The Shenxianju Scenic Area is located within Baita Town, Danzhu Township, and Tianshi Town in Xianju County, Taizhou City, Zhejiang Province. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction, a national-level scenic area, and a national geological park. The scenic area covers a total area of approximately 15.8 square kilometers, with the core scenic area covering about 10.4 square kilometers. Its geological structure is unique, belonging to the world's largest volcanic rhyolite landform cluster. It is renowned for being majestic, precipitous, bizarre, secluded, clear, and beautiful, forming six wonders: "Guanyin, Tathagata, Tianmu Peak, Sea of Clouds, Flying Waterfalls, and Tadpole Script." The negative oxygen ion content in the scenic area is extremely high, averaging 21,000 per cubic centimeter and reaching as high as 88,000 per cubic centimeter at its highest point, earning it the reputation of a "natural oxygen bar." The scenic area has two entrances, south and north, connected by the Nantian Cableway and the Beihai Cableway, with total lengths of 202 meters and 2,116 meters respectively, providing convenience for tourists.
Historical Culture
Shenxianju was anciently known as Tianmu Mountain, also called Weiqiang Mountain. The fantastical scenery depicted by Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai in "Mount Tianmu Ascended in a Dream, Leaving Behind This Farewell" originated from this mountain. According to historical records, Weiqiang Mountain (Tianmu Mountain) belongs to the Kuocang Mountain range, with its main peak, Daqinggang, at an altitude of 1,271 meters. During the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, Xianju County Magistrate He Shu'e once inscribed "The First City of Mist and Rosy Clouds," praising the area's spectacular clouds and scenery as the finest under heaven.
Within the scenic area, the Tadpole Cliff preserves the mysterious "Heavenly Book Tadpole Script." The cliff walls are covered with strange symbols carved by human hands, including sun patterns, moon patterns, insect patterns, and fish patterns. According to the Wanli edition of the "Xianju County Gazetteer" and the Guangxu edition of the "Xianju County Gazetteer," during the Yixi period of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, a certain Commandant Zhou "built flying ladders and copied them with wax, yet no one could decipher their meaning." The meaning of these symbols remains an unsolved mystery to this day.
In 1998, Shenxianju (Xi'an Temple Scenic Area) was officially developed and opened; in May 2002, it was listed as a "National-Level Scenic Area"; in September 2013, the new Shenxianju Scenic Area, upgraded with an investment of 150 million yuan by the Xianju County Government, opened to the public; in 2015, the scenic area was rated as a "National AAAAA-Level Tourist Attraction," becoming an important tourist destination in eastern Zhejiang.
Main Attractions
Guanyin Peak
Guanyin Peak is the world's largest naturally formed Guanyin statue, at an altitude of 919 meters, coinciding numerically with Guanyin's lunar ordination day (the nineteenth day of the ninth month). It is the iconic landscape of Shenxianju. The peak resembles Guanyin with hands pressed together in prayer, with a dignified expression, standing among the peaks. When surrounded by mist and clouds, it appears even more holy and solemn, and is praised as "the symbol of compassion between heaven and earth."
Buddha Peak
Buddha Peak is one of the three great wonders of Shenxianju. It is named for its resemblance to a seated Tathagata Buddha and also has an altitude of 919 meters. The outline of the peak is clear, with the proportions of head and body well coordinated, as if looking down upon all living beings. It echoes Guanyin Peak from afar, forming a unique landscape of "coexistence of Buddhism and Daoism."
Nantian Summit
Nantian Summit is the largest and most spectacular platform-cliff landscape in the scenic area. It was formed by a giant rock uplifting from northeast to southwest, encircling for a thousand meters, with giant cliffs and precipices reaching over 300 meters high. The viewing platform's design integrates elements of a spaceship and an ocean liner, symbolizing "setting sail on a long voyage" and "smooth sailing." Standing on the platform, visitors can enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view of the canyon and sea of clouds, with an expansive field of vision and breathtaking scenery.
