|
|||
| Brief | Sights&Attractions | Accommodation | Transportation | Dinning | Shopping | Entertainments | TravelTips |
| |||||
|
|
Must Sees
Mountain Huangshan (Yellow Mountain) Mountain Jiuhua Tunxi Ancient Street Tangyue Memorial Archway Group Xidi Village Hongcun Village Nanping Village Optional Attractions Memorial Arches in Shexian County Ancient Residence in Shexian County Tangmo Village Qiankou Residence Baolun Hall in Chengkan Village Lake Taiping Mt. Qiyun Mt. Huangshan is the most famous mountain in China. Originally known as Mt. Yishan it was renamed Mt. Huangshan in 747 AD in recognition of the legendary Huangdi, who was the reputed ancestor of Chinese people and who made magic pills for immortality here. Mt. Huangshan was listed as the World Natural and Cultural Heritages in 1990. Mount Huangshan is characterized by the four wonders, namely, odd-shaped pines, grotesque rock formation, seas of clouds and crystal-clear hot springs. It is celebrated for having all the features of mountain scenery. Known as the No. 1 mountain under heaven, it features numerous imposing peaks, forests of stone pillars and evergreen sturdy pines; other features include grotesquely-shaped rocks, waterfalls, pools and hot springs. Because of its mists and clouds, natural scenery in the area changes beyond prediction. There are marvels almost everywhere, especially in the following scenic areas: Wenquan (Hot Spring), Yupinglou (Jade Screen Tower), Xihai (West Sea), Beihai (North Sea), Yungusi (Cloud Valley Temple) and Songgu'an (Pine Valley Nunnery).
  Huangshan Mountain changes its color and appearance with the alternation of seasons. In spring blooming flowers decorate the slopes in a riot of color and fill the valleys with fragrance; in summer you see verdure peaks rising one upon another and hear springs gurgling merrily. Autumn dresses the mountains in red and purple as maples and some other trees are blazing-red; winter turns them into a world of frost and ice with silver boughs and rocks everywhere.
Owing to the peculiar terrain, the Huangshan Mountain's climate is marked by a vertical change, and the vertical distribution of vegetation is also distinctive: plants on the summit, on the middle levels and at the foot belong to the frigid, temperate and subtropical zones respectively. Huangshan is abundant in biological resources. Furthermore, it also provides the natural habitat for a wide variety of fauna.
It is said that you won't want to visit any other mountains after seeing Five Sacred Mountains but you won't wish to see even Five Sacred Mountains after returning from Mt. Huangshan. This saying may give you some idea of the beauty and uniqueness of Mt. Huangshan. Today Mt. Huangshan has become a world-famous tourist attraction. It lures millions of visitors both from home and abroad.
Four wonders of Mt. Huangshan
Legendary pines, oddly-shaped rocks, sea of clouds and hot springs are the four wonders of Mt. Huangshan.
Legendary Pines
Huangshan pines can be seen everywhere on Mt. Huangshan. You will be amazed by their vitality and strength. The seeds fall into the crevices where they take root and grow with great vigor. The uneven terrain prevents the pines from growing upright. Instead they become crooked and even downward. Another feature of Huangshan pines is that many trees grow branches on one side only. The pines grow very slowly due to the poor soil and climatic conditions. A tree less than 3 meters (9.84feet) high may have grown for over one hundred years or even several hundred years. The root of a pine is several times or several dozens times longer than the trunk, therefore Huangshan pines stand firmly with dignity, withstanding wind and rain. Every pine is unique though: Guest-Greeting Pine (in front of the stone lion of the Jade Screen Pavilion in the Jade Screen Scenic Area), Guest-Goodbye Pine (to the right of the Jade Screen Pavilion), Phoenix Pine at the Sky Sea, Chessboard Pine at Pingtian Stone Bridge, Cushion Pine at Lotus Valley, Kylin Pine between Bei Hai Hotel and the Refreshing Terrace, Black Tiger Pine and Sea Exploring Pine are among the most famous ones.   Oddly-shaped Rocks
