Travel During the Epidemic Prevention Period in 2022: A Day Trip to Mount Taimu, the Sea Fairyland, Exploring Caves and Reaching the Summit

This is the second installment of a series of travelogues from the epidemic prevention period. After finishing the trip to Quanzhou in southern Fujian, I took a bullet train to Ningde in eastern Fujian to visit Mount Taimu, known as the 'Sea Fairyland.'

The first thing after getting off the train was to undergo a nucleic acid test for 'landing inspection.'

Upon arriving at the hotel, I showed my travel itinerary code, health code, and a 48-hour negative test result. After verification, I checked in. On the day I started writing this travelogue (December 7), the State Council Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism issued the 'Notice on Further Optimizing the Implementation of COVID-19 Prevention and Control Measures' (the 'New 10 Measures'), which clearly stated, 'No longer check nucleic acid test negative certificates and health codes for cross-regional travelers, and no longer conduct landing inspections.' This sudden change evoked a myriad of emotions, reminding me of a lyric: 'Unconsciously, you have left me, such a rhythm, no one can help it. After the fact, another autumn has passed...'

The journey to explore Mount Taimu began with a bowl of Fuding meat swallow soup.

Mount Taimu is located in Fuding City, Ningde, Fujian Province, facing the sea on three sides. Along with Mount Wuyi and Yandang Mountain, it is known as one of the three major mountains of the Minyue region. It is a World Geopark, a National 5A-level Tourist Attraction, and a National Natural Heritage. The character '姥' is a polyphonic character; here it is pronounced 'mǔ' (mother). According to legend, during the time of Emperor Yao, an old woman grew blue grass in the mountains. She encountered a Taoist immortal and ascended to immortality, hence the name 'Tai Mu' (Great Mother), later changed to 'Tai Lao' (Great Grandmother). There is also Mount Tianmu in Shaoxing, Zhejiang, also pronounced 'mǔ,' which inspired Li Bai's poem 'Dreaming of a Visit to Mount Tianmu: A Farewell Song.' The character '姥' has another pronunciation, 'lǎo,' used as a respectful term for an elderly woman, extended to mean mother-in-law or maternal grandmother, such as 'lǎolao.'

Mount Taimu belongs to a granite landform area, characterized by peak forests and rock caves. It covers an area of about 100 square kilometers, including five major scenic areas: Mount Taimu Main Peak, Jiuli Stream and Waterfall, Qingchuan Seaside, Fuyao Islands, and Sangyuan Green Lake. The main scenic area is Mount Taimu Main Peak, covering 24.6 square kilometers, divided into seven sections from bottom to top: Jade Lake, Guoxing Temple, Yingxian Terrace, Yi Pian Wa, Wulong Ridge, Xiangshan Temple, and Baiyun Moxiao.

The main attractions of the scenic area include: lifelike pictographic stones, various caves, historical cliffside inscriptions, the narrowest 'One Line Sky' in China, and a suspended bronze temple.

There are over 360 pictographic stones on Mount Taimu, some resembling people, such as the Couple Peaks, Two Buddhas Discussing Sutras, and Immortal Playing Chess; some resembling objects, such as Nine Carp Leaping toward the Sky, Immortal Sawing Wood, Golden Cat Catching Mouse, and A Piece of Tile; some are full of mythological colors, such as Flying Stone, Ascension Stone, and Wangxian Bridge. They are vivid and full of charm, and one stone can be viewed from multiple angles, changing with each step, as the ancients praised: 'Mount Taimu has no ordinary stones, each seems like a divine work; according to people's imagination, all kinds of forms are in the mind.'

There are more than 100 caves on Mount Taimu, crisscrossing like a maze, with caves within caves, each with a unique world. Some caves connect to each other, leading to the sky above and the sea below; some are winding and secluded, leading in all directions; some have hidden springs and waterfalls, with flowing water. The abundance, length, and uniqueness of the rock caves here are very rare among famous mountains. It is said that it would take 28 days to explore all the caves, and some caves alone take a whole day to go in and out.