Ruyi Bridge
Ruyi Bridge spans the eastern and western canyons. It is composed of three interlaced, undulating streamlined bridge surfaces. The upper layer is a hollow steel plate, and the lower layer is a glass walkway. Its vertical height is over 140 meters, and its total length is about 100 meters. The bridge's form blends harmoniously with the natural landscape, like a jade ruyi scepter suspended in the air. Walking on it, visitors can take in all the scenery below their feet, with thrill and beauty coexisting.
Yuanmeng Bridge
Yuanmeng Bridge is a double-span half-through suspension bridge, 215 meters long and 3 meters wide, with a suspended height of 120 meters. The bridge deck is paved with anti-corrosion wood, and safety railings are installed on both sides. It connects the mountain bodies on the east and west sides and is an important passage linking the core scenic area. Because of the saying "Walk across Yuanmeng Bridge, and all dreams come true," it is deeply loved by tourists.
Wenxian Bridge
Wenxian Bridge is a simple ancient stone arch bridge. The bridge body is built of cobblestones, with ferns growing between the stones. The arch of the bridge opening is soft and natural, full of ancient charm and rustic interest. This bridge is named because of the legend that "mortals who cross the bridge may inquire after immortals' traces." It is an excellent spot for taking ancient-style photographs. Under the bridge, a stream murmurs, and around it are lush trees, fully displaying a serene beauty.
Tadpole Cliff
Tadpole Cliff is located deep within Weiqiang Mountain. The cliff walls are covered with the mysterious "Heavenly Book Tadpole Script," with patterns including sun, moon, insect, and fish symbols, covering an area of about 300 square meters. Since the Eastern Jin Dynasty, countless scholars have attempted to decipher their meaning, but to this day it remains unsolved, casting a mysterious veil over Shenxianju. Below the cliff, there is a viewing platform where visitors can observe these ancient carvings up close.
Lotus Platform
Lotus Platform is located in the Nantian mountain valley, facing Guanyin Peak across the valley. The platform's shape imitates a blooming lotus, with an area of about 50 square meters. This is the best location for viewing Guanyin Peak. From this angle, Guanyin Peak seems to sit upright on a lotus platform, hence the name "Lotus Platform." At sunrise, sunlight falls on the peak, and the interplay of light and shadow is like a fairyland.
West Heaven Gate
West Heaven Gate is the largest natural stone gate in Shenxianju, about 150 meters wide and 200 meters high. Cliffs stand steeply on both sides, shaped like a heavenly gate opening. Inside the gate is the approximately 1,600-meter-long Motian Canyon, dense with streams, waterfalls, and strange pines. Walking through it, visitors can feel the precipitous momentum of "one man guarding the pass, ten thousand men unable to force it open."
Food
Xianxia Xiaolongbao
Xianxia Xiaolongbao is located in the Yujian Xianxia-themed restaurant at the head of Nantian Bridge. It uses local native pork as filling, with skin as thin as paper and delicious soup. Each basket contains 8 pieces and costs 28 yuan. The buns are small and exquisite in shape, paired with "sword-flying" themed tableware. Eating them feels like being in a xianxia world, making it an internet-famous check-in food.
Xianju Topped Noodles
Xianju Topped Noodles are a local traditional noodle dish, available at the Yujian Xianxia-themed restaurant, priced at 18 yuan per bowl. The noodles are made from local wheat, chewy and smooth. Toppings can include shredded bamboo shoots with pork, pickled greens with shredded pork, or fried egg, paired with a bone broth base, fresh and flavorful, deeply loved by tourists.
Bayberry Sparkling Rice Dew
Bayberry Sparkling Rice Dew is produced at the Yangmei Manufacturing Bureau in the Shenxianju Pantao Garden. It uses Xianju's specialty Dongkui bayberries and glutinous rice as raw materials, fermented and then mixed with sparkling water. It has a sweet and slightly sour taste with bayberry fruit aroma, priced at 15 yuan per cup. It is an excellent summer refreshment and also one of the local specialty souvenirs.
