Zining Mountain

Zining Mountain

Located 20 kilometers southwest of the county town. Stretching for dozens of miles, Zining Mountain got its name from the legendary event when Master Zhiyi, the founder of China’s Tiantai Buddhism sect, chanted sutras here and was greeted by a miraculous purple cloud.

Zining Mountain is characterized by its high ridges, deep valleys, winding paths, and an abundance of scenic wonders such as overlapping peaks, exquisite rocks, secluded valleys, and peculiar caves, all veiled in a mystical mist. The mountain is stunningly beautiful. Within it lies a waterfall that drops thousands of feet in three cascading tiers from the cliffs, glistening like a bright white silk ribbon—a truly spectacular sight. This waterfall, along with the Fusheng Waterfall of Tongbai Mountain and the Snow Waterfall of Shiliang, are collectively known as the “Three Wonders of Tiantai Mountain Waterfalls.” The waters of Zining Waterfall flow ceaselessly all year round, remaining crystal clear. During the Tang Dynasty, Lu Yu, revered as the “Sage of Tea,” visited the site to taste tea and rated the waterfall water as the “Seventeenth Best Water Under Heaven” for brewing tea. As a result, the mountain also came to be known as “Waterfall Water Mountain.”

Zining Mountain, with its towering ridges and deep valleys, features winding mountain paths and numerous scenic spots within its folds, such as Colorful Beads, Twin Boats’ Reflection, Biquan Pool, Dragon Pearl Tongue, Bell and Drum Rocks, Carp Facing the Sky, Fairy Washing Hair, and Open Rock Ancient Valley—offering a myriad of wondrous sights. Nearby, you can also find historical sites such as the Lu Yu Hall, Huafayanjing Lecture Hall, Temple of Crown Prince Zhaoming, and ancient kiln sites from the Northern Song Dynasty.