Cliffside inscriptions are scattered throughout the mountain, totaling 116 (according to 'Taimu Stone Inscriptions' by Gao Jianbin/Bai Rongmin). They date from the Tang and Song dynasties to the present, with the most from the Ming Dynasty. The various calligraphy styles—seal, clerical, running, regular, and cursive—display unique humanistic beauty and interpret the saying, 'Even if you have returned from visiting the Five Sacred Mountains, a trip to Mount Taimu will still astonish you.'

Mount Taimu has both underground One Line Sky and aerial One Line Sky. The underground One Line Sky is located in the Yi Pian Wa scenic area, over 60 meters long, with the narrowest part only 20 centimeters wide, allowing only one person to squeeze through sideways. Here, water flows all year round, and the cliffs are wet and look dirty, but after coming out, the clothes are still clean. The aerial One Line Sky is located in the Wulong Ridge scenic area, with winding paths, and the narrowest gap is only 40 centimeters. This unique feature has earned the saying, 'If you haven't passed through One Line Sky, you haven't truly visited Mount Taimu.'

The suspended bronze temple of Mount Taimu, built between two peaks at an altitude of over 700 meters, is the first suspended bronze temple in China. It is made of 100 tons of pure copper, 12 meters high, with an area of 180 square meters.

Because of the large area, the scenic area recommends four routes based on playing time: 2-3 hours, 4-5 hours, 5-6 hours, and 6-7 hours. Most tourists choose the regular 'Small Loop' of Guoxing Temple, Yingxian Terrace, and Yi Pian Wa, climbing, playing, and taking photos, taking three to four hours. This time, I took the 'Big Loop,' starting at 7:30 a.m. from the tourist distribution center by scenic bus to the foot of the mountain, starting the tour at 8:00 a.m., and returning to the scenic area parking lot at 4:00 p.m., a total of about eight and a half hours. The route was: Couple Peak Square → Guoxing Temple Scenic Area (Lengjia Pagoda, Eighteen Arhats Hurrying to the Meal, Couple Peaks, Guoxing Temple, Dragon Pool Lake, Sage Gong Ridge, Exposed Dragon Pool) → Yingxian Terrace Scenic Area (Heart of Taimu, Yingxian Terrace, Immortal Playing Chess, Monk Carrying Sutras, Turtle and Snake Meeting, Golden Cat Catching Mouse, Hippo Roaring at the Sky, Immortal Staff Peak, Wind-Blown Stone, Golden Leopard Looking Up, Squatting Monkey Watching the Sea, Jade Rabbit Listening to the Tide, Immortal Sawing Wood, Truly a Famous Mountain, TV Screen Stone) → Yi Pian Wa Scenic Area (Lanxi Stream, Underground One Line Sky, Child Stone, Pig Trotters Stone, Stone Split by Knife, Sea-Viewing Plank Road, Waterfall Stone, Heavenly Pillar Peak, Big Plate Stone, Cloud Mark Stone, Teapot Stone, Brush Rack Peak, Cloud Parting Peak, Golden Turtle Climbing the Wall, Suspended Bronze Temple, Yi Pian Wa Zen Temple) → Xiangshan Temple Scenic Area (Five Hundred Arhats Hall, Xiangshan Temple, Nine Carp Lake, Two Buddhas Discussing Sutras, Tuojiu Ridge, Wangxian Bridge) → Baiyun Moxiao Scenic Area (Nine Carp Leaping toward the Sky, Baiyun Temple, Mani Palace, TV Station Guesthouse) → Wulong Ridge Scenic Area (No. 3 Sun Viewing Platform, Grand View of Mountain and Sea, Wind-Blown Stone, Sea Fairyland, Meeting of Great Men, Elephant Trunk Stone, Natural Bridge, Aerial One Line Sky) → Couple Peak Square. The itinerary was very tight, and I basically saw all the scenery I wanted to see, feeling satisfied. However, if time permits, this kind of high-intensity day trip is not recommended. Although the altitude is not high, over 900 meters, the climbing difficulty is considerable. There are many ups and downs, and constant ascending and descending is a big test of physical strength. Quick walking in a short time also puts a lot of strain on the knees. By the time I descended in the evening, my legs were trembling, and my calves seemed almost uncooperative. Three days after returning from the scenic area, I still had back and leg pain, and my knees hurt when walking.

