The most-photographed individual formation on Tianzi Mountain — three vertical pillars resembling traditional Chinese writing brushes pointing skyward.
At a glance
- What it is
- Outdoors
- Also known as
- 御笔峰 (Yùbǐ Fēng)
- Opening hours
- 5 AM – 6 PM
- Time needed
- 30-60 min
- Best time to visit
- 5:30-6:30 AM for sunrise; clear afternoons for sharp detail
- Getting there
- Taxi / DiDi from metro
- English
- Some English signage
- Cards accepted
- Cash only
- Entry
- Passport booking required
- Wi-Fi
- No public Wi-Fi
- Address
- Imperial Pen Peak, Tianzi Mountain, Wulingyuan · 张家界市武陵源区天子山
Imperial Pen Peak is the most distinctive single sandstone formation on Tianzi Mountain — three vertical pillars approximately 200m tall, arranged in a tight cluster that resembles three traditional Chinese writing brushes (毛笔) pointing skyward, hence the name 'Imperial Pen.' It's visible from the Helong Park viewing platform near the Tianzi Mountain cable car summit station, and is the centerpiece shot of most Tianzi Mountain photos. The pillars catch sunrise light from the east first, making this the prime spot for the 5:30-6:30 AM cloud-sea-with-pillars composition. Free with Wulingyuan combo ticket; no separate entry.
Highlights
- Three vertical pillarsEach ~200m tall, named after writing brushes
- Sunrise spotFirst east-facing light hits the cluster
- Most-photographed formationCenterpiece of Tianzi Mountain photos
What Chinese travelers actually do here
Distilled from Chinese-language travel notes — the practical tips most English guides miss.
- ▸The 'three pillars' you see most photographed are actually FOUR pillars from this angle — the rearmost one is partially obscured behind the front three. Move 20m west and you'll see the fourth peek out, giving a different composition entirely.
- ▸Telephoto lens (200-400mm equivalent) compresses the three pillars into a tight visual cluster, the way most pro photos look. Wide-angle makes them look distant and isolated. If you only have wide-angle (phone camera), step BACK from the railing for better framing.
- ▸Crowds peak 7-9 AM at this single platform during Chinese national holidays. Sunrise photographers arrive at 5:45 AM and stake claims with tripods. If you arrive at 7 AM expecting the front-row, you'll be on the second row of bodies.
- ▸There's a SECOND, lesser-known viewpoint on Tianzi Mountain called 'Backyard Garden' (后花园观景台) which has a side-angle view of Imperial Pen. Same formation, different perspective, half the crowds. Walk 400m further along the ridge from the main platform.
- ▸Imperial Pen photos look dramatically better with a polarizing filter — it darkens the sky and saturates the sandstone red. Phone-only photographers can simulate this by tapping the SKY area in the camera app to lower exposure, then composing.
- ▸On rare 'pink cloud' sunrises (when high-altitude cirrus catches indirect sun before the actual sunrise), Imperial Pen turns brief magenta — the rarest and most coveted Zhangjiajie photo. This happens ~5-10 days a year, mostly September-October.
Photos
What travelers say (9 reviews)
Frequently asked questions about Imperial Pen Peak (Yubi Peak)
- Where exactly is the Imperial Pen Peak viewpoint?
- On Tianzi Mountain, ~600m walk south-east from the Helong Park cable car summit station. Signs say 御笔峰观景台 (Yubi Feng Viewing Platform). Most foreigners miss it because the sign points down a smaller side trail off the main ridge walk. Look for the wooden platform with a railing at the cliff edge — that's the spot.
- Is Imperial Pen Peak a separate ticket or included?
- Included in the Wulingyuan combo ticket (¥225). No separate entry. The summit cable car (¥72 one-way) is the only paid add-on, but you'll be using it anyway to reach Tianzi.
- Best time of day for the Imperial Pen photo?
- 6:30-7:30 AM. At this time the east-facing pillars catch direct morning light at a 30-40° angle, creating clear dimensionality and shadow definition. By 10 AM the sun is overhead and the pillars flatten visually. Afternoon shadows the formation entirely.
- Why is it called Imperial Pen?
- The three pillars resemble traditional Chinese calligraphy brushes (毛笔) pointing upward — the bristles bunched at the bottom, the slim handle rising. In Imperial China, sets of three matched brushes were diplomatic gifts; the formation supposedly looks like the Emperor's writing set abandoned on the mountainside. The legend is regional Hunan folklore.
- Can I see Imperial Pen if I skip the cable car?
- Only if you hike the 90-min ridge trail from Yuanjiajie. Without the cable car, getting to Tianzi summit requires either that walk or the Yangjiajie cable car + 60-min ridge walk. Foreigners almost always take the Tianzi cable car directly — it's the simpler route.
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