Shenxianju Latte
Shenxianju Latte is the signature drink of the Nantian Summit Café. It uses freshly ground Arabica coffee beans, paired with fresh milk, with latte art on the surface incorporating the image of Shenxianju's peaks, priced at 38 yuan per cup. Sitting in the café, visitors can enjoy the scenery of Nantian Summit through floor-to-ceiling windows, with coffee aroma and natural scenery complementing each other.
Mai Bing
Mai Bing is a traditional Xianju snack, available at the Nantian Yuan Restaurant, priced at 10 yuan each. The outer skin is made from whole wheat flour and baked over charcoal until crisp and delicious. Fillings include salted vegetable with minced pork, brown sugar with sesame, and other flavors. The filling is generous, with a balanced salty-sweet taste. It is easy to carry and a convenient food for climbing.
Shi Bing Tong
Shi Bing Tong is a specialty food of the Taizhou region, priced at 25 yuan per portion at the Nantian Yuan Restaurant. It uses a paper-thin wheat pancake skin to wrap more than ten ingredients such as fried noodles, egg, dried tofu, and shredded bamboo shoots, rolled into a cylinder for eating. The taste is rich and nutritionally balanced. It is said to have been created to commemorate the anti-Japanese hero Qi Jiguang, combining deliciousness with historical significance.
Tickets：
Tickets are 99 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "Shenxianju Scenic Area" to get the latest updates or purchase tickets online.
Opening Hours：
Opening hours are adjusted by period: winter time (November 1 - April 30 of the following year) is 7:30-17:00, with ticket sales and entry stopping at 15:00; summer time (May 1 - October 31) is 7:00-17:30, with ticket sales and entry stopping at 15:30. On holidays (such as Spring Festival and National Day), opening hours will be advanced to 6:30, subject to the scenic area's official announcements. Cableway operating hours are consistent with the scenic area's opening hours, with the last departure at 17:00 (winter time) and 17:30 (summer time).
Tour Route：
Recommended tour route: Enter from the South Gate, take the Beihai Cableway (uphill 65 yuan per person) up the mountain, pass through Puti Path, Bore Path, and Yinyuan Path in sequence, and enjoy Buddha Peak and Guanyin Peak; then go to Ruyi Bridge and Nantian Summit to experience high-altitude scenery; then pass through Guanyin Path, Feiying Path, and Wuwei Path to visit Tadpole Cliff and Wenxian Bridge; finally take the Nantian Cableway (downhill 55 yuan per person) down the mountain. The entire route is about 5 kilometers and takes 3-4 hours. If entering from the North Gate, the route can be reversed, taking the Nantian Cableway up and the Beihai Cableway down. Those with better stamina can choose to hike up the mountain. It takes about 2.5 hours from the South Gate to the summit and about 3 hours from the North Gate to the summit. Along the way, more pristine natural scenery can be enjoyed.
Transportation：
Public transportation: Xianju County Bus Passenger Station has a direct tourist line to Shenxianju Scenic Area, departing from 6:30 to 17:00 every day, about one bus every 30 minutes, with a 40-minute journey and a fare of 10 yuan per person; you can also take Xianju Bus No. 5 to Baita Town, then take a taxi to the scenic area (about 5 kilometers, about 15 yuan).
Tourist line: A direct tourist bus from Taizhou urban area (Jiaojiang) to Shenxianju Scenic Area departs daily at 7:00 from Jiaojiang Passenger Transport Terminal and returns at 16:30, with a journey of 1.5 hours and a round-trip fare of 80 yuan per person.
Self-driving: From Hangzhou, take the Hangyong Expressway and Changtai Expressway, exit at Xianju, and drive about 20 kilometers along Shenxianju Avenue to arrive, with a total journey of about 2.5 hours; the scenic area parking lot charges 10 yuan per day for small vehicles and 20 yuan per day for large vehicles, with about 1,500 parking spaces.