Some travelogues say that the caves of Mount Taimu are very interesting, winding and twisting, very exciting, with sudden turns and delightful surprises, full of fun. Especially the 1500-meter-long Calabash Cave, with the narrowest point at only 20 centimeters, a 'tricky' shape, and a 'challenge for fat people,' attracts many people to come and challenge themselves. But once you get in, you find it hard to get in and out, and you have to crawl with hands and feet, struggling forward in the dark, wasting a full hour. In fact, there's no need to waste time crawling in caves, let alone deliberately going to Calabash Cave, General Cave, or Tongtian Cave to challenge limits. Instead of spending time in high-difficulty cave crawling, it's better to see more mountain, sea, peak, and forest landscapes. Mount Taimu is famous for its strange rocks and peculiar caves. Along the way, there are enough caves and steps to let you experience 'paying money for suffering.' There are so many classic pictographic stones worth taking time to appreciate. The so-called 'high difficulty' is essentially groping in the dark, struggling in confusion, and moving forward in adversity. Perhaps at first there is a curiosity about the unknown and excitement about uncertainty, but later, with more and more repetitive movements—squatting, bending, sidling, crawling—the novelty wears off, and you can't wait to finish. As long as you have walked in the muddy roads on a rainy night when you can't see your hand in front of you, you can understand that feeling of utter misery. But of course, different people have different tastes. This is just one person's opinion. If you don't like it, don't criticize.

The scenic area is well-managed. There are many signposts along the way, very clear, so you basically won't get lost. Although the area is large and hard to maintain, it is clean and tidy, and the restrooms have no bad smell. Overall impression is very good. Climbing consumes a lot of energy, so remember to bring hot water and snacks. There are few food services on the mountain. If you need to catch a train or flight that day, be sure to allow enough time. It takes another half hour from the parking lot on the mountain to the tourist distribution center, and the bus doesn't leave as soon as you get on; you usually wait about 20 minutes (there are also taxis in the parking lot). From the distribution center to the Taimu Mountain High-Speed Rail Station, it's a 15-minute drive (10 minutes by taxi).

At the tourist distribution center, remember two things: one, pick up a guide map for navigation; two, store large luggage and go up the mountain light.

Scenic area bus parking lot

8:00 a.m., start climbing.

Couple Peak Square is being renovated and upgraded.

→ Lengjia Pagoda. Built in the Tang Dynasty, 8.5 meters high, named after the 'Lengjia Sutra' brought by Bodhidharma from India. This type of seven-story, octagonal solid stone pagoda is the first discovered in China, so it is quite precious.

Stone peaks stand in forests, layered ranges.

→ Eighteen Arhats Hurrying to the Meal. The scattered stone forest resembles a group of Arhats of different heights and shapes, rushing quickly to the Baiyun Temple on the mountaintop for their meal.

→ Couple Peaks, the iconic landscape of the scenic area, will be seen many times later.

→ Guoxing Temple Ruins. Guoxing Temple was first built in the fourth year of Qianfu of the Tang Dynasty (877 AD), with magnificent and splendid structure, having 360 stone pillars, with pillar bases and railings carved with figures, flowers, birds, insects, and animals. It was destroyed by war fire in the Jia Chen year of Chunyou of the Song Dynasty (1244 AD). The ruins still retain stone pillars, stone troughs, stone carvings, and other cultural relics, important materials for studying the Buddhist culture of the Tang and Song Dynasties.

Guoxing Temple is commonly called the Lower Temple, while on the mountaintop there is the Upper Temple, Baiyun Temple (Moxiao Nunnery).

