Eighteen Bends of Mount Tai

Eighteen Bends of Mount Tai

The grandeur of Mount Tai is fully captured in the Eighteen Bends, and its magnificence is best experienced during the climb.

The Eighteen Bends is the most perilous section of the mountain’s climbing paths, featuring over 1,600 stone steps and serving as one of the major symbols of Mount Tai. Here, the cliffs on both sides are sheer as if cut by a knife, with the steep path nestled in between. From a distance, it resembles a celestial ladder to the gates of heaven.

The Eighteen Bends is located north of Duìsōng Mountain, atop a high terrace, flanked by two cliffs. Originally called Yúnmén (Cloud Gate), it was later renamed Kāishān (Open Mountain) during the late Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty when the path was reconstructed. This marks the beginning of the Eighteen Bends. North of Kāishān is Lóngmén (Dragon Gate), where there used to be a Dragon Gate Archway, now destroyed. On the western cliff, there is a wild cursive script inscription of the large characters “Lóngmén,” traced by Wei Xiang during the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty. To the east lies Dàlóngyù (Great Dragon Valley), where, during the rainy season, water converges into the gorge, creating cascading waterfalls.

Ahead lies the New Bend Entrance. During the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty, official Lǚ Kūn built Tiāntiáo Bridge across the ravine and constructed a new path along the upper source of Longyu, extending all the way to the southern gate of Bìxiá Temple, greatly facilitating the ascent and descent for those climbing to the summit. Both the bridge and the path were destroyed during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty.

North of the New Bend Entrance, the mountains rise steeply, with Fēilóngyán (Flying Dragon Rock) to the east and Xiángfèng Lǐng (Soaring Phoenix Ridge) to the west. Between them lies a narrow pass known as Yīxiàn Tiān (One-Line Sky), also called Shíbì Gǔ (Stone Wall Valley). In this valley, the South Heaven Gate stands above, while Shēngxiān Fāng (Ascension Immortal Arch) lies below, connected by the Eighteen Bends. The South Heaven Gate is situated right at the mouth of the valley and stands as a prime example of ancient Mount Tai architecture making full use of the geographical environment—enhancing and beautifying nature through human effort. It is also one of the important symbols of Mount Tai. Looking up at the gate, the path rises steeply as if an inverted cloud ladder. The walls of Stone Wall Valley feature inscriptions such as “Roar at the Heavenly Gate,” “Echoes in the Layered Cliff Valley,” “Heavenly Ladder at the Gate,” and “As If Ascending to the Heavens.”

There is a saying that there are three sets of Eighteen Bends on Mount Tai. From Kāishān to Lóngmén is the “Slow Eighteen”; from there to Shēngxiān Fāng is the “Moderate Eighteen”; and from Shēngxiān Fāng to the South Heaven Gate is the “Steep Eighteen,” totaling over 1,630 steps. On the western cliff of the “Steep Eighteen,” there is a massive rock hanging in midair.

Its profile resembles the head of a Buddha lying sideways—high nose, bald head, and a kindly smiling face—called Yíngkè Fó (Welcoming Buddha).

The rock layers of the Eighteen Bends stand almost vertically, with an incline of 70 to 80 degrees, rising over 400 meters within less than one kilometer.

The Eighteen Bends is one of the major symbols of Mount Tai.

As the poem goes:

Rising five thousand zhang from the earth, soaring through the sky via the Eighteen Bends.

The path reveals itself where the ravine ends, the heavens glimpsed through the crevices.

Layers upon layers stacked like brushstrokes, solitary and hanging steep as a pole.

Though I’ve faced many wonders in life, today my very bones still shiver.

Transportation

The stretch from Zhōngtiānmén (Mid-Heaven Gate) to Nántiānmén (South Heaven Gate) generally takes about 1–2 hours to complete.

Transportation

[External Transportation]

1. Take bus routes 14, 19, 45, k37, k3, or k49 and get off at Hóngmén 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 Tiānwàicūn Station to reach the Tianwai Village entrance of Mount Tai.

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

4. Take bus routes k16 or k49 and get off at Táohuāyù Station to reach the Taohuayu entrance.

[Internal Transportation]

Reach on foot within the scenic area.

Ticket

Included in the ticket for Mount Tai Scenic Area.

Opening Hours

All day

Attraction location

Inside Mount Tai Scenic Area, No. 54 Hongmen Road, Taishan District, Tai'an City, Shandong Province (between Duìsōngshān and Nántiānmén)

Dai Temple of Mount Tai

Tianwai Village

Sky Street of Mount Tai

Confucius' Ascent Site

Fan Cliff

Dai Zong Archway

Jumping-off Cliff of Mount Tai

Doumu Palace

Cloud Step Bridge

Mid-heaven Gate

Scripture Stone Valley

Cypress Cave