Tiantangzhai is located in the southwest of Jinzhai County of Anhui Province, the hinterland of Dabieshan Mountains. It is a combination of National Forest Park, the main area of Dabieshan National Geopark, National AAAA Level Tourism Scenic Spot and National Nature Reserve. Formerly known as “Mount of Clouds”, since it is full of mist and the falls keep running all year round, with high peaks in great numbers. The highest peak measures 1, 729.13 meters high, which was formerly known as the First Pass in the southwest of Wu and Chu, two famous kingdoms in ancient China. Within the scenic spot, there are altogether 108 falls of different size, of which 18 drop more than 50 meters. That’s why it is spread that “when it rains the night before, you will be surprised to see the falls around the next morning”. Its gorges exhibit the majestic features of the mountains and the depth of the stream. With its forest coverage of about 96.5%, this scenic spot is indeed a natural oxygen bar, which is no doubt honored as “the last virgin forest in the Eastern China”. At the foot of the mount rests the Nanhe (South River) Village, which is known far and wide for the longevity of the villagers and which impresses tourists with its web-like ancient dwellings and original simple folk customs.
Since the initialization of tourism, Tiantangzhai has cherished the idea of “ecological protection, sequential development, primordial cherishment and presentation of nature,” and has gradually constructed a tour resort which consists of mountains, waterfalls, valleys and humanities resources. The cableway crosses three mountains, and bridges two mountain streams. Within the cableway, you will feel like being in the air and touching the clouds around you; the Dabie Mountain National Geological Museum is set in the Tiantangzhai scenic spot, where tourists can enlarge their knowledge and enjoy the great natural beauty. The historical headquarters where Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping commanded their great army during the Liberation War remind tourists of the then hardships as well as the glorious history, which makes travelers cherish peace more; the thrilling plank road called The White Horse Peak hangs on the cliffs, and if you climb over it and overlook the mountains below, you will be filled with heroic feeling; using the slippery pulley makes you enjoy thrilling and superb feeling.
Thriving on the resources of “natural ecology, revolutionary history and folk culture”, Tiantangzhai has attracted tourists from all around China by developing such programs as ecological tour, leisure tour, vacation tour, adventure tour, science popularization tour, fit-keeping tour, ethnic tour and patriotism education tour. The cableway runs across three peaks and two mountain streams. On the cableway, one can enjoy the fairyland-like feeling of flying in the air in the midst of clouds. The museum in the National Geopark of Dabie Mountains is the ideal place for tourists to widen their horizon and admire the infinite charm of the world of nature. The White Horse Canyon, washed by the joined flow of several waterfalls, is the origin of the Huaihe River. The Canyon is bordered by beautiful peaks, decorated by corridors and bridges, dotted by connected ponds, and drained by winding streams.
Tiantangzhai scenic spot is the first choice for recreation and theme education. Tiantangzhai scenery area has been rated as “One of the hundred honest travel agencies”, “the patriotic education base in provincial level”, “the youth model from province to county”, “one of the most beautiful places in Anhui”, “top collective team in Anhui travel system”, “the best loved travel area level A by Anhui youths in the first session”, “the training base for self-driving and the open air for training base in Anhui”, “one of the best ten travel areas in Anhui”, and so on. Since 2004, over 2 million tourists have visited Tiantangzhai, the speed increasing by 20% annually, with a total gross income over 100 million yuan. The positve effects in society, ecology and economy are showing up day by day.