Tianmu Mountain

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Tianmu Mountain
Tianmu Mountain
Zhejiang,  China
Elevation 1,506 m (4,941 ft)
Prominence 1,506 m (4,941 ft)(Highest point West Tianmu Peak or Xianren Peak) 1,480 metres (4,856 ft) (East Tianmu Peak or Daxian Peak)
Location
Coordinates 30°20′0″N 119°25′0″E / 30.33333°N 119.41667°E / 30.33333; 119.41667Coordinates: 30°20′0″N 119°25′0″E / 30.33333°N 119.41667°E / 30.33333; 119.41667

Tianmu Mountain, also known as Tianmushan (Chinese: 天目山; pinyin: Tiānmùshān; literally "Eyes on Heaven Mountain"), is a mountain in Lin'an County in Northwestern Zhejiang province in eastern China. Tianmushan is located 83.2 kilometres (51.7 mi) west of Hangzhou, China. It is made up of two peaks. The West Tianmu Peak, also called Xianren(Chinese: 仙人; pinyin: Xiānrén; literally "celestial being") Peak(1,506 metres (4,941 ft)) [1] and the East Tianmu Peak, also called Daxian(Chinese: 大仙; pinyin: Dàxiān; literally "great celestial being") Peak(1,480 metres (4,856 ft)).[1] There are ponds near the top of both peaks which look like eyes and lead to the naming of the mountain. The Tianmu Mountain National Nature Reserve lies on the northwest portion of the mountain and it is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve as part of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Program(MAB).[2] The mountain has a lush sub-tropical climate with an annual rainfall of 1,767 millimetres (69.6 in) and an annual temperature of 17.3 °C (63 °F).

Tianmu mountain is best known for giant trees, waterfalls, tea, peaks surrounded by clouds, bamboo shoots, temples, and nunneries, and odd shaped rocks.[3] It is also known as a natural botanic garden because more than 2,000 species[4] of plants grow on the mountain as well as being a popular summer resort with tourists in China. Japanese Cedar trees grow to towering heights on the mountain and the west peak is noted as having the last surviving truly wild population of Ginkgo trees.[5] Prominent amongst the Japanese Cedar is the "Giant Tree King", which was named by the Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. At last measurement it measured 26.5 metres (86 ft 11 in) in height, 2.33 metres (7 ft 8 in) in diameter, and 42.9 cubic metres (1,510 cu ft)[6] in volume. The mountain is also home to hundreds of species of birds and animals. Amongst them are 39 endangered or protected species,[7] including the Clouded Leopard and the Black Muntjac.[4] The lush sub-tropical climate results in both famous succulent bamboo shoots and world famous tea being grown on and around the mountain. The tea is known as Tianmu Tea to tea drinkers around the world.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Tianmushan National Reserve (Hangzhou)". luopan.com. Retrieved 2009-06-10. 
  2. ↑ "UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB)". Retrieved 2009-06-10. 
  3. ↑ "Hangzhou". China Custom Tours. Retrieved 2009-06-10. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lu, Rong (2007-07-31). "Climbing high to blessed coolness". China Daily. Retrieved 2009-06-10. 
  5. ↑ André van Beek, Teris (2000). Ginkgo biloba. Harwood Academic. p. 548. ISBN 90-5702-488-8.  p. 9.
  6. ↑ "Tianmu Mountain". Retrieved 2009-06-10. 
  7. ↑ "Tianmushan - The Eyes of Heaven Mountain". Retrieved 2009-06-10. 

External links

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