Spectacular stony peaks will inspire your imagination. Some look like human beings, birds, animals or many other objects. Something that makes the stones even more fascinating is that they assume varied shapes when seen from different angles. Each of stone has its own fantastic legend. The rocks named the "Celestial Basking Shoe" and the "Celestial Basking Boot" share a most romantic story. Once upon a time, in the Celestial Heaven Taoist Temple on Zuoshu Peak lived an old Taoist priest Dao Xuan and his disciple Tai Qing while in the Purple Cloud Temple on Pine Forest Peak lived a Taoist nun Lian Yu and her disciple Miao Zhen. The West Sea Valley separated the two temples as well as a strict commandment; therefore they had no dealings with each other. However, one winter, there was no kindling in Celestial Heaven Taoist Temple. Seeking help, Dao Xuan asked Tai Qing if he could borrow some from the nun at the Purple Cloud Temple. It so happened that the two young disciples fell in love at first sight. From then on, they spent time together when they fetched water or collected firewood. Unfortunately, they were discovered by both masters and the two disciples were punished severely. They were forbidden to go beyond the boundaries set by their masters and threaten with a beating should they disobey. One day when both the masters went down the mountain, they stealthily dated again and agreed upon a good idea: Tai Qing would place a boot in front of the mountain gate if his master was not at home; likewise Miao Zhen would place a shoe. One day, when they were together, their masters unexpectedly returned. Knowing they would be punished, the lovers pondered over their plight. Eventually, they decided that since they could not live together, they would rather choose to die together. Thus, they jumped into a cloud sea. They even did not have time to take back the boot and the shoe. As the days passed, the boot and the shoe turned into two rocks: "Celestial Basking Shoe" and "Celestial Basking Boot".
Sea of Clouds
Mt. Huangshan is full of clouds and mists. The Sea of Clouds has a fairy tale beauty. Winter is the best season for this spectacle. The seas of clouds are divided into East Sea, South Sea, West Sea, North Sea and Sky Sea according to their different locations. If you climb up the Lotus Peak, the Heaven Capital Peak and the Bright Peak, you will find yourself above the level of the clouds and they appear as a sea beneath you. Peaks, large and small, hide and reappear in the boundless waves of clouds. The Bright Peak and the Heavenly Capital Peak looks like isolated islands engulfed the sea. In the sunshine, all the clouds seem more vivid and colorful. The clouds are changing forever, from being like a mirror when all is calm to rolling waves when the wind is strong. At sunrise or sunset, the glistening clouds assume every hue from red to purple. You cannot help marveling at this gift from the God! You will be struck by the beauty when the clouds gush between the peaks like a raging river while the red leaves flutter delicately in the breeze in autumn, when all the red leaves are floating on the white clouds.
Furthermore, you can go to the Paiyun Tower for the West Sea, the Jade Screen Pavilion to view the South Sea, the White Goose Ridge for the East Sea, the Refreshing Terrace for the North Sea and the Legendary Turtle Peak for the Sky Sea.
Hot springs
Hot springs on Mt. Huangshan is famous too. It must be a good way for you to bathe, enjoy, relax and refresh in the hot springs. Running out of the Purple Peak of 850 meters (2, 789 feet), the hot spring in Mt. Huangshan is the first stop following the entrance. Legend has it that Huang Di, the ancestor of the Chinese nation, bathed here 49 days before he ascended to heaven and became immortal. Apart from the spectacles we have mentioned, there are still three large waterfalls that are well worth a visit. They are the Baizhang (100 zhang, over 1,093feet) Spring, Renzi (like the Chinese character for human being) Waterfall and the Nine-dragon Waterfall. Mt. Huangshan is the best place to watch the sunrise. It would be wise to choose the place according to where you live or are staying so as to attain the best vantage point without being exhausted. For example, the Refreshing Terrace, the Dawn Pavilion (Shuguang Ting)and the Lion Peak are the optimum places if you live near the North Sea; the Red Cloud Peak for tourists near Xihai Hotel and Paiyunlou Hotel; the Bright Peak for Qixiang Hostel and Tianhai Hotel and Jade Screen Peak for those near Jade Screen Pavilion. However, you must get up earlier.
