Dāngtú

Dangtu stands near the Yangtze, beneath the green hills of southern Anhui. It was the seat of Taiping and the final home of the Tang poet Li Bai, who died here in 762. His grave at the foot of Qing Mountain and shrines at nearby Caishi drew admirers long after his death.

In 1355 Zhu Yuanzhang's forces crossed the Yangtze and captured Caishi and Taiping, establishing a base from which they advanced toward Nanjing. During the Ming, a shrine to Li Bai was built at Caishi, while his tomb on Qing Mountain was repaired repeatedly through the centuries. The poet's memory remained closely bound to the riverside cliffs and hills of Dangtu.