Four-Sided Peak

Four-Sided Peak

Located about a hundred meters east of the Upside-Down Lotus Peak and connected to the north with Yulong Ridge, Four-Sided Peak is surrounded by deep valleys on three sides. The peak is covered with green-leafed pine and fir trees whose canopies spread wide like umbrellas. Jutting out among the surrounding valleys, the peak stands high above with sheer cliffs thousands of feet high, making for a precipitous and spectacular landscape. From the front of the peak, one can gaze into the distance at the undulating mountains below, vast and misty with rising clouds. Int

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The Ming Dynasty’s Shen Meng wrote in *Travel Notes on Tianmu*: “Four-Sided Peak combines all six qualities—depth, profundity, seclusion, tranquility, wonder, and beauty. It was anciently called Penglai Fairy Island, a name it truly lives up to; this is indeed the most extraordinary and spectacular spot of Tianmu.”

At the summit stands the Linyu Pavilion. From the pavilion, one can take in the full view of the entire mountain. In 1934, the master painter Xu Beihong led students from the Art Department of National Central University to Xitianmu for sketching trips. They stayed at the Kaishan Old Temple and painted here, leaving behind the oil painting *Autumn Colors at Tianmu*.