Oppositely, Red Cloud Peak and Paiyun Tower are the best places for you to watch the glow of the setting sun.
Four seasons in Mt. Huangshan
Mt. Huangshan has its respective beauty at every season, or even every day owing to variations in the weather, light and shade as clouds pass overhead and even around you at the higher reaches. If you want to know the mountain thoroughly, you would need to visit Mt. Huangshan in all the different seasons.
Spring
All mountains in spring are new, fresh and tender. Spring comes in April but its onset is delayed by three days for every 100 meters as you climb the mountain. Therefore, when wild flowers are brilliant and seedlings are shooting up at its foot, the plants half way up the mountain will be just awakening from their winter sleep and will not exhibit their beauty until a week later. The sound of birdsong is most pleasant in this quietness while you will be enchanted by the color changes as you climb your way up. Spring is probably the most favorable season for visiting Mt. Huangshan. Summer
In summer, the cool green mountain sides is charming. An exuberance of plant life covers the valleys and peaks with a green blanket. The green trees and ivy mingle to form natural pavilions where you can sit and refresh yourself while enjoying the beautiful scenery with a cooling breeze to sooth you. Dawn in summer is most splendid as the rising sun lights the sky and the peaks and the plants and the whole world takes on a brilliant glow. Especially when after a storm, Mt. Huangshan becomes a world of water. Numerous waterfalls and streams compose an exciting and vigorous symphony. The Sea of Clouds during this season revels in its brightness. If you are really lucky you will see a vivid rainbow flying over two peaks. Sunset is no less enchanting than sunrise. Mt. Huangshan in summer is the best resort in which to escape high temperatures of southern China. Furthermore, it is wise for you to bring a rainproof jacket as the strong wind on the mountain renders an umbrella all but useless and even dangerous. Autumn
In autumn, blue sky, white clouds, red maples and yellow fruits features the mountain colorful. At this time of the year the scenery can be compared with that of spring but with a mature beauty. If spring is like a bud ready to bloom, autumn is a flower showing its last significance before withering. Such is the beauty of the autumn scenery of Mt. Huangshan that it can be seen in many famous Chinese paintings. As the temperature variation is significant on the mountain, you must take some warm clothes so as not to catch a chill.   Winter
Mt. Huangshan is beautiful all year round but with the winter scenery being the best. In winter, numerous ravines and peaks are covered with snow or ice. Yellow Mountain is a world of frost and ice with silver boughs and rocks everywhere. The glittering and translucent spectacle in the sunshine resembles ice sculptures and brings you refreshing enjoyment. You really seem to step into a silver fairyland. The scene is so attracting and like a crystal palace. Though winter lasts a long time in Huangshan, it is not as cold as you might expect. In fact, weather here in winter is often fine and clear. There are 88 sunny days on the average in winter, much more than other seasons, so you have more chance to see sunrise. The Sea of Clouds, one of the four wonders of Mt. Huangshan, appears more often in winter than in any other season. Of whole year sea of clouds, roughly 80 percent emerges in winter. So chances are good that you will enjoy sea of clouds. It is not crowded any more, you can enjoy its tranquility better than any other period of year. Scenic Areas of Mountain Huangshan
Behai Scenic Area (North Sea Scenic Area)
All in all, the North Sea is the most important scenic area. The Behai Sea Scenic Area is just a few kilometers away from the Cloud-dispelling Pavilion in the West Sea Scenic Area, with the Yellow Mountains Xihai Hotel on the way. The Beihai Hotel is located near the Lion Peak, at an altitude of 1,630 meters above sea level. This area has plenty of wonders. Such as Beginning-to-Believe Peak, the Lion Peak, the Refreshing Terrace, the Monkey Watching the Sea, the Flying Stone and more.
