Crucian Carp Back

　　Crucian Carp Back is situated on Tiandu Peak and is famous for its extreme danger. Starting from the foot of Tiandu Peak, holding the iron railings and ascending the “Heavenly Ladder” up 1,564 steps, you reach a rock ledge at an altitude of 1,770 meters — the only passage to the peak. This rock ledge is over 10 meters long but only about 1 meter wide, with sheer cliffs hundreds of meters high on either side, deep and unfathomable. Its shape resembles the back of a crucian carp emerging and diving amid waves, hence the name. The slope is as steep as 85 degrees from top to bottom. When the wind blows and clouds surge, it feels as if the mountain is shaking and the rocks are moving, making the climb especially thrilling.
　　On both sides of Crucian Carp Back are bottomless ravines. A Qing dynasty poet, Xu Quanzhi, wrote a verse capturing its peril: “With no intention to swallow ships and return to the North Sea, nor to borrow water to leap to Kunming. All visitors are daring souls, walking the spine with bamboo staffs and straw shoes.”

　　Legend

　　　　According to legend, in ancient times, there was a crucian carp that followed carp every year to leap the “Dragon Gate” in the Yellow River. It was said that any fish able to jump over the Dragon Gate would turn into a dragon. The crucian carp naturally also wanted to become a dragon and never missed a chance to leap. But no matter how many times it tried, it never succeeded. It envied those carp that had made it over the Dragon Gate. So, it went to ask an immortal for advice. The immortal told it: “You must do a good deed for the human world and accumulate merit before you can leap the Dragon Gate.” “How can I do a good deed for the human world?” it wondered as it swam. Unknowingly, it swam to Huangshan, known as the “Yellow Sea,” and noticed that the path to Tiandu Peak was blocked by a ravine, separated by clouds and water, making it impassable for travelers. A thought struck it, and it murmured to itself, “How this place needs a bridge!” So, it positioned itself in the cloud-filled ravine and arched its back to serve as a bridge for travelers. Centuries passed, and countless travelers walked across its back to enjoy the boundless scenery atop Tiandu Peak. One day, the immortal who had advised it suddenly appeared on Tiandu Peak and said, “Little crucian carp, you have accumulated enough merit and may now leap the Dragon Gate to become a dragon.” But by then, the little crucian carp had changed its mind. It preferred to serve travelers on Tiandu Peak for the rest of its life and no longer wished to leap the “Dragon Gate.”