Tianmu Mountain Scenic Area

Tianmu Mountain Scenic Area

Tianmu Mountain Scenic Area is a national-level scenic spot.

The name "Tianmu" comes from "Queen Mother of the West." It is the principal mountain of Xinchang County, comprising peaks such as Boyunjian, Xijian, and Dajian, forming an undulating and majestic range of mountains. Tianmu Mountain is relatively unknown in modern times, but in the eyes of ancient intellectuals, it was a highly revered peak. As early as before the Tang Dynasty, Tianmu Mountain had already been a cultural mountain longed for by Chinese literati. Poets of the Tang Dynasty, such as Li Bai, Du Fu, and Bai Juyi, followed in the footsteps of their predecessors, visited Tianmu Mountain, and left behind timeless masterpieces like "Dreaming of the Heavenly Mother Mountain: A Farewell Poem" and "A Grand Tour," elevating Tianmu Mountain to an exalted ideal realm. It thus became a paradise for poets in pursuit of spiritual freedom.

The Ancient Post Road of Tianmu. The post road came from Kuaiji, entered Xinchang territory via Huangniquiao in Shengzhou, and extended from the old eastern gate of Xinchang City to the border of Tiantai County, with a total length of 90 li. Currently, the long street that crosses Banzhu, the stone steps of Huishuling, and the mountain path from Tianmu Temple to Lengshuikeng still retain the original appearance of the ancient post road. The remnants of small post stations along the road, such as Xiaoshibo Pu and Guanling Pu, still show the old look of the post stations. The section of the post road that passes through Taoyuan and crosses Tianmu, reaching Tianguanlingtou, is 35 kilometers long. This road was originally pioneered by the Jin Dynasty poet Xie Lingyun when he traveled to the capital, hence it is also called the "Xie Gong Road." There are many relics along this ancient post road that have been passed down through the ages, such as the Peach Blossom Cave where Liu and Ruan met the immortals, and Sima Hui Bridge. Nowadays, roughly parallel to this ancient post road is National Highway 104.

Peach Blossom Fairyland

Peach Blossom lies to the east of Wozhou and to the south of Tianmu. It is the essence of the famous "Tang Poetry Road of Eastern Zhejiang." Legend has it that this area was once the site where Liu Chen and Ruan Zhao of Shanyin in the Han Dynasty collected herbs on Tianmu Mountain and encountered immortals. Sites include the Herb-Picking Path, Immortal Cave, Chessboard Stone, and Melancholy Stream. Furthermore, Sima Hui Bridge at the entrance of Banzhu Village along the stream is associated with the Tang Dynasty recluse Sima Chengzhen, who regretted leaving seclusion. Together, these elements form the delicate and mysterious landscape of Peach Blossom. During the Southern Dynasties, Xie Lingyun served in Yongjia, where he cut down trees and opened paths, composing a large number of landscape poems and becoming the forefather of ancient landscape poetry. In later dynasties, numerous poets visited the area, leaving timeless works such as Li Bai's "Dreaming of the Heavenly Mother Mountain: A Farewell Poem."

Address: Within Xinchang County, Zhejiang Province

Type: National Park / Mountain

Recommended Visiting Time: 3–4 hours

Opening Hours:

08:00 – 16:30

Ticket Information:

No separate ticket required. Included in the 60 RMB admission fee for Wozhou Lake Scenic Area.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Scenic Areas