It is said that only when you come to Beginning-to-Believe Peak that you will believe the magic of Mt. Huangshan. In the Dawn Pavilion in front of the hotel, you may enjoy the beautiful scenery of Beginning-to-Believe Peak and Goddess Peak as well as the Stalagmite Bridge that inspire imagination of various fairy scenes. To the right of the hotel is the Flower House. In front of it is the Sunken Flower Valley with many rocks of fantastic shapes in it. Turning left from the hotel and passing the Unicorn Pine leads one onto the Refreshing Terrace and Lion Peak. Reaching out from the cliff and facing the valley in three directions, the terrace on the Lion Peak is the optimum place for watching the sea of clouds and sunrise. Atop the Cooling Apex of Lion Peak, one can look down at the rocks on Pingding Hill which is famous for resembling a scene of a monkey watching the sea. Below Lion Peak is the Ten Thousand Pines Forest which sends out constant pine soughing. Turning right from the guesthouse, while viewing various ancient pines on the way, one crosses the Immortal Bridge and ascends Beginning-to-believe Peak.
Hot Spring Scenic Area
The Hot Spring of the Yellow Mountains was discovered and tapped more than a thousand years ago, and they have nationwide fame. Gushing forth from the foot of Purple Cloud Peak, it has never run dry during the most severe droughts nor over flooded during excessive rain. It is celebrated for its fresh, clean and cool nature; its clear waters remain at 42`C all the year round. It can serve various purposes, such as drinking, bathing; and as a high-temperature carbonate type, with therapeutic effects for metabolic disorder, cardiovascular disease and malfunctions of digestive, nervous systems. Huangshan is also famous for its waterfalls, and some famous ones are "Inverted V Falls (Renzi Falls)", "Hundred Feet Waterfall", and "Nine Dragons Waterfall".
With the Grasping Beautiful Scenes Bridge as its hub, this scenic area has Peach Blossom Stream and Xiaoyao Stream flowing through it. It straddles the Peach Blossom Brook that flows between Purple Cloud Peak and Peach Blossom Peak. It is 1.5 km (0.93 miles) to the entrance to the Front Mountain (the Merciful Light Pavilion) and 7 km (4.35miles) to that of the Rear Mountain (the Cloud Valley Temple). You can simply walk to the first of these while there are buses to the latter one.
Jade Screen Scenic Area
This scenic area has Jade Screen Pavilion as its center and the Lotus Peak and the Heavenly Capital Peak as the main body. This is the Front Mountain as people usually call it. Along the road you will find Peng Lai Three Islands, 100-step Scaling Ladder, and Thread of the Sky and New Thread of the Sky. Around the Pavilion are elephant and lion shaped rocks and ancient pines. In front of the Pavilion there emerge to the left the Heavenly Capital Peak and Ploughing Cloud Peak. The Heavenly Capital Peak is the steepest of the three main peaks with an elevation of 1,830 meters (6,003feet). On Ploughing Cloud Peak there is a rock which looks likes a squirrel jumping at the Celestial Capital Peak. To the right are Lotus Peak, Lotus Pistil Peak and Holy Spring Peak. The Lotus Peak is the highest peak of Mt. Huangshan. This 1,864-meter-high peak looks like a blooming lotus, hence the name. Viewed from distance, the rock on Lotus Pistil Peak looks like a small boating sailing through the ocean of clouds. Beside the peak there stands a rock that resembles a peacock playing in the lotus.
The Jade Screen Tower is located on just half way between the Hot Spring and the West Sea and North Sea scenic areas. Going further ahead, tourists pass the Farewell Pine and the Hassock Pine. If one looks back, an ox-shaped rock on Ox Nose Peak comes into sight. The scene is known as Rhinoceros Watching the Moon. The distance from Jade Screen Peak down to the bottom of the Lotus Ravine is about two and half kilometers. Climbing up several hundred steps stairs, one reaches Lotus Ridge. Standing above in the right direction is Lotus Peak.
Songgu Scenic Area (Pine Valley Scenic Area)
Here peaks are green and water is clear around the year. Beautiful scenic attractions include Old Dragon Pool (Laolong Tan), Green Dragon Pool (Qinglong Tan), Black Dragon Pool (Wulong Tan), White Dragon Pool (Bailong Tan) and Emerald Pond.
