Moon Viewing Peak

Moon Viewing Peak

Guide

There is the Moon Viewing Pavilion on Moon Viewing Peak. To the north of the pavilion, there are two rocks facing each other like a mountain gate—this is the West Heavenly Gate. The West Heavenly Gate is entirely naturally formed, not man-made. As noted in the Ming Dynasty’s Zhong Xing’s “Record of Climbing Mount Tai”: “Mount Tai has three Heavenly Gates; the West Heavenly Gate is where the rocks themselves form the gate—it is the true Heavenly Gate,” which explains this. Highlights

At the Moon Viewing Pavilion atop the peak, on clear nights, you can see the lights of thousands of households in Jinan, and also enjoy famous sights such as the sunset glow and the Yellow River’s jade-like ribbon.

Moon Viewing Peak is located to the west of the South Heavenly Gate, facing East Viewing Peak from east to west. Ancient people said you could see the State of Yue from here, hence the name Yue (Viet) Viewing Peak, though that is likely a misinterpretation; it is also called Wangfu Mountain (Watchtower Hill) because you can gaze at the lights of Jinan from here.

Moon Viewing Peak is situated on the western side of the South Heavenly Gate and gets its name from facing East Viewing Peak from east to west. In ancient times, people believed you could see the State of Yue from here, so it was also called Yue (Viet) Viewing Peak. On clear, bright nights, you can see the lights of thousands of homes in Jinan, which is why it is also known as Wangfu Mountain (Watchtower Hill).

At the peak is the Moon Viewing Pavilion. On nights when the moon is bright and stars are sparse, you can see the bright moon hanging in the vast sky—a rare and breathtaking sight in the world. To the north of the pavilion are two rocks facing each other, resembling a mountain gate—this is the West Heavenly Gate. It is entirely naturally formed, not man-made. As stated in the Ming Dynasty’s Zhong Xing’s “Record of Climbing Mount Tai”: “Mount Tai has three Heavenly Gates; the West Heavenly Gate is where the rocks themselves form the gate—it is the true Heavenly Gate,” referring to this very spot. Here, you can also appreciate famous views such as the sunset glow and the Yellow River’s jade-like ribbon.

Address: West side of the South Heavenly Gate, within the Mount Tai Scenic Area, Taishan District, Tai’an City, Shandong Province