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A Qing-era Chinese ink painting depicting Mount Huang

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Mount Huang, also known as Huangshan (Chinese:黄 山 ;  pinyin: Huángshān;

literally "Yellow Mountain"[1]), is a mountain range[1] in southern Anhui  province in

eastern China. The area is well known for its scenery, sunsets, peculiarly-shaped

granite peaks, Huangshan Pine trees, and views of the clouds from above. Mount

Huang is a frequent subject of traditional Chinese paintings and literature, as well as

modern photography. Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of China's

major tourist destinations.

Physical features for which Mount Huang is known include sunrises,[2] pine trees,[3] 

"strangely jutting granite peaks",[4] and views of clouds touching the mountainsides on

more than 200 days out of the year.[4][5][1][3]

The Huangshan mountain range comprises many peaks, some more than 1,000 meters

(3,250 feet) high.

[6]

The three tallest and best-known peaks are Lotus Peak (Lian HuaFeng, 1,864 m), Bright Summit Peak (Guang Ming Ding, 1,840 m), and Celestial 

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 Peak (Tian Du Feng, literally Capital of Heaven Peak , 1,829 m).[4][1] The World

Heritage Site covers a core area of 154 square kilometres and a buffer zone of 142

square kilometres.[7] The mountains were formed in the Mesozoic, about 100 million

years ago, when an ancient sea disappeared due to uplift. [8] Later, in the Quaternary

Period, the landscape was shaped by the influence of  glaciers.[8]

The vegetation of the area varies with altitude: Below 1,100 meters, moist forest can

 be found; deciduous forest stretches from 1,100 meters up to the tree line at 1,800

meters; above that point, the vegetation consists of alpine grass-lands. The area has

diverse flora, where one-third of China's bryophyte families and more than half of its

fern families are represented. The Huangshan pine ( Pinus hwangshanensis) is named

after Mount Huang and is seen as an example of vigor because the tree does not take

root in soil, but in rocks.[8] Many of the area's pine trees are more than a hundred years

old and have been given their own names (such as the Ying Ke Pine, or Welcoming-

Guests Pine, which is thought to be over 1500 years old).[4] The pines vary greatly in

shape and size, with the most crooked of the trees being considered the most

attractive.[5] Furthermore, Mount Huang's moist climate facilitates the growing of tealeaves,[9] and the mountain has been called "one of China's premier green tea-growing

mountains.[10]  Mao feng cha ("Fur Peak Tea"), a well-known local variety of green

tea,[11] takes its name from the downy tips of tea leaves found in the Mount Huang

area.[12]

The mountaintops often offer views of the clouds from above, known as the Sea of 

Clouds (simplified Chinese:云海; pinyin: yúnhǎi)[9] or "Huangshan Sea"[5] because of 

the clouds' resemblance to an ocean, and many vistas are known by names such as

"North Sea" or "South Sea."[5] One writer remarked on the view of the clouds from

Huangshan as follows:

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To enjoy the magnificence of a mountain, you have to look upwards in most cases. To enjoy

Mount Huangshan, however, you've got to look downward.[5]

The area is also host to notable light effects, such as the renowned sunrises; watching

the sunrise is considered a "mandatory" part of visiting the area.[2] A phenomenon

known as Buddha's Light (simplified Chinese:佛光;  pinyin: fóguāng)[13]

is also well-known; on average, Buddha's Light only appears a couple times per month.[14]

The area also has multiple hot springs, most of them located at the foot of the Purple

Cloud Peak . The water stays at 42 °C all year [15] and has a high concentration of 

carbonates, and is said to help prevent skin, joint, and nerve illness.[8]

History

Carved steps at Mount Huang

Mount Huang was formed approximately 100 million years ago and gained its unique

rock formations in the Quaternary Glaciation.[8]

