Mount Tianzhu

Background

Mount Tianzhu lies in Qianshan City, Anqing, Anhui, in the eastern Dabie Mountains, and has 45 peaks above 1,000 meters. Granite pinnacles, gorges and caves make up its main scenery; the Mysterious Valley is a pile of fallen boulders with more than 50 connected caves that form a maze. In 2011 Mount Tianzhu was designated a UNESCO Global Geopark. In ancient times the mountain was called Mount Huo, and it was also known as Mount Wan and Mount Wangong; Anhui's one-character abbreviation, "Wan," comes from this name. Nearly 400 cliff inscriptions survive on the mountain, dating from the Tang dynasty through the Republican era, most of them around the Stone Ox Cave and Shangu Spring.

Local customs

• Take the cable car up, then hike around Tianzhu Peak and Feilai Peak
• squeeze through the cave maze of the Mysterious Valley
• climb high for seas of cloud and the sunrise
• read the cliff inscriptions around Shangu Spring
• visit Sanzu Temple at the foot of the mountain.

Travel tips

• The paths are steep, with some sections almost vertical, so wear non-slip hiking shoes and carry plenty of water
• stone steps get slippery in rain and fog, so go at your own pace. The scenic area is large, so allow most of a day
• ticket and cable-car prices are as officially announced.
• Take a high-speed train to Qianshan Station, then a scenic-area shuttle or taxi
• by car, take the expressway to Qianshan and follow the signs. Cable cars and trails connect the sights inside. Spring and summer bring mountain flowers and frequent mist, autumn is clear and ideal for climbing, and winter can bring snow but watch for icy paths
• seas of cloud are most likely when the sky clears after rain.