Tianmen Mountain National Park

The Tianmen Mountain, "Heaven's Door Mountain" is aptly named. The site has been called "one of the most beautiful mountains in the world” by visitors. With natural miracles present in the Tianmen Cave and the impressive forest, the site has been frequented by writers, poets, artists and emperors, as well as monks since ancient times. The Cableway located on the mountain is reportedly the "longest passenger cableway of high mountains in the world" and has 98 cars and a total length of 7,455 metres (24,459 ft). A temple was built on the mountain during the Tang dynasty and the current Buddhist temple follows Tang dynasty architecture as well. Visitors to the site can have their breath literally taken away as they climb the 999 steps of the staircase, and follow the 99 swings, or curves, of the new roadway that winds up the mountain. The number 9 shows the Taoist connections to the site as that is an especially auspicious number in Taoism.