Caishiji Scenic Area is located in Yushan District, Ma'anshan City, Anhui Province, situated on the south bank of the Yangtze River, about 5 kilometers away from the city center of Ma'anshan. The total area of the scenic area is 3.92 square kilometers, belonging to the subtropical humid monsoon climate, with distinct four seasons and simultaneous rainfall and heat.
This scenic area is a National Key Scenic and Historic Area and a National 5A-level Tourist Attraction. Featuring the landscape of "the great river surrounding steep cliffs, and the calligraphy sage accompanying the poetry immortal", taking the poetic meaning of Li Bai, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, as the soul, and taking the riverside steep cliff landscape of "Cui Luo (Green Snail) emerging from the great river" and the Suoxi River and Binjiang Wetland Scenery Belt as the main carriers, it integrates natural scenery, war culture, religious culture, and human history. There are more than 100 buildings in the scenic area, including landmark buildings such as Taibai Tower, Santai Pavilion, and Guangji Temple, serving as an important window to display the Yangtze River culture and poetry culture.
History and Culture
Caishiji has a long history, and there are various sayings about the origin of its name. It is said that there is a cave under Caishiji, which is bottomless and connects to Dongting Lake. Someone once saw a golden ox in the cave, which is the story of "Golden Ox Emerging from Zhu (islet)". Later, during the Chiwu period of the Eastern Wu in the Three Kingdoms, a monk excavated a well here and accidentally obtained colorful gemstones. To commemorate this event, the place was renamed "Caishiji".
Due to its superior geographical location at the throat of the Yangtze River, Caishiji has always been a battleground for military strategists. More than 20 famous wars have occurred here, such as Sun Ce crossing the river to attack Niuzhu, Sima Yan conquering Wu and capturing Sun Hao, and the Empress Chen's troops fighting at Cai Shi. Since the late Eastern Han Dynasty, generals have stationed troops here. In the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Niuzhu City was built. During the Zhenguan period of the Tang Dynasty, "Cai Shi Shu (garrison)" was set up. In the Song Dynasty, the ancient Niuzhu City was rebuilt. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, a patrol department was established here, leaving rich military cultural relics.
Caishiji is also a gathering place for literati and poets. Li Bai, Su Shi, Lu You, Wen Tianxiang and other poets of past dynasties once stopped here to recite poems, leaving thousands of poems. Among them, Li Bai climbed Caishiji many times and wrote immortal poems such as "Niuzhu Ji" and "Looking at Tianmen Mountain". It is said that he got drunk and tried to catch the moon at Caishiji, and drowned in the Yangtze River. Later generations built Taibai Tower, Zhuoyue Terrace and other buildings to commemorate him, forming a unique poetry cultural atmosphere.
Main Attractions
Taibai Tower
Taibai Tower, formerly known as Zhexian Tower, was first built in the Yuanhe period of the Tang Dynasty. The existing building was rebuilt in the third year of the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty (1877), and is one of the earliest existing buildings in China to commemorate Li Bai. The building is a three-story pavilion, 18 meters high, with a construction area of more than 400 square meters, adopting the traditional Huizhou architectural style, with flying eaves and carved beams. Inside the tower, there are cultural relics such as Li Bai's statue, inscriptions, and calligraphy and paintings, displaying Li Bai's life stories and poetic achievements, and serving as an important place for tourists to remember the poetry immortal.
Santai Pavilion
Santai Pavilion is the commanding height of Caishiji. It was first built in the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, and the existing building was rebuilt in 1999. It is 31.9 meters high and has five floors, being a pavilion in the style of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Climbing to Santai Pavilion, you can overlook the scenery of the Yangtze River 360 degrees, and far view the urban area of Ma'anshan and the hills in southern Jiangsu, with a broad vision and spectacular scenery. Inside the pavilion, there are pictures of the history, culture, and natural scenery of Caishiji, making it an excellent place for tourists to climb high, look far, and take photos.
Guangji Temple
Guangji Temple was first built in the second year of Xingping in the Eastern Han Dynasty (195), and is one of the famous Buddhist temples in southern Jiangsu. It was originally named "Dong Temple" and was renamed "Guangji Temple" during the Tianbao period of the Tang Dynasty. The temple covers an area of about 13,000 square meters, with main buildings such as the mountain gate, Heavenly King Hall, Mahavira Hall, and Scripture Collection Building, with simple and elegant architectural style and grand momentum. The temple preserves precious cultural relics such as Tang Dynasty stone pillars, Song Dynasty iron Buddha statues, and Ming Dynasty bronze Buddha statues, being important physical materials for studying Buddhist culture and ancient architecture.
Zhuoyue Terrace
Zhuoyue Terrace, also known as She Shen Cliff, is located on the riverside steep cliff of Caishiji, and is the place where it is said that Li Bai got drunk and tried to catch the moon. The platform is a jutting huge stone, about 5 meters long and 3 meters wide, with the Yangtze River below, extremely steep. There is a "Zhuoyue Pavilion" built on the platform, with a stele inscribed "Li Bai Zhuoyue Place" erected inside. The railings around are carved with famous lines from Li Bai's poems, making it an important attraction for tourists to feel Li Bai's romantic feelings and the magnificent scenery of the Yangtze River.
Delicacies
Caishiji Tea Dried Tofu
Caishiji Tea Dried Tofu is a traditional famous food in Ma'anshan, with a history of more than 200 years. It is made from high-quality soybeans through multiple processes such as soaking, grinding, boiling, curdling, and pressing. It has a dark red color, full toughness, delicious taste, and rich nutrition. It can be eaten directly, or cold mixed, stir-fried, or used in soup, being an excellent product for accompanying meals and tourism leisure.
