Xu Xiake did not deceive me! The severely underrated gem of a small city in Zhejiang

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Over 400 years ago, Xu Xiake wrote the opening piece of 'Xu Xiake's Travel Notes' titled 'Record of Travels to Mount Tiantai', and even Li Bai visited this place twice. The unique granite landforms, the birthplace of the Tiantai sect, cascading waterfalls, and the lush greenery make this an off-the-beaten-path travel destination I highly recommend for this summer

I've put together a 2-day 1-night highlight itinerary, remember to save it🌟～
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📍| Tiantai County, Taizhou City, Zhejiang Province
🚄| Direct high-speed train access, get off at Tiantai Mountain Station, there are buses to Guoqing Temple and direct buses to the Great Waterfall at the station exit, but taking a taxi is recommended, as both are not far
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Day ➊: Tiantai Mountain Great Waterfall➔Qiongtai Xiangu➔She Creek Old Street (recommended for night tours)
Day ➋: Guoqing Temple➔Tiantai Museum➔Shiliang Waterfall➔Zhongshan East Road➔Zhongshan West Road
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【Recommended Check-in Spots】
Tiantai Mountain Great Waterfall
A landmark on the Eastern Zhejiang Poetic Road, majestic with a drop of over three hundred meters, twice the height of the Lushan Waterfall❗️
Qiongtai Xiangu
Canyon terrain, mountain streams, secluded valleys, known as 'Little Huangshan', Li Bai wrote the famous piece 'Qiongtai' here
Guoqing Temple
Founded during the Sui Dynasty, with a history of 1400 years, it is the ancestral temple of the Tiantai sect in Japan and Korea. The temple is filled with ancient trees, Sui plum trees, Sui pagodas, and the Goose Character Stele, each worth a special visit
Tiantai Museum
Small but exquisite, with over 4000 cultural relics, it presents the past and present of Tiantai
Shiliang Waterfall
An unexpected delight of the trip, the gurgling stream hidden above the waterfall, and the ancient temple, coincidentally met a Taoist priest in front of the waterfall, as if watching a real-life fairy tale drama
She Creek Old Street
An old street built along She Creek, with many local snacks, quite comfortable to visit after a day's tour, just reopened after renovation in 2024
Zhongshan Road
A cluster of ancient residential buildings, a treasure trove of an old street that 99% of visitors to Tiantai miss❗️Confucian temple, General temple, Guanyin hall, Wumen building, and the old-time barbershops, stores, and frozen moments of the past
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【Travel Tips】
➊ Visit Guoqing Temple early, recommended to enter at 7 am when it opens
➋ If short on time, choose between the Great Waterfall and Qiongtai Xiangu, I recommend Qiongtai
➌ There are shuttle buses between each scenic spot, mostly transferring at Tiantai Tourist Center, pay attention to the return schedule
➍ Be careful when climbing mountains on rainy days as it can be slippery
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Other places like the Wise Men's Pagoda, Huading Forest Park, Tongbai Palace, Zhenjue Lecture Temple, Gaoming Lecture Temple, Tongxuan Temple, and Mingyan Temple are also very nice. This weekend was a tight two days, planning to visit Tiantai again in the autumn🍁
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