Gongbei Stone

Gongbei Stone

On Riguang Peak east of Jade Emperor Summit stands a huge rock jutting diagonally upward to the north, known as "Gongbei Stone," because its shape resembles someone rising to gaze at the sea, hence also called "Sea-Gazing Stone."

The stone is 6.5 meters long and is one of the iconic landmarks of Mount Tai, as well as a great spot to watch the sunrise. Ancient people wrote: "Hardly had I heard the celestial rooster herald the dawn, when the sun over Fusang had already begun to glow. The vast sea mist mingles with the clouds in motion, and on the stone, people feel a special kind of emotion." Visitors with an artistic inclination can climb onto the rock to either witness the spectacular sunrise or admire the drifting clouds, finding endless delight.

In summer, after the rain clears, a large amount of water vapor evaporates and rises. Combined with the warm air from the sea that is held at around 1,500 meters above sea level by high-pressure airflow, if there is no wind, you will see vast layers of white clouds spread out over Mount Tai Summit, resembling a giant jade plate suspended between heaven and earth.

The distant mountains are entirely swallowed by the sea of clouds, with only a few peaks poking through the mist. Nearby, visitors seem to be walking on clouds, as if arriving in another world. When a gentle breeze blows, the sea of clouds ripples, and the peaks appear and disappear intermittently, like elusive fairy islands. When the wind grows stronger, the jade plate transforms into a giant dragon, soaring up and down, churning the seas and mountains.

Gongbei Stone, also known as "Sea-Gazing Stone," is located below Riguang Peak on Jade Emperor Summit and is one of the famous attractions there. It is often regarded as a symbol and key landmark of Mount Tai. Gongbei Stone is about 10 meters long, 3.2 meters wide, and roughly 1.5 meters thick, resembling a sheathed sword thrusting diagonally into the sky. It earned its name because it extends northward. In reality, it does not point due north but rather about 8° northwest, at a bearing of 352°. It forms a 30° angle with the ground, standing higher than the surrounding terrain, with cliffs on both its northern and eastern sides, giving it a mystical and precipitous appearance.

Both Gongbei Stone and the surrounding rocks are coarse porphyritic biotite monzogranite, light gray with a slight flesh-red tint, featuring a porphyritic texture and gneissic structure. The main mineral components are plagioclase, microcline, quartz, and a small amount of biotite. Three sets of feldspar-quartz veins in different directions have developed on Gongbei Stone, along with nearly east-west, nearly north-south, and northwest-trending fractures, all of which significantly compromise the structural integrity of the stone.

The coarse porphyritic biotite monzogranite on Jade Emperor Summit has highly developed vertical joints, which divide the rock into many slabs of varying thicknesses. The vertical joint surfaces are relatively flat, providing a natural and ideal canvas for rock carvings. As a result, many cliff inscriptions on Jade Emperor Summit are found on these joint planes. These upright slab-like rock blocks, formed by vertical joints, often collapse or topple during weathering and erosion due to gravitational forces. Gongbei Stone is the result of such an upright slab breaking and tilting under gravity, though it did not completely fall because it was supported by a large underlying rock.

The toppled Gongbei Stone, after prolonged spherical weathering, gradually lost its edges and corners layer by layer, taking on the shape we see today. Thanks to the hardness of this monzogranite, which offers relatively strong resistance to weathering, it still stands firmly atop Jade Emperor Summit despite years of exposure. Coupled with its unique shape—though not perfectly aligned to true north—it remains a symbolic axis of Mount Tai and a beacon in people’s hearts.

Transportation

[External Transportation]

1. Take bus routes 14, 19, 45, K37, K3, or K49 and get off at Hongmen Station to reach the Hongmen entrance of Mount Tai.

2. Take bus routes 19, K37, K39 Inner Loop, K39 Outer Loop, K3, or K49 and get off at Tianwai Village Station to reach the Tianwai Village entrance of Mount Tai.

3. Take bus route 19 and get off at Tianzhu Peak Scenic Area Station to reach the Tianzhu Peak entrance.

4. Take bus routes K16 or K49 and get off at Taohuayu Station to reach the Taohuayu entrance.

[Internal Transportation]

Accessible on foot within the scenic area.

Ticket

Included in the ticket for Mount Tai Scenic Area.

Opening Hours

All day

Location

On Riguang Peak east of Jade Emperor Summit, Tai'an District, Tai'an City, Shandong Province