Tianzhu Peak of Tianzhu Mountain

　　Tianzhu Peak, with an elevation of 1,489.8 meters, stands majestically above the clouds, a solitary stone pillar reaching to the sky. Its rugged and spectacular beauty is both grand and exquisite, resembling a pillar, a cone, a torch, a sword, a tower, or even a magical brushstroke in full bloom. Hence, it has earned the praise: “After seeing the Five Great Mountains, you won’t bother with other peaks; after visiting Huangshan, the Five Great Mountains pale; but after seeing Tianzhu Peak, no other peaks will impress.” When the great Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai passed by the Yangtze River near Susong, he caught sight of the majestic beauty of Tianzhu Peak and burst into song: “The wondrous peak gives birth to wondrous clouds, the graceful trees breathe grace. The clear vastness of Mount Wan glistens — nothing surpasses its charm…” Bai Juyi once wrote: “Tianzhu’s single peak holds up sun and moon, the cave gate of a thousand ren locks thunder and cloud.” Song Dynasty’s Zhu Xi sighed in awe: “It stands firm as Heaven’s one pillar, mightily guarding the east. People speak of the vastness of Heaven and Earth, but who knows the merit of standing as its axis?” Ming Dynasty’s Li Geng also praised: “Lofty stands Tianzhu Peak, towering into the sky. Before halfway up, I feel I’m already in Penglai. Floating in the void among cranes and phoenixes, each step shrouded in mist. There may be wondrous mountains under Heaven, but none compare to this one.”

　　 Tianzhu Peak rises abruptly as a solitary peak, with perilously steep terrain that makes climbing extremely difficult. According to records, to date, only two tourists have reached its summit.

　　 Tianzhu Peak has many other names:

　　 Chaoyang Peak (Sunrise Peak): Tianzhu Peak stands above all other peaks. As the sun rises above the horizon, the first ray of sunlight lands on its tip, and the last ray also lingers there. It enjoys sunlight all day and is rarely hidden. However, due to the frequent fog in the Jianghuai region, the main peak remains shrouded in clouds about half the year.

　　 Siming Peak (Lord of Life Peak): Tianzhu Mountain is a renowned Taoist mountain, known as the Fourteenth Grotto-Heaven and Fifty-Seventh Blessed Land, governed by the deity Siming Zhenjun. Thus, the main peak is called Siming Peak.

　　 Hèjià Peak (Crane Carriage Peak): Old records state that every mid-spring (February), thousands of white cranes fly in from the southwest to circle and soar around Tianzhu Peak. This is actually a natural phenomenon — the return of migratory birds with the arrival of spring.

　　 Wǎnbó Jiān (Lord Wan’s Peak): The Tianzhu Mountain area was historically part of the ancient Wan Kingdom, which derived its name from Lord Wan (Bo). Therefore, Tianzhu Peak is the summit of Lord Wan’s Mountain. Sǔnzi Jiān (Bamboo Shoot Peak): Named for its shape, Qing Dynasty traveler Chu Guangqian wrote in *A Record of Traveling in Wanshan*: “Tianzhu Peak is sharp at the top and broad at the base, rugged on all sides, like a spring bamboo shoot breaking through the earth and unfurling its sheath.” On the southern cliff of the peak’s summit are eight large horizontally inscribed characters: “Gūlì Qíngxiāo” (Solitary, Piercing the Sky) and “Zhōngtiān Yīzhù” (Pillar of Mid-Sky), each character five square feet in size. “Gūlì Qíngxiāo” was written by Li Yunlin, a general under Zeng Guofan and military commander of the Qing army, during his stationing in Qianshan. It was carved by herbal farmers He Liangmou and He Liangzuo. “Zhōngtiān Yīzhù” was inscribed by Zhang Gan, Deputy Commander of the Fifth War Zone, during his visit to Tianzhu. It was carved by He Liangmou’s great-grandson, He Lai zhao, and He Laibin.