Huangshan
(Yellow Mountain) is in
the Huangshan City area,
south Anhui Province. In
1990, the UNESCO listed
Mt. Huangshan as "A
World Cultural And
Natural Heritage." The
scenic reserve stretches
40 kilometres from north
to south and 30
kilometres from east to
west and takes up an
area of 1,200 square
kilometres.
Huangshan is famous for
its four uniqueness's,
i.e. queer pines,
grotesque rocks, cloud
seas, and a hot spring.
The exquisite scenery
varies with the various
seasons. Most
spectacular are blossoms
in Spring, pools in
Summer, forests in
Autumn and snow in
Winter. There is a old
saying that "you have no
wish to visit any other
mountains after viewing
the Five Mountains (Taishan
Mountain in Shandong,
Hengshan Mountain in
Hunan, Huashan Mountain
in Shaanxi, Hengshan
Mountain in Shanxi and
Songshan Mountain in
Henan) and you do not
even wish to visit them
after you come back from
a trip to Huangshan
Mountain."
On the mountain, the
peaks rise one upon
another and the pines
and cypresses are
luxuriantly green. There
are 36 huge peaks, 36
minor peaks and three
main peaks, among which
the lakes, brooks, deep
pools and waterfalls can
be found everywhere.
Seventy-seven of the
peaks are over 1,000
meters above sea level.
All over 1800 metres
above sea level, and
shrouded in clouds and
mist, its main three
peaks: Lotus Flower
Peak, Ever Bright Peak
and Celestial Peak
present a scenery of
boundless variety.
The summit area of Mt.
Huangshan is an ideal
place to view the
sunrise and sunset with
quite a few attractive
sights gather around.
Scenic spot such as
Cloud Dispersing
Pavilion (Pai Yun Ting),
Beginning-to-Believe
Peak (Shi Xin Feng) -
the most elegant and
refined one of the 72
peaks, Stalagmite Peak
(Shi Sun Feng), and
Refreshing Terrace (Qing
Liang Tai). The
Refreshing Terrace, for
example, is the best
place to view sunrise.
The views around the
Beginning-to-Believe
Peak also feast your
eyes.
Lotus Flower Peak
Situated in the centre
of Huangshan, and 1886
metres above sea level,
it is the highest one of
Huangshan's three main
peaks. Surrounded by a
group of lower peaks, it
looks like a lotus
flower in full bloom.
From the top of the
peak, you can have a
panoramic view of
Huangshan. The summit
area is only a few
square metres. Standing
on it, one is as if to
assume the dauntless
spirit of propping up
the sky from falling
down. Far ahead in all
directions are myriad of
mountains vying with one
another for beauty, and
streams and rivers
competing to be the
fastest.
Celestial Peak
Located in the
south-eastern part of
Huangshan, faces Lotus
Peak in the west and
borders Boyu Peak in the
east. It is 1,829 meters
above sea level and is
the most precipitous
peak of the mountain.
The path to the top is
via a vertical ladder
inlaid in a precipitous
cliff, and fenced in
with stone posts and
iron chains. The last
section of the path to
the top is about 30
metre long and 1 metre
wide hunch-backed rocky
ridge rising up from a
deep ravine. Due to its
riskiness, in
spite of protections
provided by the stone
posts and iron chains it
is figuratively called
"Silver Carp's Back."
On the summit, there is
a stone cave large
enough to seat a hundred
people. Near the cave
entrance, lies a rock
resembling "A Drunkard
Immortal Reclining On
His Side" who was as if
assigned to guard the
gate of the cave. The
summit commands a
distant view of misty
ranges of mountains and
rivers diminishing into
tiny lines. Here, one is
at last at "the Peak of
Perfection" as the
inscription on a rock
close at hand reads.
Bright Summit Peak
At an elevation of
1,840, it is the second
highest peak of
Huangshan. Located in
the central part of the
mountain, it is the best
place for seeing sunrise
and the sea of clouds.
First Belief Peak
It is located in the
eastern part of
Huangshan, and 1668
metres above sea level.
The peak is famous for
exquisite rocks and
graceful pines. With its
three sides being
precipitous and
fathomless cliffs, First
Belief Peak, flanked by
Rising Peak and
Stalagmite Peak as Fairy
Bridge spans the summit.
A poetic inscription on
a rock there reads "you
are a lone climber from
a freezing river."
Huangshan is famous for
its spectacular rocky
peaks, oddly shaped
pines, crystal-clear
mountain springs and sea
of clouds with the
highest peak - Lotus
Flower Peak (Lianhua
Feng) at 1864m, followed
by Bright Summit Peak (Guangming
Ding) and Celestial Peak
(Tiandu Feng). The
unpredictable natural
scenery lures countless
painters and poets
seeking tranquility and
inspiration.
Apart from the
spectacular rocky peaks
there are strangely
shaped pines, crystal
clear mountain springs
and seas of cloud. In
the valleys there are
Huangshan Pines, a tree
unique to the mountain.
Thousands of the pines
are 100 or more years
old and 31 are well
known with names such as
the Guest-Greeting Pine,
Guest- Sending off Pine
and Lying Dragon Pine.
There are 120 sites with
spectacular rock
formations. The rocks
come in a variety of
shapes and the big ones
make rock forests while
the small ones are
exquisite. The peaks and
dense forests in the
deep valleys give rise
to seas of cloud and
plentiful rainfall. The
springs on the mountain
are clear and the water
is good for drinking and
bathing.
The mountain has a rich
history. A legend claims
that Emperor Xuanyuan
cultivated himself into
an immortal on the
mountain. Tang Xuanzong,
a Taoist, renamed it
Huangshan Mountain in
747 and during the Ming
Dynasty (1368-1644) the
noted traveler and
geographer Xu Make
inspected it twice.
Huangshan Mountain is a
natural zoo and
botanical garden
supporting 1,452
varieties of plants and
552 types of animals.
Forest coverage is as
high as 56 percent.
The long history and
rich culture of the
mountain can be seen in
the 200 surviving
temples, pavilions,
pagodas, zig-zag
passages, ancient
bridges and stone
sculptures.
There are hotels and
sanatoriums at the base
of the mountain and at
the top which can now be
reached by cable way. |