Inside the hall are three statues of Tai Lao Niang Bodhisattva in different forms.

→ Dragon Pool Lake, located behind Guoxing Temple and at the foot of Wulong Ridge, built in 1999, covering over 3,000 square meters, with the Eighteen Arhats Rock behind it. It was used as a location for the movie 'Mr. & Mrs. Single' in 2010.

→ Sage Gong Ridge, 1500 meters long, built in 1929 with donations and initiation by Sa Zhenbing, then governor of Fujian Province. On the ridge there are cliffside inscriptions and the Yongcui Pavilion.

'Clouds come out of the mountain peaks unintentionally, and birds tire of flying and know to return.' This quote from Tao Yuanming was inscribed by Sa Zhenbing.

→ Exposed Dragon Pool, with the Yongcui Pavilion and Couple Peaks behind.

The name Couple Peaks is very vivid: two stone eggs, one high and one low, like a couple embracing tightly, whispering to each other between heaven and earth.

It is now 9:00 a.m., one hour after starting the climb.

→ Wine Cup, Beauty Buttocks

→ Heart of Taimu, with tangled roots of trees winding around a rock, shaped like a heart.

→ Yingxian Terrace, also known as Guest-Greeting Peak. It is said that the immortals of the East Sea gather here once a year.

→ Monk Carrying Sutras

Clusters of peaks, steep and towering, round and mighty, graceful and charming—the granite landform is really beautiful. China has a wide distribution of granite mountains, including many famous ones such as Mount Tai and Laoshan in Shandong, Huashan and Taibai Mountain in Shaanxi, Huangshan and Tianzhu Mountain in Anhui, Putuo Mountain in Zhejiang, Sanqing Mountain in Jiangxi, Helan Mountain in Ningxia, Qilian Mountain in Gansu, Gongga Mountain in Sichuan, and Wuzhi Mountain in Hainan, all of which are mainly composed of granite.

→ Hippo Roaring at the Sky, Immortal Staff Peak. The giant stone on the left looks like a hippo opening its mouth wide, roaring to the sky; the peak in the middle looks like an immortal's staff standing upright among the mountains.

→ Wind-Blown Stone (left), Golden Leopard Looking Up (center), Squatting Monkey Watching the Sea (right).

It is now 10:00 a.m., two hours after starting the climb.

This stone inscription is very famous: 'Mount Taimu has no ordinary stones, each seems like a divine work; according to people's imagination, all kinds of forms are in the mind. Above there are sky caves, below there are deep hidden places; the scenic spots are endless, and tourists think of coming again.' It was inscribed in 1938 by Chen Tingzhen, then magistrate of Fuding County.

→ 'Truly a Famous Mountain' inscription, by Ding Ding, former chairman of Fujian Artists Association; next to it, 'Taimu Scenic Area' is inscribed by Zhao Puchu, former president of the Buddhist Association of China. Look carefully: the character '然' in '果然名山' is missing a dot. It is said that because there are many peaks here, not a drop of water can be retained.

→ TV Screen Stone

The signage in the scenic area is very clear, showing the distances between attractions at a glance.

This is a stacked stone cave. Inside, it is alternately light and dark, visibility is poor, and there is standing water. You have to lower your head and bend your waist to pass through. Despite being careful, when I stumbled out, my shoes were wet, my head was bumped, and my skin was scraped. Now you can understand what I said earlier about not needing to deliberately crawl into caves.

Lanxi Stream, a 50-meter-long cave passage. Spring water seeps from the rock walls and flows into Lanxi Stream.

The famous One Line Sky is here. This is the underground One Line Sky: a cave over 60 meters long and over 40 meters high, with suspended rocks seemingly about to fall, the sky like a thread, and the narrowest part only 20 centimeters.

The rocks are tall and steep.

The gaps are narrow and pressing.

The rock walls are deep and long.