The Songgu Scenic Area is located in the north slope of Mt. Huangshan, covers 12.5 sq. km with a fall in altitude of 1,100 meters (3,609 feet) made up of over 6,500 steps. Here peaks are green and water is clear around the year. Beautiful scenic attractions include the Emerald Pond, the Five-Dragon Pool (Wulong Tan), and the rock of Guan Gong Resisting CaoCao (both were famous generals during the Three Kingdoms Period).The Emerald Pond is surrounded by rocks, with a crystal stream from the Pine Valley flowing into it. The reflections of the mountains and trees create another fairy world in the water.
Yungu Scenic Area (Cloud Valley Scenic Area)
Situated between Arhat Peak and Incense Burner Peak, the 890 meter (2, 920 feet) high Cloud Valley Temple is half way between the North Sea and the Hot Spring along the mountain as well as the departure station of the cable car route to the North Sea. This area does not lose out to other scenic areas for beauty. The major sights of this area are the Cloud Valley Villa, oddly shaped rocks, old trees and the Nine-Dragon Waterfall and the Baizhang Spring.
The Cloud Valley Villa is a modern hotel with the traditional local architectural style of the Ming Dynasty providing comfortable service for tourists. There are three precious trees here. The Southern Hemlock which is 800 years old and the Eastern China Douglas Fir that is 500 years old; both stand firm and stately through their long history. One common feature of these two trees is that they both have two kinds of branches and two kinds of leaves, conifer and broad-leaf. The third super star is a ginkgo tree calculated to be 1,000 years. In addition, you can also enjoy the Yellow Mountains Maofeng, a famous local tea here.
Descending the mountain path to the left of the Cloud Valley Temple and going through the bamboo grove, tourists can watch the Nine Dragon Falls four kilometers away. The Nine-Dragon Waterfall plunges all of 300 meters (984feet) from the cliff top between the Incense Burner Peak and the Arhat Peak. The waterfall has nine leaps, each leap forms a waterfall and each fall feeds a pool.
White Cloud Scenic Area (Baiyun Scenic Area)
The West Sea, long known as the Mystery Valley for the many clusters of peaks and the fathomless depth of the valley has been opened up as the White Cloud Stream Scenic Area. This area covers 16.5 square kilometers (6.37 square miles). It enjoys a tranquility that is lacking in other areas. The seven-kilometer long newly paved staircase extends from the Hook Bridge Nunnery inside the West Gate of the Yellow Mountains, across the bottom of the valley, and reaches the Central Sea Pavilion at the Heavenly Sea. You can go to Qianxun waterfall via the Hook Bridge Nunnery and the Shy Spring. As highest falls in the Yellow Mountains, Qianxun waterfall has a drop of 140 meters, and is ice-free all the year round. The falls thunder can be heard at Swan Rock near the brook and one can also have a near look on the Immortal Walking on Stilts.
Xihai Scenic Area (West Sea Scenic Area)
The West Sea, known as the Mystery Valley for the many clusters of peaks and the fathomless depth of the valley, has been opened up as the White Cloud Stream Scenic Area. Mystical Rock Flying From Afar first comes into sight, with a huge 10 meter high rock weighing 600 tons standing on it. Passing several peaks nearby, visitors may reach the Cloud-dispelling Pavilion where one commands an excellent view of the unfolding scene. There stand in front of the pavilion a sea of variously shaped peaks that inspire all sorts of fairy imagination. When the sun sets, the whole valley basks in a myriad of sun rays, becoming a famous scene of the Yellow Mountains. Equally impressive is the 1,712 meter high Rosy Clouds Peak behind the Cloud-dispelling Pavilion. Standing on the peak, one can watch the sun rising above the cloud and Rock Flying From Afar and Nine Dragon Peak in all their grandeur.
Xihai Grand Canyon (Grand Canyon of West Sea)
Xihai Grand Canyon is a new scenic area that was opened from the first of May, 2001. Covering the highlights of Xihai Area (Western part of Huangshan Scenic Area), it starts at Cloud-dispelling Pavilion, linking White Cloud Area at Buxian Bridge, and creating a great circular sightseeing route. Within its 25 square kilometers, this very secluded and fantastic scenic area is becoming more and more popular.