During the Qin Dynasty, Mount Huang was known as Yishan (Mount Yi). In 747 AD,

its name was changed to Huangshan (Mount Huang) by imperial decree;[16] the name

is commonly thought to have been coined in honor of Huang Di (the Yellow

Emperor), a legendary Chinese emperor and the mythological ancestor of the Han

Chinese;[17] one legend states that Mount Huang was the location from which the

Yellow Emperor ascended to Heaven.[4] Another legend states that the YellowEmperor "cultivated moral character and refined pills of immortality in the mountains,

and in so doing gave the mountains his name.[8] The first use of this name "Mount

Huang" is often attributed to Chinese poet Li Bai.[17] Mount Huang was fairly

inaccessible and little-known in ancient times, but its change of name in 747 AD

seems to have brought the area more attention; from then on, the area was visited

frequently and many temples were built there.[16]

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The well-known Ying Ke Pine, or Welcome Pine

Mount Huang is known for its stone steps,[4] carved into the side of the mountain, of 

which there may be more than 60,000 throughout the area.[18][2][19] The date at which

work on the steps began is unknown, but they have been said to be over 1,500 years

old.[18]

Over the years, many scenic spots and physical features on the mountain have been

named;[5] many of the names have narratives behind them. For example, one legend

tells of a man who did not believe the tales of Mount Huang's beauty and went to the

mountains to see for himself; he was almost immediately convinced. One of the peaks

he supposedly visited was named Shixin (视信), roughly meaning "believing after 

seeing."[5]

In 1982, Mount Huang was declared a "site of scenic beauty and historic interest" by

the State Council of the People's Republic of China.[16] It was named a UNESCO

World Heritage Site in 1990 for its scenery and for its role as a habitat for rare andthreatened species.[3] The nearby villages of Hongcun and Xidi were also named part

of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.[20][21]

In 2002, Mount Huang was named the "sister mountain" of Jungfrau in the Swiss

Alps.[4]

Artistic and scientific inspirations

Much of Mount Huang's reputation derives from its significance in Chinese art and

literature.[22]

In addition to inspiring poets such as Li Bai,[7][2]

Mount Huang and thescenery therein has been the frequent subject of poetry and artwork, especially

Chinese ink painting[16]  and, more recently, photography.[1] Overall, from the Tang

Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty, over 20,000 poems were written about

Mount Huang, and a school of painting named after it.[4][5]

The area has also been a location for scientific research because of its diversity of 

flora and wildlife; in the early part of the 20th century, the geology and vegetation of 

Mount Huang were the subject of multiple studies by both Chinese and foreign

scientists.[16] The mountain is still a subject of research; for example, in the late 20th

century a team of researchers used the area for a field study of  Tibetan Macaques, a

local species of monkey.[23]

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Tourism

Mount Huang is a common tourist destination in China,[1][2] with at least 140 sections

open to visitors.[3] The foot of the mountains is linked by rail and by air to Shanghai,[1]

and is also accessible from cities such as Hangzhou and Wuhu.[24] As of 1990, there

were over 50 kilometers of footpaths providing access to scenic areas for visitors and

staffers of the facilities;[16] today there are also cable cars that tourists can use to ride

directly from the base to one of the summits. [1] Throughout the area there are hotels

and guest houses that accommodate overnight visitors,[16][1] many of whom hike up the

mountains, spend the night at one of the peaks to view the sunrise, and then descend

 by a different route the next day.[2]

The hotels, restaurants, and other facilities at the top of the mountain are serviced and

kept stocked by porters who carry resources up the mountain on foot, hanging their 

cargo from long poles balanced over their shoulders or backs.[25]

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Mount Huangshan, literally translated as Yellow Mountain, ranks among theGreat Wall and the famous Terracotta Warriors as one of China’s most luring

tourist attractions. Located in the eastern province of Anhui, it is a convenienttrain or bus ride from urban centers like Hangzhou and Shanghai—a perfectgetaway for visitors in search of fresh air and a chance to experience China’snatural beauty. As an international ecotourism point of interest, UNESCOlisted the mountain as an official World Cultural Heritage Site in 1990. Knownfor its unique pines, geological formations, dream-like clouds and clear hotsprings, Huangshan is known in China as "The Number One Mountain Under Heaven;" though, with close to eighty awe-inspiring peaks in excess of 1,000meters tall, Huangshan is actually an entire range of mountains and valleys,sure to impress the dedicated outdoor tourist or those in search of China’sbest mountain resorts. The jutting rocks, shimmering pools, gurgling water falls and the ephemeral clouds that make up the mountain’s dreamlike

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ambience are sure to invoke images of the most famous Chinese art.

