Stand on the bank at Caishi Rock and the Yangtze runs wide and grey below you, with Taibai pavilion above and the traffic of the river sliding past. This is the corner of Ma'anshan that most visitors remember, and it sits at the end of a city that has spent most of its modern life making steel.
Ma'anshan suits travellers who are already in the Nanjing area and want a day or two of river scenery, poetry history and hot springs without the crowds of a larger destination. The city is also known as Taiping, Steel City and Poetry City, and its name comes from the legend of Xiang Yu's horse and the saddle buried on a nearby hill.
This guide covers the sights and experiences named in the source material, with practical notes on timing and what to combine with what.
Top things to do in Ma'anshan
1. Caishi Rock
Caishi Rock is a famous ancient battlefield from the Jin–Song Wars, lying to the southwest of the city, and is regarded as the best of three rocks that project over the Yangtze River. The Caishi scenic area is a national tourism spot combining natural and cultural attractions.
Taibai pavilion, one of four famous pavilions along the Yangtze, stands here, so allow time for both the rock and the pavilion in one visit. Come for the river light rather than the middle of the day.
2. Li Bai Tomb
The memorial and tomb associated with the poet Li Bai, who is said to have drowned at Ma'anshan after attempting to embrace a reflection of the moon, lie just west of the city. Li Bai is also known as Li Po.
Pair this with the rest of the Daqing mountain Li Bai Cultural Tourism Area, which contains the Li Bai Cemetery, a national key cultural relics protection unit.
3. Daqing mountain Li Bai Cultural Tourism Area
This area in Dangtu District belongs to the national scenic spot and takes in Peach Blossom Village, a national civilised village and agricultural tourism demonstration site, as well as the Li Bai Cemetery.
Because the sites are spread across the scenic area, treat this as a half-day rather than a quick stop, and combine it with Daqingshan Wildlife World if you are travelling with children.
4. Ma'anshan Museum
The city museum sits in the cultural centre of the Municipal Park, integrated with the library and the grand theatre, and holds a collection of various cultural relics. It was established in 1989, moved into its new building in 2008, and is a national second-level museum.
Entry is free, but collect a free ticket from the ticket office before entering. It is normally closed on Mondays unless Monday is a public holiday, and no tickets are issued after 16:00; on Saturdays it stays open into the evening.
5. Lingjiatan Site
Lingjiatan Site in Tongzha Town is a large-scale Neolithic settlement site, named one of the country's top ten new archaeological discoveries in 1998 and approved as a national key cultural relics protection unit in 2001.
It is one of the more substantial archaeological stops in the region, so read up before you go and give it proper time rather than treating it as a roadside pause.
6. Putang Scenic Area
Putang in Huashan District is quiet and elegant, a resort for leisure and holidays, with bamboo forest, ancient trees, clear springs, bells and drums known as its four characteristics. The mountain holds forests, bamboo groves and tea gardens.
This is a walking destination, so set aside a relaxed half-day and bring what you need for a few hours on foot.
7. Taihu Mount National Forest Park
Taihu Mount National Forest Park in the southwestern part of Hanshan District holds a wide range of woody plants, medicinal plants and wild animals.
Combine it with the Lingjiatan Site, which lies in the same county, to make a full day out of the western side of the prefecture.
8. Xiangquan Hot Spring Resort
Xiangquan Hot Spring Resort in Xiangquan Town, He County, is a four-star hot spring tourist resort combining hot spring health care, catering and accommodation, business conferences and leisure. The water is a radon-containing calcium sulfate type, clear and with a temperature of 47°C–50°C all year round, and the spring is known as "the most fragrant spring".
Tickets start at 120 and it opens 9:00–23:00, so an evening soak after a day of walking works well. It sits in an egret habitat area, which is part of the appeal.
9. Daqingshan Wildlife World
Daqingshan Wildlife World is in the Daqingshan Scenic Area in Dangtu County, designed around the forest landforms of Daqingshan and introducing animals from around the world. It combines wildlife viewing, science education, leisure and entertainment, and human-animal interaction.
Tickets start at 88 and it opens 9:00–18:00. It fits naturally into the same trip as the Daqing mountain Li Bai Cultural Tourism Area.
10. The Yangtze River Evernight City
The Yangtze River Evernight City stands on the bank of the Yangtze in Ma'anshan, within the Cai Shi Alum Ecological Tourism Zone. It brings together national trend scenes, light art interaction, performance art, technology experience and special food, along with water views, naked-eye 3D holography and immersive parade performances.
Entry is free. It opens 17:00–22:00 Monday to Friday and 11:00–22:00 at weekends, so it is a natural evening finish to a day spent at Caishi Rock.
11. Zhengpugang Shengxiang Ice and Snow World
This is an indoor ski and snow venue with beginner, intermediate and advanced leisure trails plus teaching trails, along with snow play facilities for children, ice slides and an ice and snow maze. It also has a ski school, an ice and snow food court, a VR game experience area and an ice and snow exhibition hall.
The venue is kept at about minus 2 degrees Celsius all year round, so bring warm layers. It opens 09:00–19:00 Monday to Friday with no entry at 16:00, and 09:00–21:00 at weekends with no entry at 18:00.
12. Lanhai Bathing and Steaming Hot Spring
This is a leisure complex with internet cafes, leisure halls, foot massages, a luxury cinema, swimming pools, a children's playground, billiards and book bars.
It is open all day, which makes it a useful option when the weather turns or when you want somewhere to unwind between other stops.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Caishi Rock, taking in the ancient battlefield site and Taibai pavilion while the river is still quiet, then continue to the Li Bai Tomb and the Daqing mountain Li Bai Cultural Tourism Area in Dangtu District for the poet's connection to the city.
Afternoon: Head to Ma'anshan Museum in the Municipal Park, collecting your free ticket at the office before 16:00, and note that it is closed on Mondays unless Monday is a public holiday. If you have time afterwards, Putang Scenic Area offers an easy walk among bamboo and old trees.
Evening: Finish at The Yangtze River Evernight City on the riverbank, where entry is free and the light installations and parade performances run until 22:00. If you would rather soak than stroll, Xiangquan Hot Spring Resort in He County stays open until 23:00.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to see the osmanthus in Ma'anshan?
Osmanthus fragrans is the city flower and is widely planted here. It generally blooms from mid-September to Chinese National Day, and the mild, rainy climate suits it well.
Is Ma'anshan Museum free to enter?
Yes. Entry is free, but visitors are expected to collect a free ticket from the ticket office before entering. It is normally closed on Mondays unless Monday is a public holiday, and no tickets are issued after 16:00.
How do I get to Ma'anshan from Nanjing?
Nanjing Metro Line S2 connects Nanjing with Ma'anshan as well as Dangtu County to the south. By road, the city is connected by highway to Nanjing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Hefei and Wuhu, and Nanjing Lukou International Airport is 40 km away.
What local products should I look for?
Hengwang Mountain rice wine is brewed by ancient methods and its brewing skills were listed as municipal intangible cultural heritage in 2013. Bowang Wind fish was recognised as a national green food in 2008, and Taihushan antler is a speciality of Taihu Mountain in Hanshan County.
With the river, the poetry sites and the hot springs all within reach, you can start mapping out your own route through Ma'anshan now.