Caishi Scenic Area

　　Caishi Jetty, also known as Niuzhu Jetty, ranks first among China’s renowned “Three Jetties of the Yangtze.” It stretches from Suoxi River in the east to the great river in the west, covering a defined area of about 80 hectares. It is a natural park that combines both natural and cultural landscapes. With cliffs towering over the river and turbulent waters dotted with peculiar rocks, it has long been famed for the perilous beauty of its landscape and the elegance of its scenery, earning the title “The Finest Jetty Under Heaven.” The saying goes, “Caishi’s landscape surpasses all in the south of the Yangtze.” Li Bai visited and composed poetry here many times, leaving behind numerous immortal works, and he was eventually laid to rest nearby on Green Mountain. During the Yuanhe era of the Tang Dynasty, the Taibai Tower was built here. From the tower, one can gaze across the vast Yangtze River, hence its reputation as “a tower that holds the moonlight and river scenery.” For thousands of years, countless literati have come here to pay tribute and explore the area’s hidden charms. The literary legacy continues to this day.

　　　　Caishi Jetty guards a strategic point along the Yangtze River and has always been a fiercely contested military site, with over twenty notable battles taking place here throughout history. It is also one of China’s early Buddhist sacred sites. The Guangji Temple was first built during the Eastern Han Dynasty and is a renowned temple in the south of the Yangtze.

　　　　Today, Caishi Jetty boasts the largest Li Bai Memorial Hall in the country, the renowned Sanyuan Cave in the south of the Yangtze, the majestic Santai Pavilion, the captivating Wan Zhu Wu (Ten Thousand Bamboo Grove), the Art Museum of Lin Sanzhi—who is hailed as the “Grass Script Sage of Our Time”—as well as newly developed attractions such as the riverside plank walk. There are also sites awaiting further development, including Golden Ox Cave and Yanyuan. Visitors can cruise the river to admire the “wind-swept lotus shadows,” hike along ancient plank roads in search of the “giant footprints,” immerse themselves in the serenity of “ancient temples and Zen woods” while listening to morning bells and evening drums, or ascend the Santai Pavilion to take in the lush mountain scenery, gaze at the “dawn sun over the Heavenly Gate,” and marvel at the “Yangtze River flowing eastward.” It feels like stepping into a paradise on earth—one you won’t want to leave. Caishi Jetty is an ideal destination for visitors from home and abroad to sightsee, explore, and relax.

　　　　Caishi Jetty is the core scenic zone of a national key scenic area, located on the eastern bank of the Yangtze River, 5 kilometers southwest of Ma’anshan City, Anhui Province. It borders the famous rice-producing city of Wuhu to the south and connects to Nanjing, the ancient capital of six dynasties, to the north. With cliffs rising thousands of feet above the river, a long history, and numerous scenic spots, it has long been praised as “the finest beauty through the ages.”

　　　　The great Tang Dynasty romantic poet Li Bai traveled far and wide across mountains and rivers, yet he never forgot Caishi throughout his life. He visited and wrote poetry here many times, composing over 50 widely loved poems such as “Crossing the River,” “Niuzhu Jetty,” “Gazing at Tianmen Mountain,” and “Mooring at Night Near Niuzhu, Thinking of the Past.” Folklore also widely recounts the mythical tales of him wearing an imperial brocade robe, boating under the moon, leaping into the river to catch the moon, and riding a whale into the heavens.

　　　　Originally named Niuzhu Jetty, Caishi has long been famed not only for its beautiful scenery but also for its strategic position guarding the Yangtze River, making it a vital military stronghold and a key battleground for those seeking to control the southeast and shift the fate of empires. The mountain gains elegance through poetry, the water shines brighter with poetic verse, the scenery becomes richer through literature, and the views gain fame via poetic praise. Following Li Bai, more than 300 notable figures from various dynasties visited Caishi Jetty to pay homage to the poetic immortal, explore its hidden beauty, and contribute to its enduring literary legacy.

　　　　“Beyond Fengtai to the east lies little land, but south of Niuzhu, this is the foremost jetty.” Since the Eastern Han Dynasty, over 20 battles have taken place here. Among them were Yu Yunwen resisting the Jin army, Zhu Yuanzhang capturing Taiping, and the Taiping Rebellion defending Tianjing... Countless heroes have bowed to its might, and many poets have sung its praises. Scenes of clashing swords and spears have repeatedly unfolded, while pavilions and towers have risen layer upon layer. The scars left by these historical battles adorn today’s hills and passes, resulting in numerous historic sites: Lianbi Platform, Li Bai’s Clothing Tomb, Giant Footprint, Chiwu Well, Boya Platform, Ranxi Pavilion, Emei Pavilion, Jiangshan Haobu Ting (The Best Scenery on the River and Mountain Pavilion), Huai Xie Pavilion, and Dai Gui Pavilion. These add grandeur and beautiful legends to Caishi Jetty.

　　　　Caishi Jetty is also one of China’s early Buddhist sacred sites. The Guangji Temple on the mountain was first built during the Chiwu era of the Three Kingdoms’ Eastern Wu and has long been a renowned temple in the south of the Yangtze. For thousands of years, the sounds of morning bells and evening drums, wafting incense, and frequent Buddhist activities have shrouded Caishi Jetty in an air of mystery.

　　The naturally formed landscape of Caishi Jetty and its unique character, which combines beauty, wonder, danger, and culture, is a rare and exceptional tourism cultural resource in China. Regarding this natural wonder, a notable figure once remarked: “There are many gardens in the country, but only Caishi Jetty builds its garden by borrowing the green mountains, the sheer cliffs, the great river, and culture!”

　　　　In 1987, Caishi Jetty was approved as one of the first provincial-level scenic areas; in 2002, it was listed as a national key scenic area by the State Council; in 2003, it was rated as a National AAAA-level tourist attraction. In recent years, the municipal party committee and government have committed to the protection of the scenic area and the construction of related facilities, injecting vitality into China’s outstanding tourist cities. Investments amounting to hundreds of millions have been made to pave scenic pathways, restore cultural relics and ancient architecture, beautify and optimize the environment, improve tourism infrastructure, and bring new and old attractions of Caishi Jetty Scenic Area to vibrant life.