Dangtu Big Meat Noodles
Dangtu Big Meat Noodles are a characteristic food in Ma'anshan area, famous for their chewy noodles and fat but not greasy big meat. The noodles are made of high-gluten flour by hand, and the big meat is made of pork belly with skin, through pickling and braising. It has a bright red color and tender meat. When eating, put the big meat on the cooked noodles, add high soup and side dishes, with a fragrant smell and rich taste.
Three Treasures of the Yangtze River
Caishiji is located by the Yangtze River and is rich in the Three Treasures of the Yangtze River (shad, knife fish, and puffer fish). Shad has tender meat, delicious taste, and is rich in fat. Knife fish has a long and narrow body like a knife, with fresh and tender meat and rich nutrition. Puffer fish has delicate meat and mellow taste, but contains toxins and needs to be cooked by professional chefs. The Three Treasures of the Yangtze River are the first choice for tourists to taste the delicious food of the Yangtze River, and spring is the best season to eat them every year.
Surrounding Delicacies
There are also characteristic delicacies around the scenic area such as Ma'anshan roast duck, Huangchi pickles, and Hexian fried beef. Ma'anshan roast duck has crispy skin and tender meat, fat but not greasy. Huangchi pickles are made of fresh vegetables through pickling and fermentation, with a crisp taste and unique flavor. Hexian fried beef is crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, with a rich aroma, being a favorite snack of local residents.
Tickets
The ticket price is 68 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "采石风景名胜区" in WeChat to get the latest updates. As of June 9, 2025, the official WeChat public account does not provide an online ticketing function.
Opening Hours
The opening hours are 8:00-17:30 every day (entry stops at 17:00). The scenic area may adjust the opening hours during legal holidays and tourist seasons (such as Spring Festival, May Day, National Day, etc.), and the specific time shall be subject to the official notice of the scenic area. Tourists need to pay attention to the opening hours when playing and arrange the itinerary reasonably.
Tour Route
Recommended one-day tour route: Scenic Area Gate → Lin Sanzhi Art Gallery → Sanyuan Cave → Santai Pavilion (climb high to enjoy the view) → Li Bai Memorial Hall → Taibai Tower → Zhuoyue Terrace → Guangji Temple → Wanzhuwu → Binjiang Cultural Park → exit. This route covers the main attractions of the scenic area, allowing you to enjoy both natural scenery and feel historical and cultural atmosphere, taking about 4-5 hours in total. Tourists can also adjust the route according to their own interests and time, such as taking the cable car up the mountain to save energy, or walking in the Binjiang Wetland to enjoy the river view.
Transportation
- Bus: Take Ma'anshan Bus No. 4, No. 4 Night Shift, No. 101, No. 109, No. 117 to "Caishiji" Station and get off.
- Taxi: Taking a taxi from the city center of Ma'anshan to Caishiji Scenic Area takes about 15 minutes, and the fare is about 15-20 yuan.
- Self-driving: The scenic area has a parking lot. Self-driving cars can go along Caishi River Road and Tangxian Street from the city center of Ma'anshan, with the whole journey about 5 kilometers. The parking fee is 10 yuan per time for small cars and 20 yuan per time for large cars.
- Yacht: Tourists can take the Yangtze River yacht from Nanjing, Wuhu and other places to arrive at Caishiji Wharf, experiencing the fun of water transportation.
Must-visit Attractions
- Taibai Tower: One of the earliest existing buildings in China to commemorate Li Bai, displaying Li Bai's life stories and poetic achievements, and feeling the poetry immortal culture.
- Santai Pavilion: The commanding height of Caishiji, climbing high to overlook the Yangtze River and urban landscape, with a perfect 360-degree viewing vision.
- Zhuoyue Terrace: The place where it is said that Li Bai got drunk and tried to catch the moon, facing the steep cliff to view the Yangtze River, experiencing the romantic legend of the poetry immortal.
- Guangji Temple: An ancient temple of the Eastern Han Dynasty, preserving precious cultural relics such as Tang Dynasty stone pillars, feeling the charm of Buddhist culture and ancient architecture.
- Binjiang Wetland: An ecological landscape belt built along the Yangtze River, viewing the river scenery and enjoying the wetland scenery, suitable for leisure walking.
Tour Tips
- It is recommended to enter the park at about 8 am to avoid the tourist peak and enjoy a quiet tour environment.
- Wear comfortable sports shoes. There are many stairs and walking sections in the scenic area, which is convenient for sightseeing.
- Carry drinking water and a small amount of snacks. There are few shopping points in the scenic area and the prices are high.
- Pay attention to sun protection and heatstroke prevention in summer, keep warm in winter, and adjust clothing according to the weather.
- It is recommended to hire a scenic area guide or understand the historical background of the attractions in advance to better feel the cultural connotation.
- Reserve enough time to visit the Binjiang Wetland and enjoy the sunset scenery of the Yangtze River, which is extremely beautiful.
Notes
- Abide by the regulations of the scenic area and do not climb dangerous areas such as steep cliffs and ancient trees at will.
- Protect the environment of the scenic area, do not spit or litter, and take good care of cultural relics, historic sites, and flowers and trees.
- When playing at riverside attractions such as Zhuoyue Terrace, pay attention to safety, take good care of the elderly and children, and avoid approaching the edge of the cliff.
- Some sections in the scenic area are relatively steep, and it is recommended that the elderly and children play under the company of family members.
- If you need to take photos of cultural relics or exhibits, please check whether the scenic area allows photography and abide by the relevant regulations.
- In case of bad weather or special circumstances, the scenic area may temporarily close some attractions or adjust the opening hours. Please pay attention to the notice of the scenic area.