Mount Tai Scenic Area-Shibapan

The Eighteen Bends of Mount Tai are to Mount Tai what Badaling is to the Great Wall and the Terracotta Army is to Xi'an. It is one of the most precipitous sections of the mountain path, a major landmark of Mount Tai, and a must-see attraction.

The mountain path from the bottom of Dui Song Valley to Nantianmen is collectively known as the "Eighteen Bends of Mount Tai Scenic Area," containing over 1600 steps. The first 393 steps are called the "Slow Eighteen Bends"; the middle 767 steps are the "Medium Eighteen Bends"; and the last 473 steps are the "Tight Eighteen Bends." Locally, there's a saying: "Tight Eighteen, Slow Eighteen, Medium Eighteen." These three sections of the Eighteen Bends, less than one kilometer long, have a vertical drop of over 400 meters and a slope of about 70-80 degrees, taking about two hours to climb; its steepness is unimaginable. The steep, winding path is nestled between two cliffs that appear as if sliced ​​off, resembling a ladder to heaven from afar.

After passing Duisong Mountain in the Taishan Scenic Area, visitors enter the Eighteen Bends section of the Taishan Scenic Area. The path cuts through the mountain, with Flying Dragon Rock to the east and Soaring Phoenix Ridge to the west, their sheer cliffs incredibly precipitous. Iron chains are provided along the sides of the Eighteen Bends path to facilitate climbing. Closer along the way, one can see babbling springs and flowers and trees growing on the rocks. Further afield, verdant mountains rise and fall, their rocks towering in the clouds. Pine and cypress trees with gnarled trunks, rooted in rock crevices, stand alongside the cliffs, their branches reaching high as if about to take flight. On both sides of the stone wall valley, there are stone carvings such as "Heavenly Gate Roar," "Layered Cliffs and Empty Valley," "Heavenly Gate Ladder," and "As If Ascending to Heaven."

Climbing the Eighteen Bends of Mount Tai Scenic Area requires complete concentration; the entire process feels like "one generation stepping on the head of the next, and the next generation supporting the feet of the predecessors"—it's extremely arduous.