The cave wall only allows one person to squeeze through sideways. All items that hinder progress, such as water bottles, cameras, backpacks, must be held in hand or clamped between legs. The authorities have even invented a set of 'Taimu Fitness Exercises': Section 1: Toad Against the Wall, Section 2: Hippo Roars to the Sky, Section 3: Spirit Ape Holds the Pearl, Section 4: Roc Spreads Wings, Section 5: Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg. The general principle is to combine chest out, stomach in, lean back, bend down, and spiral movements.

Finally out. The scenic area also has an aerial One Line Sky; we will experience it later.

It is now 11:00 a.m., three hours after starting the climb.

→ Calabash Cave, named for its shape like a calabash, is the most distinctive of the currently open cave passages on Mount Taimu. It is over a thousand meters long, with 13 skylights and 7 halls inside. The widest part can accommodate a full set of furniture, and the lowest part is only 50 centimeters.

Mount Taimu is located on the coast of the East China Sea, with mountains and sea leaning on each other, the sea and sky merging at the horizon. It is the only famous granite mountain in China where you can view both mountains and the sea.

→ Water erosion groove

40 meters high, elliptical cross-section, about 8 meters in diameter.

→ Big Plate Stone, shaped like a plate, hence the name. Here the view is wide, with distant and near peaks in full view, and you can see different types of granite landforms. To the southeast are egg-shaped stone landforms at about 900 meters altitude; to the southwest are peak cluster landforms at 700-900 meters altitude; to the northeast are valley landforms with obvious water erosion, above 500 meters altitude.

→ Cloud Mark Stone. 'Cloud' refers to the Baiyun Temple on the summit; 'Mark' refers to a signpost, meaning a signpost leading to Baiyun Temple.

→ Brush Rack Peak, Cloud Parting Peak. The left peak in the middle resembles a brush rack; the right peak is rugged, like a giant hand parting clouds and playing with the moon, hence the name.

→ Horizontal joints. Joints are cracks or fissures formed when rocks are stressed. They are classified by form into horizontal joints, vertical joints, inclined joints, etc.

→ Golden Turtle Climbing the Wall, also known as Ascension Stone. Legend says that Tai Lao Niang ascended to heaven here on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month.

→ Yi Pian Wa Zen Temple, first built in the 32nd year of Wanli of the Ming Dynasty (1604), originally named Rock Cave Nunnery. The roof is covered by a giant stone, like a single piece of tile, symbolizing 'giving the heart a tile to shelter the wandering souls.'

It is now 12:00 noon, four hours after starting the climb.

→ Ancient White Tea Tree. White tea is a famous historical tea in China, recorded as early as the Tang Dynasty. The buds are covered with white down, like silver and snow. According to legend, the original production area is Mount Taimu.

The Main Shrine Hall of the temple is located between Lotus Peak and Ascension Stone, and is the first suspended bronze temple in China. It is 12 meters high, with an area of 180 square meters. It was built by the Venus Copper Group in early 2001, using 100 tons of copper. Inside, a statue of Tai Lao Niang Bodhisattva is enshrined.

The four characters '梵刹庄严' (Solemn Buddhist Temple) on the Ascension Stone were inscribed by Chuan Yin, vice president of the Buddhist Academy of China.

Yi Pian Wa belongs to a granite collapse landform. The 'crack' formed by disintegration is large enough to build a temple.

The four characters '尧封太姥' (Taimu Enfeoffed by Yao) under the 'tile' were inscribed by Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, indicating that Taimu was a person from the time of Emperor Yao, and Tai Lao Niang Bodhisattva belongs to the ancient Chinese civilization lineage.

To deepen the impression of the suspended bronze temple, here is a distant view picture found online.

Tongtian Cave, located behind Yi Pian Wa Zen Temple, is over 600 meters long. It is said that its narrowness is comparable to One Line Sky. Thinking of the 'fitness exercises' from before, I only walked up more than ten meters, glanced at the dark entrance, and decided to return and continue on my 'broad road.'

