Zoucheng Yishan Scenic Tourism Area

Zoucheng Yishan Scenic Tourism Area

Zoucheng Yishan Scenic Tourism Area is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

A Marvel South of Mount Tai ---- Yishan (峄山) National AAAA-Level Scenic Spot As stated in Mencius' "Jinxin Shang": "When Confucius ascended the Eastern Mountain, he felt Lu was small; when he ascended Mount Tai, he felt the world was small." The so-called Eastern Mountain refers to Yishan. It stands majestically about 10 kilometers southeast of Zoucheng City, the homeland of Confucius and Mencius, on the east side of National Highway 104 and the Beijing-Shanghai Railway. The area boasts uniquely beautiful natural landscapes and is renowned as the "Marvel South of Mount Tai" and the "Spiritual Beauty of Zou and Lu."

Yishan is located southeast of Zoucheng in Shandong, covering an area of over 10 square kilometers with an elevation of 582 meters. The mountain features peculiar peaks, bizarre rocks, steep cliffs, deep caves, along with numerous pine trees and springs. Hiking up the winding mountain paths, you’ll encounter a variety of striking rock formations such as Buckwheat Stone, Tiger Skin Stone, Left Turtle Stone, Sword Testing Stone, Crouching Tiger Stone, Family-Missing Stone, and Sea-Exploring Stone. There are also layered caves and hollows like White Cloud Cave, Dragon Dwelling Cave, Coiling Dragon Cave, Hidden Immortal Cave, Stone Drum Cave, and Magical Light Cave, each with its own legendary tales that add to the mountain’s mysterious aura.

The White Cloud Palace is the most concentrated area of Yishan’s natural and cultural attractions, situated at the mountain’s central peak. In the past, it was the foremost of Yishan’s ancient architectural structures. Built atop a natural stone cave, the palace gives the impression of a cave within a palace and clouds emerging from within, adding to its profound mystery. Here, you’ll first come across the Sacrificial Platform, a sheer cliff facing the Eastern Mountain. From this platform, you can gaze upon the dense pine forest stretching from the mountain base to its summit. Below the platform lies a bottomless abyss. On the platform stands a small stone shrine called the All-Stone Shrine, which bears stone-carved couplets. Looking south from the platform, about a hundred meters up the mountainside, you’ll see a cluster of flower-like rocks huddled together, known as the Flower-Inserting Rocks — a unique wonder of Yishan. Although the White Cloud Palace has been destroyed, the stone cave remains, and clouds still emerge from within. The sight of clouds rising from Yishan is truly a spectacular sight.

The spiritual essence of Yishan stems from its overwhelming array of wonders: the Five Great Marvels, the Eight Brocades, the Nine Dragon Caves, the Twelve Blessed Lands, the Twenty-Four Scenic Spots, and the Thirty-Six Grotto-Heavens. These numerous attractions endow Yishan with the grandeur of Mount Tai, the peculiarity of Huangshan, and the peril of Huashan, creating a naturally unique and breathtaking landscape. The mountain is covered with piles of strange rocks, deep cavities, springs gushing forth amidst clouds, and peaks that pierce the sky, all set amid ancient lush forests and vibrant flowers. As you climb and gaze about, every step reveals a different scene, making it a truly captivating experience. What makes Yishan extraordinary is its rare giant granite rock formations. Massive granite boulders, ornate stone forests, and uniquely shaped granite rocks form various natural sculptures, delicate and translucent, magical and spiritually enchanting.

Yishan features both unique natural scenery and rich cultural heritage, making it a famous scenic spot and popular destination for visitors. Emperors, generals, sages, scholars, poets, artists, eminent doctors, and Taoist masters have all climbed the mountain to enjoy the view, compose poetry, paint, and cultivate themselves, leaving behind a wealth of precious literature, calligraphy, paintings, and historical relics. This has formed a rich and colorful historical culture around Yishan. Famous attractions such as the Twenty-Four Scenic Spots, the Five Great Wonders, the Seven Dragon Caves, the Eight Brocades, the Twenty Renowned Rocks, the Thirty-Six Grotto-Heavens, the Three Great Wonders, the Hundred Scenic Views of Yishan, and the Seventy-Two Temples further enchant countless tourists who find it hard to leave.

Address: Yishan Village, Yishan Town, Zoucheng City

Rating: AAAA

Phone: 0537-5670091, 0537-5670498

Official Website: http://www.yishan.gov.cn

Opening Hours:

8:00–17:30

Admission Fee:

Peak Season (April 1 – November 30): 60 RMB per person; Off-Peak Season (December 1 – March 31): 40 RMB per person