Anshan 鞍山市 — Steel City & Jade Buddha
Anshan is China's steel capital, home to the Anshan Iron and Steel Group, one of the world's largest steel producers. The city's industrial identity is central to its character.
Surprisingly, Anshan also contains one of the world's largest jade Buddha statues, carved from a single piece of jade. The contrast between industrial city and spiritual monument is uniquely Anshan.
The nearby Qianshan Mountain (Thousand Peaks Mountain) offers beautiful hiking through forested granite peaks.
Houses the world's largest jade Buddha statue, carved from a single 260-ton jade boulder. The 7.95-meter-tall, 6.88-meter-wide statue depicts Sakyamuni Buddha and weighs 260.76 tons. It holds multiple Guinness World Records. The surrounding palace complex is grandly designed.
Hours: 8:00–17:00
Admission: ¥70
A mountainous park with 999 named peaks (the 'thousand' in Qianshan includes one that was 'too sacred to count'). The granite peaks are covered in pine forests and contain ancient temples, including the famous Longquan Temple. The hiking trails range from easy walks to challenging climbs.
Hours: 7:00–17:00 (summer) / 8:00–16:30 (winter)
Admission: ¥80