The inscription at the cave entrance: 'Tilting and rugged to this place, deep in the stone gate, knock on the Zen gate. Meeting each other, let's talk about the floating life, sitting down to see the clear clouds leisurely.' Written by Yu Shizhang, a Jinshi of the Ming Dynasty.

In the distance, the TV signal transmission tower is at the highest point of the scenic area; we will go there later.

→ Five Hundred Arhats Hall

Inside the hall are 500 seated Arhats finely carved from Burmese white jade, plus six white jade Buddha statues.

→ Xiangshan Temple, first built in the Ming Dynasty, originally named 'Miao Xiang Nunnery.' Because many orchids grow around the temple, and during blooming season the fragrance of orchids drifts with the wind, hence the name. Inside, there is also a statue of Tai Lao Niang Bodhisattva.

It is now 1:00 p.m., five hours after starting the climb.

The temple plaque '万法朝宗' (All Dharma Return to the Origin) was inscribed by Master Ming Yang of Shanghai Longhua Temple. Inside the temple, there is a two-meter-high jade Guanyin donated by a Thai nun. Around the temple are attractions such as Tuojiu Ridge (Sky Ladder Ridge), Wangxian Bridge, and Rhino Looking at the Moon.

→ Nine Carp Lake, built in 1991, with the Nine Carp Leaping toward the Sky peak behind it. Here you can enjoy the lake and mountain scenery, and it is also a photo spot for the scenic area's promotional brochures.

Above the lake, a zipline is hoisting building materials for building a small train directly to Moxiao Peak.

→ Two Buddhas Discussing Sutras. The peak on the upper left resembles a monk wearing a kasaya and holding a sutra in his hands; not far to the right is a small monk, with hands folded in front of his chest, tapping a wooden fish. The two seem to be discussing Buddhist scriptures.

Now it's time to rush to the summit; the moment of testing has arrived. Hungry and thirsty, exhausted, and the most difficult part of the mountain road lies ahead.

→ Sky Ladder Ridge, a section of mountain road from Nine Carp Lake to Wangxian Bridge, winding and steep, over 600 meters long, with a total of 1017 stone steps. It is said to have been built by Prince Tuo of the Song Dynasty, also known as Tuojiu Ridge.

Memorable Tuojiu Ridge, the part framed in the picture above, just over 600 meters, felt like the 'Eighteen Bends' of Mount Tai. 1017 steps! Equivalent to climbing a building over 50 stories high. Walk a section, rest a section; after 20 minutes, I finally reached Wangxian Bridge.

→ Wangxian Bridge, located at the end of Sky Ladder Ridge. According to legend, originally only a single stone slab spanned the deep abyss. Later, the Taoist immortal Rong Chengzi drove a stone to build a bridge, named Yufeng Bridge. It is also said that standing on the bridge at midnight, you can see Tai Lao Niang descending slowly to the mortal world on a nine-colored dragon horse, hence the name Wangxian Bridge.

Up, down, testing physical strength.

The ancients left many poems here, such as 'Yufeng Bridge' by Chen Wuchang of the Ming Dynasty: 'Clouds cross the green cliffs from the horizon, sunlight reflects the red tides spreading east of the sea.' And 'Climbing Mount Taimu' by Shen Jingkai of the Ming Dynasty: 'Taimu overlooks the vast sea from afar, the ladder and sunrise in sight. Late night, striking the building at the top of the clouds, the wind blows the moon shadow cold across ten thousand miles.'

→ Nine Carp Leaping toward the Sky. A group of granite peak forests, like a school of carp playing in the sea. The 'nine' here is not a specific number but indicates many.

Due to the epidemic, there are very few tourists, and many shops in the scenic area are closed.

Baiyun Temple, also known as Moxiao Nunnery, commonly called the Upper Temple, corresponding to the Guoxing Temple (Lower Temple) seen at the foot of the mountain earlier.

