Fanzi Cliff

Fanzi Cliff

Situated on the western side of the West Valley of Mount Tai, Fanzi Cliff features strikingly abrupt peaks that rise steeply and resemble an open fan—hence its name. The cliff bears a cliff inscription carved during the Ming Dynasty by Yang Bo, reading “Cactus.” On the western side of the cliff, an iron ladder allows climbers to reach the summit. From there, one can look north to Longjiao Mountain and clearly see Jiunv Fort, or gaze west to take in the full view of Aolai Peak. Looking eastward, Longtan Reservoir appears like a radiant pearl inlaid in the West Valley, glittering brilliantly. The Qing Dynasty poet Sun Bao Tong once wrote: “Sword-like peaks angrily pierce the sky, iron-like ridges tower a thousand ren; overlooking the eerie depths of Guigou Valley, flanked by the towering cliffs of Zhanger,” truly capturing the essence of Fanzi Cliff. The peak is extremely precipitous—historically, the Red Eyebrows Army even set up a watchtower at its summit. During the Ming Dynasty, the successful candidate in the imperial examinations Wang Wuyu built a dwelling atop the cliff, later constructing a thatched hut at its base, naming it the Western Mountain Retreat. A local legend says, “Open Fanzi Cliff, and gold and silver treasures will come rolling home.” In 1990, steps were carved into the cliff face and a ladder was built to facilitate climbing. The junction between the peak and the cliff forms a mountain pass, in front of which stands the Fanzi Cliff Temple. To the west of the main hall is the Earth Mother Palace, and further west lies the Sun Temple. Descending the steps from the main hall leads down into the valley to the Zhenwu Cave, built during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty, inscribed with the name “Mysterious Heavenly Emperor,” enshrining the Zhenwu deity along with the Jade Boy and Golden Girl. In front lies the former site of the Immortals’ Hermitage, with remnants of its foundation and stone shrine still visible. Along the eastern path is a massive rock bearing a line engraving from the early Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty, depicting an old monk sitting cross-legged on a lotus in meditation. Across the stream south of the temple lies Nongshui Rock, where twin peaks rise and a stream flows eastward, descending to the foot of the West Hundred-Zhang Cliff before joining the West Valley. Behind the mountain pass lies the long, deep valley known as Qingtong Gully. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, local people often gathered Qingtong sprouts here to make tea, known as Daughter’s Tea. North of the gully stands Huping Cliff, a towering, precipitous cliff resembling the shape of an earthenware pot, hence its name.

The main peak of Fanzi Cliff stands in the center of the scenic area. During the Ming Dynasty, the successful candidate in the imperial examinations Wang Wuyu built a study on the cliff and invested in constructing temples such as the Hall of the Primordial Celestial Worthy, the Sun Temple, and the Lüzu Shrine. This area is rich in cultural relics and historical sites, with numerous temples clustered together. The terrain of the scenic area is rugged and strategically important, making it significant throughout history. At the end of the Western Han Dynasty, Fan Chong led the “Red Eyebrows Army” to establish their camp at Tiansheng Fort on this cliff, training troops and building strength. Today, amidst the forests and fields, remnants of the Red Eyebrows Army’s tent stones, drill grounds, stone mills, stone deer, and stone mortars used for daily life can still be faintly discerned. The scenic area boasts towering mountains and cliffs, ancient trees, rare birds soaring through the skies, and murmuring streams. Natural attractions abound, including Moon Cave, Camel Peak, Awl Peak, Monkey Stone, Fresh Peach Stone, Huping Cliff, Mother-and-Son Pines, and Cypress-Persimmon (symbolizing “all things go well”), as well as Ruyi Tree. During the Ming Dynasty, the Hall of the Primordial Celestial Worthy and surrounding temples flourished with incense offerings. However, during the Cultural Revolution, these historical sites and artifacts were destroyed. Temples were torn down, stone tablets smashed and thrown into ravines, and all sculpted deities vanished without a trace.

In 1984, the YingSheng Neighborhood Committee invited experts to conduct evaluations and formulated a development and expansion plan for the Fanzi Cliff Scenic Area. In 1988, with approval from the Tai’an Municipal Government, the expansion project continued until 1996, completing a total of 18 construction projects. With a total investment of over 5.2 million yuan, 160,000 workdays, and more than 60,000 cubic meters of earthwork completed, the project included renovating antique-style temples and recasting 53 statues of deities of various sizes in the Hall of the Primordial Celestial Worthy, the Wuji Temple, and the Sun Temple. Additionally, new facilities were built, including the Fanzi Cliff Hotel, restaurants, public toilets, parking lots, Tiansheng Bridge, a pond dam with a capacity of 15,000 cubic meters, water supply pipelines and pumping systems, electrical wiring, and the repair and widening of 2,638 meters of mountain paths. Rest stops were set up along the way, offering food and beverages. In 199[year missing], an access ladder was installed on the otherwise unclimbable “Cactus,” creating a spectacular route for visitors to scale the summit. In recent years, the scenic area has attracted 20,000 to 30,000 tourists annually.

Dai Temple at Mount Tai (Tai’an Museum)

Tianwai Village

Heaven Street of Mount Tai

Mount Tai’s Eighteen Bends

Dai Zong Archway

Mount Tai’s Body-Sacrificing Cliff

Doumu Temple

Cloud Step Bridge

Zhongtian Gate

Scripture Stone Valley

Confucius’ Ascension Site

Cypress Cave