Tianzhuo Mountain National Forest Park (formerly known as Tiantai Mountain)

Tianzhuo Mountain National Forest Park (formerly known as Tiantai Mountain)

Tianzhuo Mountain National Forest Park (formerly known as Tiantai Mountain) is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and a national forest park.

Tiantai National Forest Park is located near Huilong River in Guangyuan City. After the 2008 earthquake, it was rebuilt, and to avoid confusion with Chengdu’s Tiantai Mountain, it was renamed Tianzhuo Mountain.

Tianzhuo Mountain National Forest Park (formerly known as Tiantai Mountain) is 14 kilometers from downtown Guangyuan and is a national forest park approved by the State Forestry Administration. It lies at the southern foot of the Longmen Mountains and Micang Mountains, covering an area of 26 square kilometers with an elevation ranging from 1,100 to 1,700 meters. Originally called Tiantai Mountain, it features a flat platform at its summit that is often shrouded in clouds and mist, hence the name “Tiantai” (Heavenly Terrace). Since ancient times, it has been a famous Taoist mountain in Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu.

Tianzhuo Mountain is covered with tens of thousands of acres of dense, lush forests. When the wind blows, the pine trees roar like waves. Under the blazing sun, the thick foliage provides cool shade. From the heights, you can look down upon the surrounding mountains as if they were small hills. The scenery within the park varies from spot to spot and complements one another beautifully. The highest elevation around Tianzhuo Mountain reaches 1,602 meters, while the mountain itself stands at 1,200 meters. Its summit features over 100 acres of open woodland, and this striking contrast makes the area’s unique natural landscape even more prominent. With a forest coverage rate of over 98%, and most of the trees being ecological Chinese fir, the dense forests, pleasant climate, and the majestic beauty of its natural and cultural landscapes make Tianzhuo Mountain an ideal summer retreat. In addition to natural attractions such as Pan Tao Stone, Jiulong Mountain, Zouma Ridge, Sima Guang’s Reading Platform, Cangxi River, Tianchi Lake, Xueping, Yinziping, Hanwang Cave, Scripture Cave, Hero’s Slope, and Immortal Bridge—all rich in myths and legends—the area is also home to rare wildlife including mountain oxen, serows, yellow deer, wild rabbits, monkeys, golden eagles, clouded leopards, forest musk deer, raccoon dogs, golden pheasants, and thrushes. Local wild products include gastrodia elata, shiitake mushrooms, wood ear fungus, and chestnuts.

The logo of Tianzhuo Mountain National Forest Park, featuring the design of a phoenix tail and dragon shape depicting the phoenix above and the dragon below, along with the imagery of the moon encircling the sun, highlights the significant cultural importance of Empress Wu Zetian to Tianzhuo Mountain. It embodies the tourism culture theme of “the sun and moon shine in the sky, and the universe is mine to explore.” The design uses imperial colors as the main tone, conveying a sense of transcendence, and ingeniously realizes the unique concept of the unity of Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism at Tianzhuo Mountain National Forest Park. It also symbolizes that the park will become an important pilgrimage center for Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism in Sichuan Province. The logo fully showcases the profound imperial female culture, religious historical heritage, and ecological leisure functions of the Tianzhuo Mountain tourist area. With its unique creativity, strong visual appeal and impact, rich connotations, fitting symbolism, simplicity, and eye-catching design, it is suitable for use in promotional materials such as brochures and business cards.

Tianzhuo Mountain was originally named Tiantai Mountain. Its summit features a flat platform that is often enveloped in clouds and mist, hence the name Tiantai Mountain. Since ancient times, it has been a famous Taoist mountain in Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu. Due to the widespread use of the name “Tiantai Mountain” across the country—and the intense promotional efforts by various regions during the reform and opening-up period to develop tourism—Guangyuan decided to break through the advertising clutter of dozens of other “Tiantai Mountains” nationwide. After research and deliberation by several scholars and experts, the character “台” (Tai) was changed to “曌” (Zhuo).

Pan Tao Stone

Surrounded by vast, rolling mountains, and looking down, you’ll see clouds and mist swirling around as if you’ve entered a fairyland. About 100 meters east of the Tiantai Pavilion scenic spot lies Pan Tao Stone—a massive rock shaped like a fairy peach, standing upside down on the ground with nothing around to support it. When the wind blows, it sways slightly. Its top can hold over ten people, and with just a few people pushing together, the stone can be made to rock. (Unfortunately, the 5.12 Wenchuan Earthquake caused Pan Tao Stone to collapse.)

Reading Platform

About a hundred steps from Pan Tao Stone, there is a huge rock perched on the edge of a cliff with an extremely flat top that can accommodate over ten people. The rock is about two meters away from the platform, and one can easily leap onto it. Surrounded by tall trees, the area offers a quiet environment, perfect for playing chess or reading in serene surroundings that feel almost otherworldly. It is said that this is where Sima Guang once studied, hence the name “Reading Platform.”

Listening to the Waves Rock and Bonsai Scenery

Not far from the Reading Platform is Listening to the Waves Rock, where you can listen to the rustling of the pine trees, feeling refreshed and inspired with endless flights of fancy. As you stroll around and look around, viewing the area from above reveals that Tianzhuo Mountain, with its steep cliffs, is surrounded by continuous, circular mountain ranges, forming a giant basin that seems to cradle the precipitous Tianzhuo Mountain like a “bonsai.” This “bonsai” measures approximately 4 kilometers in both length and width, with an average diameter of about 3.5 kilometers, covering a total area of about 12 square kilometers. Tianzhuo Mountain sits right in the center of this “bonsai.”

Religious Activity Destination

Tianzhuo Mountain has been a renowned destination for religious activities since ancient times, with Buddhist temples predominantly located on the front mountain and Taoist temples mainly on the back mountain.

On the front mountain, Taoism is now represented only by the small Xuantong Mansion, which has limited floor space. Before the establishment of the Taoist Association in Guangyuan, the Taoist community was largely disorganized. As recently as a few years ago, a disappointing Taoist priest actually traded the Tiantai Temple to monks in exchange for just two bowls of rice. After Buddhism took over Tiantai Temple, it was renamed Fan Tian Temple—an unbelievable but very real event. The back mountain’s Lingtai Temple includes the Zhenwu Palace and Cihang Hall occupying the high ground of Tianzhuo Mountain, the Taiqing Palace designed in the shape of an Eight Trigrams Pavilion, the Sanqing Palace, the uniquely designed pavilion-style Lingguan Hall, the grand and majestic Yaowang Hall, and the one-of-a-kind Gouxu Corridor Bridge hidden within the dense forest—all of which are captivating. The elevation difference between the back mountain and the front mountain’s Tianchi Lake is about 150 meters, creating unique geological and plant landscapes. The serene and beautiful Tianchi Lake, the temples and Taoist shrines on the mountain, and the five ancient cypresses personally planted by Emperor Wu Zetian’s father form a breathtaking harmony between nature and humanity.

Address: Yuanba District, Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province