Tianzhu Mountain, lying in Qianshan County, Anqing City in Anhui
Province, is located at the joint place of Dabie Mountain and the
Middle-Lower Yangtze Plain.
Tianzhu Mountain has a total area of 333 square kilometers,
and its main scenic zone covers 82.46 square kilometers. There are
45 peaks, 17 ridges, 18 cliffs, 22 caves, 86 grotesque rocks, 18
waterfalls and 17 springs. With towering pines, grotesque rocks,
running waterfalls and springs, and canyons, secluded caves, defiles
and ancient mountain strongholds, the mountain resort combines the
features of both Huangshan Mountain and Lushan Mountain, imposing and
tranquil.
The Tianzhu Peak, with an altitude of 1,488.4 meters, is high and
steep, rising into the sky; the Mystery Valley, with valleys and caves
connecting one another, is reputed as the No 1 granite cave; the Liandai
(make pills of immortality) Lake, at the altitude of 1,100 meters, is the
third largest alpine lake in China; and the nine great waterfalls run down
from steep cliffs. The whole mountain resort boasts 119 families of
vegetation, which amount to over 1,000 kinds, and tens of species of rare
animals, of which Yulin Mu (fish scale tree), Tiannv (fairy maiden) Flower,
and the Giant salamander are called "Three Treasures in Tianzhu Mountain".
Tianzhu Mountain is referred to by Taoism as the 14th Fascinating Place
and the 57th Happy Land. The second and the third Patriarch of the Zen School
of Buddhism (or the Dhyana School) once lived there. Such cultural celebrities
in history as Li Bai, Wang Anshi, Su Dongpo, Huang Tingjian, etc once admired
the beauty there, and left many Cliffside stone carvings in the Shiniu Ancient
Cave.