Taishan Scenic Area

Taishan Scenic Area

Taishan Scenic Area is a national AA-level tourist attraction.

Taishan Scenic Area is located in Yunhua Township, 38 kilometers south of Wuyi County, covering a total area of 5 square kilometers. The area features towering cliffs, majestic landscapes, competing peaks, and lingering clouds and mist, resembling a fairyland untouched by the mortal world, and is known as a scenic gem in central Zhejiang.

Taishan Temple is situated at the summit of Taishan Mountain, with its name inscribed by Zhao Puchu, then President of the Buddhist Association of China. According to historical records, as early as during the Qiande era of the Northern Song Dynasty (963–968 AD), the eminent monk known as the Tiger-Taming Master came to Taishan to preach, setting up a thatched hut for meditation and taming a tiger to help build the temple. The tiger reportedly slept every night on a large rock at the temple entrance, and over time, its imprint was left behind—still faintly visible today. After successive expansions over the dynasties, Taishan Temple began to take shape. In the Ji Mao year of the Chongzhen era of the Ming Dynasty (1639 AD), it was renamed Zhenjing Nunnery; in the 59th year of the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty (1794 AD), it reverted to the name Taishan Temple. In recent years, the site has been restored and expanded with new attractions such as the Laicui Pavilion, front hall wing rooms, Guanyin Hall, Miaoyun Pavilion, Gongde Pavilion, the mountain gate archway, a mountain-looping corridor, bamboo pavilions, the Sutra-Burning Stone Pagoda, and an outdoor 15-meter-tall statue of Amitabha Buddha, drawing increasing numbers of worshippers and earning widespread acclaim.

The Three Wonders of Taishan Centered around Taishan Temple, the Taishan Scenic Area is characterized by its unique mountain, steep cliffs, refreshing breezes, and beautiful scenery—summarized as the “Three Wonders.” First is the solitary well atop the mountain peak, whose water never dries up even in severe droughts, remaining full year-round with clear, sweet water that can supply hundreds of people. Locals call it the “Immortal Well.” Second are the uniquely spectacular sights: Taishan is surrounded by cliffs on three sides with steep terrain. Inside the mountain, there are ten scenic spots including Miaoyun Qingfeng (Graceful Clouds and Breezes), Laicui Wangyue (Approaching Greenery and Moon Gazing), Buyun Yuantiao (Walking on Clouds and Gazing into the Distance), Shumen Tingtao (Listening to Waves at the Tree Gate), Fuhu HuaiGu (Remembering the Past with the Tiger-Tamer), Xuanjing Shenping (Mysterious Mirror and Divine Screen), Xianjing Yulu (Immortal Well and Jade Dew), Tianchi Guanyu (Viewing Fish at the Heavenly Pond), Jingshui Longya (Tranquil Water and Dragon Cliff), and Huanlang Zhonggu (Bell and Drum Sounds Around the Corridor). Outside the mountain, there are eight more scenes such as Huashan Shipijian (Huashan Stone Sword), San Shi Bitan (Three Rocks and Emerald Pool), Qingxiu Guzhang (Ancient Camphor Trees of Seclusion), Guayan Yushi (Imperial Censor Hanging from the Cliff), Huxiu Wenxiao (Tiger Hill’s Distant Howl), Heyang Yinghui (Lotus Pond and Sunset Glow), Qifeng Xizhao (Seven Peaks at Sunset), and Meicha Bibo (Green Waves of Tea). Third is the serene and elegant environment, pleasant in all seasons. The area surrounding the temple boasts numerous ancient and famous trees, with sweeping views of pine waves on distant mountains and landscapes shrouded in clouds and mist, creating an otherworldly atmosphere that refreshes the mind and lifts the spirit.