Dai’ao Mountain spans across Lujiang County in Hefei City, Tongling City’s Zongyang County, and Tongcheng City in Anqing City. The peak, Longwangding, stands at an elevation of 270 meters and resembles a giant turtle, located within Lujiang County. The mountain is known for its beautiful scenery and numerous peculiar rocks, attracting mainly local residents and outdoor enthusiasts due to its remote location. Within Lujiang County, Dai’ao Mountain includes Longwangding, Ma’an Zhai, and Pingdingshan. Local farmers regard Longwangding as a weather forecast, with the saying, ‘When Longwangding gathers clouds, it either rains or turns cloudy.’ Atop Longwangding, there is Longtian Temple, from where one can overlook the farmlands and villages below. To the south of Longwangding, three peaks connected resemble a saddle, with a human-shaped boulder sitting atop, hence the name Ma’an Zhai. To the west lies Shipuling, where human-shaped stone stalagmites are arranged, and among them, three large rocks are known as the Stone Father, Stone Mother, and Stone Miss from local folklore. Pingdingshan is the second peak of Dai’ao Mountain, with a wind hole in Fengdongyan, from which one can hear the sound of the wind. In front of the hole stands Fengdong An. Heading west into the canyon, there is Sanzhen An, referring to the three sisters, the aunts of Qing Dynasty Prime Minister Zhang Ying. Additionally, Dai’ao Mountain is the burial site of many notable figures. The tomb of Zhu Haiman, grandfather of aesthetician Zhu Guangqian, is located at the foot of Shuangshi Peak, and the tomb of Tongcheng School prose master Yao Ding is situated on flat ground between Shuangshi Peak and Guojian Peak, with an epitaph reading ‘Tomb of Ming Dynasty Zhongshu Clerk Yao Qinglin.’ The mountain is open all year round, 24 hours a day, with specific operating conditions subject to daily openings.
Dai’ao Mountain
Dai’ao Mountain spans across Lujiang County in Hefei City, Tongling City’s Zongyang Coun[...]