The temple was founded by Zen Master Baiyun in the 13th year of Kaiyuan of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang (725 AD). It is the oldest among the 14 temples on Mount Taimu and also the highest in elevation. After many vicissitudes and several ups and downs, the Main Shrine Hall, Sutra Hall, monks' quarters, and other buildings still maintain their original appearance.

Inscription by Qin Bangqi of the Ming Dynasty: 'Taimu towers into the sky, the green mountain path is remote. Mist and rain often cover it, the temple appears alone and hears the tide; the dragon surrounds when the Dharma is spoken, the world fades when Zen is discussed. Turning back at the top, the body floats with white clouds.'

It is now 2:00 p.m., six hours after starting the climb.

When you see the three characters '摩霄庵' (Moxiao Nunnery), you might find it strange: a temple houses monks, a nunnery houses nuns; Baiyun Temple and Moxiao Nunnery should not be together. But there is an exception. According to legend, during the Kaiyuan period of Tang, after Zen Master Baiyun built Baiyun Temple on Mount Taimu, pilgrims came in an endless stream. However, evil spirits often made trouble around the temple at night, causing panic. The master, holding his staff, patrolled the mountain day and night, cleaning out all the demons. The pilgrims were delighted and applauded for the elimination of demons and the restoration of peace. 'Eliminate demons and restore peace' (Mó xiāo ān) was passed down and eventually elegantly transformed into 'Mó xiāo ān' (摩霄庵).

Monumental stele of 'Ming Fan Shao Fang Bo Huang Gong Ci Bei', inscribed in the 44th year of Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty (1566) by Huang Xixian, then Assistant Administration Commissioner of Fujian.

On the road to the summit, a Bhikkhuni was farming.

→ Mani Palace, also known as Dream-Seeking Platform, first built in the early Tang Dynasty. It is the earliest Manichaean site discovered in China. After more than a thousand years, only a stone chamber of three or four square meters remains. In the previous travelogue on Quanzhou, I mentioned Cao'an Temple in Jinjiang, the only existing Manichaean temple site in the world. Fuding and Jinjiang are not far apart; I wonder if there is any connection.

The stone block in front of Mani Palace, from a distance, looks like a stone boat, with an inscription: 'On Moxiao Peak, the Dream Terrace, illusion and reality, roaming freely. Remember the beautiful scenery of the fairy capital, where strange rocks in forests, who will come?'

The TV signal transmission tower 'shoots the sky wolf.'

Taimu Mountain TV Station Guesthouse; I bought a bottle of Coca-Cola at the shop at the entrance for 8 yuan.

The highest point of the main peak, 929 meters above sea level.

→ Baiyun Temple Protected Wilderness Tea Plantation

Pictographic stones seen from below, now up close.

The mountain road is rugged, careful is needed.

Grand View of Mountain and Sea, inscribed by contemporary painter and calligrapher Lin Kai.

Peaks emerge from the sea, water flows at the edge of the sky.

Another Wind-Blown Stone, much larger than the one seen below.

Sea Fairyland, inscribed by Shen Peng, honorary president of the Chinese Calligraphy Association. The earlier 'Grand View of Mountain and Sea' positions Mount Taimu from a natural resources perspective, while 'Sea Fairyland' views it from the integration of nature and culture.

It is now 3:00 p.m., seven hours after starting the climb.

→ Meeting of Great Men. Two white stone pillars resemble two heads of state reviewing a guard of honor. The black leaf above is actually a bird that flew into the lens.

Does this not look like a person sitting on the ground with bare back? At this moment, the sun is warm, mountains and waters lean on each other, scenery picturesque... And I just want to sit down and rest.

→ Natural Bridge. Giant rocks have weathered into a hole, naturally formed.

Start going through caves again; this time it's the Aerial One Line Sky.

The narrowest part is about 40 centimeters, feels a bit more spacious than the underground One Line Sky.

At 4:00 p.m., return to the scenic area parking lot, eight hours after starting the climb.

Heading to the high-speed rail station, a 15-minute drive.

A bowl of meat slices noodles concludes the Mount Taimu journey.