Tiantai Mountain (tiān tái shān 天台山), famous in the eastern Zhejiang Province (zhè jiāng shěng 浙江省), is situated in Tiantai County (tiān tái xiàn 天台县), Taizhou City (tái zhōu shì 台州市). To the southwest of the Tiantai Mountain, it is Xianxia Mountain (xiān xiá lǐng 仙霞岭), and to the northwest is the Zhoushan Archipelago (zhōu shān qún dǎo 舟山群岛). It is known for its beautiful scenery and rich Buddhism culture.

Tiantai Mountain is a well-known Buddhist Mecca (fó jiāo shèng dì 佛教胜地). Guoqing Temple (guó qīng sì 国清寺) at the foot of Tiantai Mountain was built in 598 in the Sui Dynasty (suí cháo 隋朝). It is the birthplace of the Tiantai Sect of Buddhism (fó jiāo tiān tái zōng 佛教天台宗). The temple has been renovated several times in later dynasties. The present temple was renovated in the Qing Dynasty (qīng cháo 清朝) and then in 1973. There are now 14 halls and over 600 rooms in the temple. The architecture there is grand and unique, making the temple a popular tourist destination in Zhejiang. Guoqing Temple is one of the best preserved large temples in China.

As for its beautiful scenery, the Shiliang Waterfall (shí liáng pù bù 石梁瀑布) is the masterpiece of nature. A stone beam spans two steep cliffs, known as Shiliang, a so-called Stone Bridge (shí qiáo 石桥), ranges from 19 centimeters wide at the narrowest and to about 48 centimeters at the widest point. The waterfall plummets 30 meters into a deep pool with a thundering roar. The sight is magnificent. Considerable composure and surefootedness are required to walk across the beam.

Huading Peak (huá dǐng 华顶) is the highest peak of Tiantai Mountain with the height of 1,138 meters. Because it is always nestled in clouds, it is famous for the view of its clouds gathering. The top of the peak is the best place to view sunrise. From the top looking down, Huading and surrounding peaks look like a lotus bud with Huading Peak at the center. Only more than 1,000 metershigh, Tiantai Mountain basks in a comfortable climate among graceful surroundings that is a pleasant respite from city life.

Tiantai Mountain
Location: Tiantai County, Taizhou City
Admission fee:
Guoqing Scenic Area: RMB 15
Shiliang Scenic Area: RMB 60
Huading Scenic Area: RMB 50
Opening hours: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Transportation: you can take bus No. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 to get there