Zhao Gao Guan National Forest Park

Zhao Gao Guan National Forest Park

Zhao Gao Guan National Forest Park is a cultural relic protection unit of Shanxi Province and a national-level forest park.

Zhao Gao Guan National Forest Park was established in 1992 under the approval of State Forestry Department Document No. Lin Zao (1992) 200. Located 20 kilometers south of Dai County, it is a forest park that integrates cultural landscapes and natural charm, centered around the ancient mountain temple Zhao Gao Guan.

Zhao Gao Guan National Forest Park is located on the branch of Mount Wutai known as Mount Tiantai. It boasts dense vegetation, which is largely similar to that of Mount Wutai. The highest elevation reaches 1,951 meters and the lowest is 1,000 meters. The forests grow along the contours of the mountains, particularly featuring mixed coniferous and broadleaf forests near Zhao Gao Guan, which are uniquely striking. These mainly consist of a mixture of Chinese pine and birch trees, exhibiting diverse and spectacular forms—some towering into the clouds, others sprawling across the ground, some leaping through the air, some appearing to welcome visitors with outstretched arms, others clinging to cliffs like nails or pillars, or even hanging upside down in mid-air. The area is also home to various plants such as wild peach, wild apricot, thorny plum, Photinia davidiana, and smoke tree, together forming a natural forest landscape that resembles a living painting. The park is teeming with a wide variety of wildlife, including over 20 species under national protection such as the golden eagle (Class I) and the leopard (Class II), as well as more than 30 species of birds and over 40 types of medicinal herbs. Among them, the Monkshood plant stands out for its excellent quality and abundant reserves, regarded by the nuns at the temple as a treasured protector of the site.

Zhao Gao Guan National Forest Park features deep valleys surrounded by rugged mountains, with peaks twisting and turning in a dynamic arrangement of highs and lows. The majestic and imposing mountain ridges, along with steep and precipitous cliffs, exhibit extraordinary beauty and grandeur. Caves hang from sheer cliffs where temples and shrines are built. Mountains, hills, and valleys form a closed mountainous scenic zone. Climbing to the main peak of Mount Tiantai offers a panoramic view of all the key landscapes within the Zhao Gao Guan main scenic area.