Tianmu Mountain
| Tianmu Mountain | |
|---|---|
 View from the old meteorological station on Tianmu | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,506 m (4,941 ft) |
| Coordinates | 30°20′0″N 119°25′0″E / 30.33333°N 119.41667°E |
| Geography | |
  Tianmu Mountain | |
| Country | China |
Tianmu Mountain, Mount Tianmu, or Tianmushan (Chinese: 天目山; pinyin: Tiānmù Shān; lit. 'Heavenly Eyes Mountain') is a mountain in Lin'an County 83.2 kilometers (51.7 mi) west of Hangzhou, Zhejiang, in eastern China. It is made up of two peaks: West Tianmu (1,506 meters or 4,941 feet) and East Tianmu (1,480 meters or 4,860 feet).[1] Twin ponds near the top of the peaks led to the name of the mountain. China's Tianmu Mountain National Nature Reserve lies on the northwest portion of the mountain. It is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve as part of UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Program.[2]
Tianmu is known for giant Japanese cedars, waterfalls, Tianmu tea, peaks surrounded by clouds, bamboo shoots, temples and nunneries, and odd-shaped rocks.[3] More than 2,000 species of plants grow on the mountain,[4] including (on West Tianmu) the last surviving truly wild population of Ginkgo trees.[5] Prominent among the Japanese cedars is the "Giant Tree King", named by the Qianlong Emperor of the Qing. In 2009, it measured 26.5 meters (86 ft 11 in) in height, 2.33 meters (7 ft 8 in) in diameter, and 42.9 cubic meters (1,510 cu ft) in volume.[6] The mountain is also home to hundreds of species of birds and animals, including 39 endangered or protected species.[7] These include the clouded leopard and the black muntjac.[4]
In Chinese, the name Tianmushan can also refer to the adjacent range of mountains, including Mount Mogan.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Tianmushan National Reserve (Hangzhou)". luopan.com. Archived from the original on 2010-09-05. Retrieved 2009-06-10.
- ^ "UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB)". Archived from the original on 2011-09-03. Retrieved 2009-06-10.
- ^ "Hangzhou". China Custom Tours. Retrieved 2009-06-10.
- ^ a b Lu, Rong (2007-07-31). "Climbing high to blessed coolness". China Daily. Retrieved 2009-06-10.
- ^ André van Beek, Teris (2000). Ginkgo biloba. Harwood Academic. p. 548. ISBN 90-5702-488-8. p. 9.
- ^ "Tianmu Mountain". Retrieved 2009-06-10.
- ^ "Tianmushan - The Eyes of Heaven Mountain". Archived from the original on 2011-07-14. Retrieved 2009-06-10.
External links
[edit]- Tianmushan Biosphere Reserve Information
- Brief guide by China Daily
- A Tianmu Mountain guide from Sinoway Travel
- Chris Pearson's photos and description of Tianmu Mountain Archived 2011-07-14 at the Wayback Machine
- Photos and a quick checklist of birds found on the mountain
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
