I Thought Huangshan Was Beautiful Until I Followed Nezha to...

Tianzhushan Travel Guide: A Hidden Gem in Southern Anhui Among Magnificent Peaks and Sea of Clouds ⛰️✨ 📍 Destination Overview Tianzhushan, one of Anhui's three famous mountains, was anciently known as "Wanshan" and was designated as the "Southern Sacred Mountain" by Emperor Wu of Han! It features unique granite peaks, valleys, sea of clouds, pines and stones. The famous traveler Xu Xiake praised it saying "every peak is extraordinary, every stone is peculiar." The main peak, Tianzhu Peak, stands at 1,489.8 meters, piercing through the clouds like a giant pillar. Other attractions include the "changing scenery with every step" of Mysterious Valley and the "emerald waters reflecting red cliffs" of Liandan Lake - truly a geological textbook-level feast of mountains and waters! 🚗 Transportation Guide 1️⃣ Self-driving: - From Hefei: Jing-Tai Expressway → Qianshan Exit → Tianzhushan Visitor Center (2.5 hours) - From Anqing: Hu-Yu Expressway → Qianshan Exit → Mountain road (1 hour, drive carefully on the many curves) 2️⃣ Public Transportation: - High-speed train to "Qianshan Station," then take the scenic area shuttle bus directly to the cable car station (30 minutes/15 yuan) - Take the "Tianzhushan Special Line" from Anqing Bus Terminal (hourly departures from 7:00-17:00) 3️⃣ Scenic Area Transportation: - Dalongwo Cable Car (80 yuan one-way, 10 minutes to the main scenic area) - Hiking route: South Gate → Tianwa Peak → June Snow → Zhenyi Ridge (about 3 hours) 🔥 Must-Visit Attractions Checklist ❶ Tianzhu Peak Pilgrimage - 📍Best viewpoint: Qinglong Back Observation Deck (sea of clouds wrapping around the peak at sunrise) - 🧗Challenge route: Baiyue Platform → Lotus Peak → Tianchi Peak (requires climbing with both hands and feet) - ⚠️Note: Strong winds year-round at the peak, secure your hat tightly! ❷ Exploring Mysterious Valley - 🌟Feature: 650-meter-long granite cave system, 54 caves connected into an "underground maze" - 📸Photo spots: Silhouette shots against backlight at Xiaoyao Palace Cave entrance, divine light through the Five-Line Sky crevice - 💡Tip: Caves are wet and slippery, headlamp and non-slip shoes recommended ❸ Liandan Lake's Mystical Traces - 🚣♀️Activity: China's third largest alpine lake, rent a bamboo raft (50 yuan/30 minutes) - 🌄Sunset exclusive: Capture "half lake rippling, half lake red" when sunset reflects on the lake surface ❹ Flying Peak Wonder - 🤯Highlight: The sky-reaching "Flying Stone," legend says it was left by Goddess Nuwa when mending the sky - 🧭Camera position: Look up from the small path beside Ganlu Spring, using pine branches as foreground 🌄 Hidden Gem Experiences ▫️ Chasing the Sea of Clouds - Best season: Clear mornings in autumn and winter after rain - Stakeout: Tianzhu Qingxue Observation Deck, watch the rolling clouds like an ink-wash painting ▫️ Stargazing - Camping spot: Designated areas by Liandan Lake (management fee 100 yuan/tent) - 🌌Bonus: After the 25th day of the lunar month when there's no moon, see the Milky Way arch over Tianzhu Peak ▫️ Cultural Exploration - Sanzu Temple: The place where Zen Master Sengcan, the Third Patriarch, practiced; touch the thousand-year-old ginkgo tree for blessings - Valley Springs: Tang and Song Dynasty cliff inscriptions, find Wang Anshi's authentic calligraphy 🍜 Local Flavors ▫️ Stone Ear Stewed with Free-range Chicken: Cliff-growing fungus + free-range chicken, rich broth and tender meat (98 yuan/pot) ▫️ Mountain Rice Balls with Braised Pork: Sweet potato flour balls soaking up meat flavor, deliciously chewy must-try (38 yuan) ▫️ Tianzhu Aromatic Duck: Herbal-marinated duck, more flavorful with each bite (68 yuan/half) ▫️ Wild Chestnut Tofu: Acorn jelly topped with spicy sauce, refreshingly tangy (15 yuan) 🏡 Accommodation Guide 🌄 Best for Sunrise Viewers: - Liandan Lake Resort (Lake-view rooms 600+ yuan, ink-painting-like mountain and water views right from your window) 💰 Best Value: - South Gate Homestay Cluster (Standard rooms 150 yuan, hiking pole rentals available) ⛺ Wilderness Experience: - Tianzhushan Lodge Tent Campground (Breakfast and dinner included, fall asleep to the sound of wind through pine trees) ⚠️ Hard-Learned Lessons 1️⃣ Essential gear: Hiking boots are a must! Rocks in Mysterious Valley are sharp as blades 2️⃣ Weather gamble: Mountain microclimates change quickly, always keep a raincoat in your backpack's side pocket 3️⃣ Cable car trap: Xiguanzhai cable car is no longer operating, don't believe scalpers' shortcuts lies 4️⃣ Avoiding crowds: Weekend cable car lines can be 2+ hours after 10 AM, recommend going up before 7:30 AM 5️⃣ Ecological boundaries: Strictly prohibited to feed the stump-tailed macaques; you're responsible for any injuries from food-snatching When morning mist is pierced by the first rays of sun, stand on Qinglong Back and look down at the sea of peaks. Clouds roll in the valley below, peculiar pines stretch out from sheer cliffs, and mountain breezes carrying wild orchid fragrance brush past your nose—this mountain, which Li Bai described as "When my elixir is complete, I shall return to dwell in this place," might just be the most luxurious spiritual remedy for urban dwellers 🌿. 📅 Best Seasons - April-May: Rhododendrons paint the mountain cliffs red - September-November: Colorful foliage + frequent sea of clouds - January-February: Spectacular rime ice formations (some paths closed) (🔔 Fun fact: Tianzhushan is a World Geological Park, formed from granite 128 million years ago—the rocks you touch are older than dinosaurs!)