Tianzhu Mountain Scenic Spots Introduction
Tianzhu Peak
Standing at an altitude of 1,488.4 meters, Tianzhu Peak rises towering into the sky like a giant pillar propping up the firmament. Its entire mass consists of jagged rock formations with breathtaking, magnificent contours. It resembles a pillar, an awl, a torch, a sword, a multi-story pavilion, or an exquisite writing brush. Hence the well-known praise: After visiting the Five Great Mountains, no other peaks are worth seeing; after visiting Huangshan, no other mountains are worth touring; after visiting Tianzhu Mountain, no other summits can impress you.
When the great Tang poet Li Bai sailed the Yangtze River near Susong, he beheld the grandeur of Tianzhu Peak and composed a stirring poem:
Strange peaks breed ethereal clouds, graceful woods hold delicate charm.
Clear and serene is Wan Gong Mountain, its steep cliffs delight the heart…
Bai Juyi also chanted its glory:
One peak of Tianzhu holds up sun and moon; a thousand-ren cliff gate locks clouds and thunder.
Zhu Xi of the Song Dynasty sighed in admiration:
A solitary pillar stands firm, majestically guarding the eastern realm.
We speak of heaven and earth’s vastness, yet few know its mighty supporting work.
Li Geng of the Ming Dynasty wrote:
Lofty Tianzhu Peak rises steeply piercing the sky.
Before halfway up the climb, one already dwells in fairy isles.
Riding void alongside cranes and phoenixes, steps wrapped in mist and smoke.
Of all wondrous mountains under heaven, none match this mountain’s grace.
Tianzhu Peak juts forth alone, with precipitous, treacherous slopes that make climbing extremely difficult. Records show only two tourists have ever reached its summit to this day.
Tianzhu Peak bears many alternative names:
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Chaoyang Peak (Sun-Facing Peak)
The peak towers above all surrounding ridges. At dawn, the first ray of sunlight strikes its tip, and the last glow of sunset fades away here. It faces the sun all day long, yet this sight is rarely witnessed year-round. Owing to frequent mist and fog across the Jianghuai region, the main summit is shrouded in clouds for nearly half the year.
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Siming Peak (Lord of Destiny Peak)
Tianzhu Mountain is a sacred Taoist mountain, designated the 14th Heavenly Grotto and the 57th Blessed Land under the jurisdiction of the Immortal Siming (Lord of Destiny), hence the name for its main peak.
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Hejia Peak (Crane Chariot Peak)
Ancient local records document that every second lunar month (mid-spring), thousands of white cranes fly from the southwest to circle and dance above Tianzhu Peak. This natural phenomenon results from bird migration as spring arrives.
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Wanbo Point (Lord Wan’s Summit)
The Tianzhu Mountain area was once the ancient State of Wan, named after Lord Wan (Earl Wan). Thus Tianzhu Peak marks the highest point of Lord Wan Mountain.
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Sunzi Point (Bamboo Shoot Peak)
Named for its shape. Qing Dynasty writer Chu Guangqian recorded in Travel Notes on Wan Mountain that Tianzhu Peak is “sharp at the top and broad at the base, jagged on all sides like a tender bamboo shoot breaking through soil with its husks unfurled.”
Eight giant characters, each five feet square, are carved horizontally on the southern cliff of the summit: Isolated Pillar Upholding the Firmament and Single Pillar Between Heaven and Earth.
- Isolated Pillar Upholding the Firmament was inscribed by Li Yunlin, a military commander and subordinate of Zeng Guofan of the Qing Dynasty, while stationed in Qianshan, and carved by herbalists He Liangmou and He Liangzuo.
- Single Pillar Between Heaven and Earth was written by Zhang Gan, Deputy Commander of the Fifth War Zone of the Kuomintang during his visit to Tianzhu Mountain, and carved by He Laichao and He Laibin, great-grandsons of He Liangmou.
Alchemy Lake
Alchemy Lake covers a water surface of nearly 30,000 square meters with a water storage capacity of 80,000 cubic meters, sitting at an altitude of 1,100 meters. Among China’s famous mountains, it rivals Heavenly Lake on the Tianshan Mountains and Heavenly Lake on Changbai Mountain.
Its crystal-clear water glistens jade-green, encircled by rolling mountains in an elegant serene setting. On windless sunny days, the lake acts as a flawless mirror reflecting blue skies and white clouds; steep crags and green pines cast rippling reflections across the water like woven brocade, breathing life into the tranquil surface. When soft breezes sweep across, the lake shimmers with sparkling waves, unfolding a brand-new view. Boating upon its waters feels like wandering in the Jade Immortal Lake of legend.
Before the lake was constructed, this flat basin was known as Good Medicine Flat, or Upper Alchemy Ground. The Taoist sage Zuo Ci of the late Eastern Han Dynasty gathered herbs and refined elixirs here, from which the lake derives its present name. The Alchemy Chamber where Zuo Ci once lived and the Alchemy Platform where he lit his furnaces still stand intact.
Standing on the Alchemy Platform, visitors enjoy a panoramic view: all western mountain ridges unfold clearly. Flying Peak seems ready to plummet; Moon Treasure Peak resembles a tin plate holding a pearl about to fall, with Tianzhu Peak visible in the distance. Lion Peak rises to the left, Azure Dragon Ridge stretches to the right. Climbing Immortal Peak and Drum Peak lie to the east, while Unicorn Horn, Inverted Basin and Welcome Immortal Peaks stand to the south. A sweeping gaze captures all the scenic wonders of Tianzhu Mountain.
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