Taxi: Taking a taxi from Xianju county town to Shenxianju Scenic Area costs about 50 yuan and takes 30 minutes; taking a taxi between the south and north gates of the scenic area costs about 20 yuan and takes 10 minutes.
Must-Visit Attractions：
Guanyin Peak: A naturally formed giant Guanyin statue, at an altitude of 919 meters, is the iconic landscape of Shenxianju. At sunrise, paired with the sea of clouds, it is especially spectacular. The recommended shooting time is 6:30-7:30 (summer time).
Ruyi Bridge: A 140-meter-high glass bridge with a unique shape, it is an internet-famous check-in spot in the scenic area. It is recommended to visit on non-holidays to avoid peak crowds (10:00-11:30, 14:00-15:30).
Nantian Summit: A 300-meter-high cliff viewing platform with a 360-degree panoramic view, where visitors can simultaneously view canyons, sea of clouds, and peaks. It is the best location for photographing the sunset, with sunset at about 18:00 (summer time).
Tadpole Cliff: The location of the mysterious tadpole script, with ancient carvings from the Eastern Jin Dynasty still undeciphered. It is suitable for history and culture enthusiasts and requires a 1.2-kilometer hike along the trail, taking about 30 minutes.
Travel Suggestions：
Best season: Spring (March-May) with rhododendrons blooming, and autumn (October-November) with clear skies, are the best times to visit; summer (June-August) is good for escaping the heat, but beware of showers; winter (December-February) occasionally has snow scenery and is less crowded and quiet.
Equipment to bring: Wear anti-slip sports shoes (many gravel paths on the mountain) and a light jacket (the temperature difference at the summit is large, about 5-8°C); bring a backpack, water (1.5 liters recommended), and energy food (such as chocolate); photography enthusiasts can bring a wide-angle lens and tripod (for photographing the sea of clouds and sunrise).
Dining options: Restaurants in the scenic area have an average per-person consumption of about 30-50 yuan. It is recommended to dine at the Nantian Summit Café and Yujian Xianxia-themed restaurant; you can also bring dry rations and dine at the rest area beside Wenxian Bridge, where the environment is serene.
Accommodation recommendations: Around the scenic area, there is Shenxianju Junlan Resort Hotel (1 kilometer from the South Gate, average price 600 yuan per night) and Baita Town guesthouses (average price 200-300 yuan per night). If you want to photograph the sunrise, it is recommended to stay near the scenic area.
Time arrangement: For a one-day trip, it is recommended to enter the park before 9:00 to avoid group tourist flows; if planning to photograph the sunrise, arrive at the viewing platform before 6:30, and you can consult the scenic area in advance for the day's sunrise time.
Precautions：
Running and jumping are prohibited in glass walkway and suspension bridge areas. High heels and spiked shoes are not allowed to enter. Those afraid of heights are advised to detour.
Mountain weather is changeable. Check the weather forecast before departure and carry rain gear. Thunderstorms are likely in summer afternoons; avoid lingering in open areas.
When hiking, follow the principle of "do not walk while sightseeing, do not sightsee while walking." Do not deviate from the trails without authorization. Some areas of the scenic area have no mobile phone signal, so it is recommended to travel with companions.
Protect the ecological environment. Do not pick plants or feed wild animals. Garbage must be placed in designated trash bins. Smoking and open flames are prohibited in the scenic area.
There are many tourists on holidays, and cableway queue times can reach 1-2 hours. It is recommended to travel during off-peak periods (such as weekdays or before 7:00 on holidays) or purchase cableway priority tickets in advance on the official public account.
Some sections of the scenic area are steep. Seniors over 60, children, and those with weak health are advised to take the cableway to avoid excessive fatigue; those with heart disease, high blood pressure, and other conditions should be cautious about entering high-altitude areas.
Observe the scenic area's regulations. Do not climb unopened cliffs or peaks. The scenic area is closed at night, and staying overnight is prohibited to avoid danger.