villa, in the eastern section of the mountain. Under his patronage, Panshan reached the zenith of its prosperity, and he returned for twenty-seven additional visits. The imperial court used this secluded palace both to conduct state affairs and as a favored summer retreat. To fully appreciate the villa’s exquisite vistas, the Qing emperors annually invested heavily, drawing on traditional Chinese garden‑design techniques and blending the finest elements of northern and southern garden art, thus transforming Jingji Villa into a majestic, splendid, and opulent royal garden.
 
　　Yet by the first half of this century, most of these structures had vanished, ravaged by war and left to decay over the years. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Panshan region served as one of the revolutionary base areas in eastern Hebei. The Japanese army enforced a brutal “three‑all” policy, reducing many Buddhist temples and other historic sites to ashes through warfare and deliberate destruction. Nevertheless, Panshan’s serene, picturesque landscapes—where clear skies mingle with verdant peaks—continue to captivate visitors. After liberation, a martyrs’ cemetery was established at the foot of Panshan, a place for future generations to pay their respects. The heroes who gave their youth, shed their blood, and sacrificed their lives have written countless inspiring chapters, rendering Panshan even more magnificent than before. Numerous revolutionary relics have been opened to the public. In recent years, several ancient buildings on the mountain have been restored or rebuilt, and Panshan, now sporting a fresh new appearance, has once again become a celebrated tourist destination, welcoming visitors from home and abroad.