Tianzhu Mountain

Tianzhu Mountain, Tianzhushan in Chinese, is one of the three most famous mountains in Anhui Province, together with Yellow Mountain and Mt. Jiuhua. Located in Qianshan, Anqing, Anhui Province, the mountain is a branch of Dabie Mountains and well known for its great number of peaks, caves and rare rocks, as well as the beautiful environment with fresh air and numerous green plants. It also features rich cultural relics such as steles carved with the calligraphies of famous people in ancient times, such as Libai, an outstanding poet of the Tang Dynasty (618~907). It is the perfect place for outdoor activities such as climbing mountains, admiring peculiar peaks and a sea of clouds, exploring mysterious caves, and splashing about in the water. Here below are some of the major sites one should not miss:
 

With an elevation of 4,887.7 feet (1989.8 meters), Tianzhu Peak is the highest peak in the scenic area. It is named "Tianzhu", literally meaning Heavenly Pillar, because it looks like a giant pillar piercing the sky. The peak is renowned for its steepness, for it is extremely difficult to climb. So far, only two visitors have reached its top.

Under Tianzhu Peak, there is a lower peak separated from the main peak. The peak is less than 30 feet (9.1 meters) high, and resembles a blooming flower, so it is named the Flower Peak.
 It is actually a mountain peak, too, named as "island" because it is surrounded by cliffs on three sides, resembling an island floating in the air. Located to the left of the Flower Peak, it is said to be the place where celestial beings lived in ancient times, since there are old trees and green vines binding together, as well as mist floating around all the time. Its elevation is about 4,430 feet (1,350 meters).
 The second highest peak of Mount Tianzhu is the Tianchi Peak, whose elevation is 4,678 feet (1,426 meters). It is split into three parts, linked by two stone slabs, called the Celestial Crossing Bridge. Passing by the bridge, one will reach a platform less than 12 square yards (10 square meters). Here are two "Tianchi", which are naturally formed holes. Additionally, there is a steep cliff beside the platform for visitors to enjoy the sea of clouds. Frightening but attractive, the cliff is called the Courage Estimating Cliff. This is also the best place to appreciate the halo of the Buddha, which may come into being when there is a refraction of sun through the fog, forming the rainbow halo with your figure in it, looking like the halo of the Buddha. It is said that you will be lucky if you see the halo.
 Significantly, there is a pine tree standing among the stones beside the Tianchi Peak, growing totally in the rocks. Although the environment is tough, it has been standing there for more than 1,500 years; therefore it is regarded as a symbol of willpower and life force.
 This is the third highest peak of Tianzhu Mountain, with an elevation of 4,672 feet (1,424 meters). The peak is formed with a huge rock named Feilai Rock, meaning the rock seems to be flying to the mountain peak, and the peak is named Feilai Peak. It is interesting that the spot to the west of the rock is shaped like the outline of Anhui Province due to the erosion of water flow.
 Located close to Feilai Peak, Mysterious Valley is more than 1,300 feet (396 meters) long. The drop of the valley is more than 330 feet (100 meters), with 54 caves connected with each other and scattered inside. Together they make a labyrinth, with the narrowest point allowing only one person to pass through, and the widest point allows many visitors to sit together. Visitors may feel nervous and a little scared at the dark places, and may hear the birds singing at the bright part. There is a lot of fun for visitors here.
 Originating from the Back Palace of Mount Tianzhu, Jiujing River is about 33,000 feet (10,000 meters) long. Actually, the river is best known for the northwest wind blowing to the valley it flows through. The wind is unique in that it blows all year round, even in summer, making the valley and surrounding areas a perfect summer resort.
 Alchemy Lake is well known because a Taoist in the Han Dynasty (202 BC~220 AD) did alchemy here. The water area of the lake is about 323,000 square feet (300,007 square meters), and the elevation is about 3,600 feet (1,098 meters), which make the lake rival the Heavenly Lake on Mount Tianshan and the one on Changbai Mountain.
 Tianzhu Mountain has a long history and has been favored by the literati since ancient times. They have left many precious carved steles in Stone Ox Cave (named for big rocks the size of an ox). On the rocks are carved more than 300 works such as poetry, calligraphies, and paintings.
 

 There are three entrances to Tianzhu Mountain: the East Entrance, the South Entrance and the Dalongwo Entrance. Visitors may climb the mountain from the south entrance, or walk to the Dalongwo Entrance to take the cableway, the upper terminal of which is at Mysterious Valley.
 The best time to visit the mountain is from March to November. Additionally, there are raft floats in summer for visitors to cool down and the sea of clouds in fall for visitors to appreciate.
  Take bus Hefei to Qianshan at the southern part of Hefei Bus Station and get off at Qianshan. The first bus is at 06:40 while the last is at 17:00. About CNY 70 is needed. Then take the local bus to Mount Tianzhu Scenic Area, which takes about CNY 15 and 20 minutes.
 Take bus Hefei to Qianshan at the Hefei South Bus Station and get off at Qianshan. The first bus is at 08:40 while the last is at 17:20. About CNY 70 is needed. Then take the local bus to Mount Tianzhu Scenic Area.
 Take the train to Tianzhu Mountain Railway Station, and then take a taxi to Qianshan Bus station. Taxi fare is about CNY 10. Next take the local bus to Mount Tianzhu Scenic Area.
 Take bus Anqing to Qianshan at the Anqing Central Bus Station and get off at Qianshan. The first bus is at 06:30 while the last is at 18:00, and the buses departs every 5~10 minutes. About CNY 20 is needed. Then take the local bus to Mount Tianzhu Scenic Area.

Admission Fee	Adult: March 16th ~ November 15th : CNY 130; November 16th ~ next March 15th: CNY 110 Children taller than 4.6 feet (1.4 meters) but below 18 years old enjoy half-priced tickets. Children below 4.6 feet (1.4 meters): Free of charge. But they need to pay the insurance of CNY 5 and environment protection fee of CNY 15.  Note:  Visitors need to get the preferential tickets with your passport.  All children need to be accompanied by an adult.
Sightseeing Bus	CNY 30, including the cost for both going up and down the mountain.
Cableway	CNY 80 for the single trip ticket and CNY 140 for round-trip ticket.
Opening Hours	07:00-17:30