Mount Tianmu

original: "Tianmu Shan." Located in Xinchang County, this mountain is legendary for its height and spiritual resonance. It gained immortal fame through the Tang dynasty poet Li Bai’s poem, "Visiting Mount Tianmu in a Dream," which transformed the physical landscape into a symbol of transcendental longing.

Tianmu Temple
original: "Tianmu Si." A central religious site on the mountain. Historically, such temples provided lodging and spiritual guidance for the many poets and pilgrims who traveled the "Poetry Road."

Facing Heaven Peak
original: "Chaotian." A name typically given to a summit or pass that offers an unobstructed view of the sky, suggesting a point of connection with the celestial world.

Lotus Peak
original: "Lianhua Feng." A common name in Chinese sacred geography for peaks with jagged rock formations resembling the petals of a lotus flower, a symbol of purity in both Buddhist and Taoist traditions.

Bamboo Cane Peak
original: "Qiongzhu Feng." Named after the Qiongzhu (bulliform) bamboo, which was famously used to craft the distinctive, knotty walking sticks favored by literati and monks for mountain climbing.

Cloud-Parting Peak
original: "Boyun Feng." A descriptive name for a high peak that appears to pierce through the mist or "part" the clouds as they drift by.

Altar of Hidden Emptiness
original: "Yinkong Tan." A tan (altar) is a flat area or platform used for ritual offerings. "Hidden Emptiness" reflects the Taoist concept of the void, suggesting this site was used for meditation or ceremonies aimed at connecting with the formless essence of the universe.