Mount Tiantai

Home to Guoqing Temple, ancestral seat of Tiantai Buddhism, and Tongbai Palace, ancestral seat of Southern School Daoism. Stone Bridge Waterfall, Qiongtai Fairyland Valley, Huading's cloud-brocade azaleas and Zhexi Old Street, a destination on the "Tang Poetry Road."

Mount Tiantai lies in Tiantai County, Taizhou, Zhejiang. It is the birthplace of both Tiantai Buddhism and the Southern School of Daoism, billed as the "source of Buddhist schools and Daoist origins, with divinely beautiful scenery," and it is also a destination on the "Eastern Zhejiang Tang Poetry Road." Tiantaishan Station (Hangzhou–Taizhou high-speed railway) is about 15–20 minutes by road from the county seat and Guoqing Temple, and about 1.5 hours from Hangzhou. The main sightseeing areas fall into three clusters. North of the county seat are Guoqing Temple, Zhizhe Pagoda Courtyard, Gaoming Temple, Chicheng Mountain and the Former Residence of Ji Gong, forming a Buddhist and cultural route. Heading north into the heart of the mountain are Qiongtai Fairyland Valley, the Tiantai Mountain Grand Waterfall and Tongbai Palace; higher up are Huading National Forest Park at about 1,000 m elevation (cloud-brocade azaleas in Apr–May), Stone Bridge Waterfall, Wannian Temple and Longchuan Gorge. The western route includes Zhangsigu Village, Hanyan and Mingyan, Hou'an Village and Hanshan Lake, which suit a slow countryside trip. In the evening you can stroll Zhexi Old Street or take a night cruise on Shifeng Lake. The best seasons are Apr–May for azaleas and fresh tea, and Sep–Nov for autumn color; in summer, Huading and Stone Bridge are cooler and good for escaping the heat. Plan on 2–3 days: one day for Guoqing Temple, Qiongtai and the Grand Waterfall, one for Huading and Stone Bridge, and one for the western route or the county seat's cultural sights. Notes: Guoqing Temple, Gaoming Temple and other temples are free but crowded, so arrive early; mountain attractions are spread out, so driving or a tourist shuttle line is more convenient; ticket prices and opening hours are subject to the scenic areas' announcements.

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