Stone Sea and Stone River

Stone Sea and Stone River

The terrain around Hou Shi Wu in Mount Tai resembles a soup ladle with its handle pointing east. Here, the peaks are steep, the valleys deep, and the cliffs numerous, with grotesque rocks, ancient pines providing shade, and flowers and plants covering the ground. During the rainy season, waterfalls splash, streams surge, creating a unique wonderland. On the slopes and at the bottom of the valleys in Hou Shi Wu, many piles of scattered rocks are commonly seen, with massive boulders clustered together, some forming vast areas that look like an ocean of stones, called the Stone Sea, while others are distributed in ribbon-like patterns, referred to as the Stone River.

The formation of the Stone Sea in Hou Shi Wu of Mount Tai, under the influence of the Tai Shan movement, has led to intense erosion and cutting in the area, resulting in the widespread development of various types of erosional landforms. Two sets of vertical and horizontal joints fracture and damage the rocks, causing them to further disintegrate intensely. The former mainly refers to thermal expansion and contraction of the rocks due to seasonal and diurnal temperature variations, eventually forming weathering fissures that lead to the fragmentation of the rocks. The latter refers to water stored in the pores of surface rocks, which freezes into ice when the temperature drops below zero. Since ice occupies a larger volume than water, it exerts significant pressure on the walls of the rock pores. This immense pressure causes the rock fissures to continuously expand. When the temperature rises above zero, the ice melts back into water, reducing in volume, and the expanded fissures fill with water again. This cycle of freezing and thawing repeats, progressively widening the fissures until the rocks eventually break apart. This process is known as frost wedging.

Since this type of weathering is caused by the repeated freezing of water, it is also referred to as cryofracturing. In the mountainous areas north of Mount Tai, the diurnal temperature variation during the cold winter often hovers around 0°C, making cryofracturing particularly pronounced. The monzonitic granite in the Hou Shi Wu area, after being heavily fractured by the two sets of joints and severely damaged by frost wedging, collapses on a large scale due to gravity. The rocks then roll down and accumulate abundantly on the slopes or in the valleys, forming a Stone Sea and Stone River with a mix of various sizes.

The rocks exposed in the Hou Shi Wu area of Mount Tai are an ancient type of intrusive igneous rock called monzonitic granite, primarily composed of minerals such as quartz, plagioclase, and microcline. The rock is relatively uniform, dense, and hard, with strong resistance to weathering. However, it features well-developed vertical and horizontal joints that are clearly visible, splitting the rocks into many thick and thin slabs and blocks of varying sizes. The vertical joint planes are straight, often forming steep cliffs and grotesque rocks along them, which are awe-inspiring.

The Stone Sea and Stone River of Mount Tai, combined with the natural ecological landscape characterized by ancient pines at Tian Zhu Peak, form a unique geological heritage park in Hou Shi Wu. The geological heritage park features majestic peaks, rugged rocks, steep valleys, and serene, expansive beauty. Hiking up Du Zu Pan, the farther you go, the more perilous the path, the more extraordinary the mountains, and the more stunning the scenery. Within the Hou Shi Wu Geological Heritage Park, ancient pines stand densely, and the Stone Sea spreads out everywhere—some leaning against cliffs, some nestled deep in valleys, some piercing the sky, some filling valleys with flowing rocks, and some appearing ready to take flight. They are wildly diverse and full of charm. When the wind blows fiercely, the rustling of pine waves and the rumbling of the Stone Sea are awe-inspiring.

Time Needed

Half an hour

Transportation

On foot

Admission Fee

Included in the scenic area ticket

Opening Hours

All day

Location

North slope of Jade Emperor Summit, Mount Tai, Tai’an City, Shandong Province