There are many unique rock formations, such as Lady Playing Piano, Upside-down Boot, Man Walking on Stilt, Dog Watching Sky, and other fantastic peaks; Archway Peak, Double Bamboo Shoot Peak, Nine-dragon Peak, Stone-bed Peak and Stone-pillar Peak, and so on. Lush pines abound in the area and the large historic ones have names. You become immersed in your surroundings and find yourself in an amazing painting. Scenery keeps changing as you walk on steep steps usually clinging to precipices. Wildlife in Mount Huangshan
Plants
According to the Directories of Plants in Huangshan, Huangshan scenic spots have about 1446 species of protophyte in 155 orders, 193 species of hemerophyte in 51 orders. The protophyte include 187 species of bryophyte in 114 genera and 127 species of pteridophyte in 57 genera. These rare and ancient plants are of great viewing value and of scientific research significance. They can serve as important materials and experiment sites for probing into origins and history.
Animals
Wild animals in Mt. Huangshan account for 2/3 of the total animal species in the whole province. According to the investigation statistics, there are 176 kinds of birds in 17 orders and 40 families, 48 kinds of reptiles, 21 kinds of amphibious animals, 24 kinds of fishes and 54 kinds of beasts.
Guide to the Cableways
It is much easier for you to reach the peak areas with the assistance of cableways. There are three Cableways on Mt. Huangshan, which can be described as follows:
Cloud Valley Cableway
Also called Cableway one, connects the Cloud Valley Temple to the White Goose Peak. It is 2,804 meters in total length and its height difference is 772.8 meters. It should take you 8 minutes for the single trip. From here you can visit the Begin to Believe Peak, the Monkey Watching the Sea, the Refreshing Terrace as well as the West Sea Scenic Area, the Red Cloud Peak, the Cloud Dispersing Pavilion.
Taiping Cableway
Also called Cableway 2, runs from the Pine Valley Nunnery to the Pine Forest Peak. It is 3,561.9 meters in total length and its height difference is 1,004.3 meters. It should take you 11.6 minutes for the single trip. This boasts the longest Cableway in Asia. Sitting in the carriage, you can pull the clouds and fog into your arm and overlook the world aloof.
Jade Screen Cableway
Also called Cableway 3, connects the Merciful Light Pavilion to Jade Screen Pavilion. It is 2,012.1 meters long and its height difference is 745.4 meters. For about 8 minutes, you can cover a distance that otherwise takes 3 hours on foot to reach the essential scenic area including the symbol of Mt. Huangshan, the Guest Greeting Pine.
Guide to the Names of Each Spot in the Mountain
The following index of place names in English and Chinese will assist you on your tour to Mt. Huangshan.
|
|
|
About Us | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions | Contact Us Send your comments and suggestions to us at: webmaster  pandaadventures.com Copyright 2008 Pandaadventures.com All Rights Reserved   
|
Beijing |
Xi’an |
Shanghai |
Guilin |
Hong Kong |
Macao |
Yangtze River |
Anshun |
Baotou |
Beihai |
Changchun |
Changsha |
Chengde |
Chengdu |
Chongqing |
Dali |
Dalian |
Datong |
Dunhuang |
Eastern Guizhou |
Fuzhou |
Golmud |
Guangzhou |
Guiyang |
Haikou |
Hangzhou |
Harbin |
Hohhot |
Hotan |
Huangshan |
Jiayuguan |
Jinan |
Jingdezhen |
Jiujiang |
Jiuzhaigou |
Kaifeng |
Kashgar |
Kunming |
Korla |
Lanzhou |
Lijiang |
Luoyang |
Nanchang |
Nanjing |
Nanning |
Pingyao |
Qingdao |
Qufu |
Sanya |
Shangri-La |
Shenyang |
Shenzhen |
Suzhou |
Taishan |
Taiyuan |
Tianjin |
Tianshui |
Turpan |
Urumqi |
Wuhan |
Xiahe |
Xiamen |
Xining |
Xishuangbanna |
Yan'an |
Yinchuan |
Yichang |
Zhangjiajie |
Zhengzhou |
Zhuhai |
Zunyi |
Great Wall Hiking |