Of Huangshan’s many peaks, the three most widely known are The LotusPeak, The Brilliant Top Mountain, and The Celestial Capital, all of which rise astunning 1,800 meters above sea-level. The granite mountains are dotted with

massive natural stone colums, webbed with deep crevices, and feature the jutting peaks so often illustrated by Chinese artists. Sprouting forth from manyrocks are the gnarled pines that are frequently the subjects for Chinesepainters, of both bygone eras and contemporary times. These attributes,rather than diminishing in beauty, change along with the seasons. Spring ismarked by blooming flowers that decorate the slopes in a riot of pastels,accompanied by a symphony of scents and wildlife followed by the verdantslopes of Summer; Autumn and Winter are no less lovely, dressing themountains in blazing reds and purples as the maple leaves turn. A classicWinter scene on the mountain features frost, ice and silver branches—peaceful and inspiring.

Since China’s ancient history, travelers have been drawn to the mystique of the local mountains. The inexplicable pines, stone figures, oceans of clouds,and hot springs are popularly considered the four major attractions of Huangshan; however, the area is overflowing with natural marvels, especiallyin the following scenic areas: Wenquan (hot spring), Yupinglou (Jade ScreenTower), Xihai (West Sea), Beihai (North Sea), Yungusi (Cloud Valley Temple),and Songgu’an (Pine Valley Nunnery).

Besides the dense forests that blanket the region, the unique terrain andaltitudinal climate change cause noticeable distinctions in the mountain floraas elevation rises: plants on the summit must be able to thrive in frigid air andon frozen ground, temperate-zone vegetation can be found on the middlelevels of the mountain, and at the foot of the mountain subtropicalplants.Huangshan is a botanical garden unlike anywhere else in the world.The trees of Mount Huangshan occupy an especially important place inChina's botanical research. Here you will find century-old pines, firs, ginkgoes,actinidia, Chinese torreyas and camphor woods-- remnants of the glacial era.Many of the trees are celebrated on account of their age, contorted shape, or precipitously perched position. Huangshan is also home to flowers unique tothe mountain, such as orchids and the Huangshan magnolias.Many of the

flowers and plants on the mountain can be found in shops in local towns—look for the medicine counter! More than 300 types of medicinal herbs growon the mountains, the most well- known being ginseng and Chinesecinnamon.Huangshan Maofeng tea, grown only in the local area, is known for its calming qualities and is sought after throughout the country and is highlyprized on the global tea market.

The Huangshan Mountain Range also provides a natural habitat for a widevariety of creatures. Among the mountain-dwellers are monkeys, goats, deer,pangolin and squirrels, in addition to an active bird population! Huangshanoften hosts birdwatchers and their binoculars, who come to see the rare red-

billed leiothrix, called "love birds"in Chinese. The leiothrix are so charmingthat they have become favorites of foreign tourists and are exported in pairs

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for global enjoyment. Besides land and air creatures, amphibians like thechukkar (stone frog) found in mountain streams are particularly adored bylocals—delicious native specialties often include this famous frog.

Mount Huangshan's climate is mild and humid, and the temperature is

agreeable during all four seasons. In July, the summer’s hottest month, thetemperature falls between 70 and 80 °F. The white, billowy cloud cover alleviates sunrays, ensuring that guests to the mountain are alwayscomfortable. The area lies in a subtropical zone, so winter months range from25 °F to 40 °F—cold enough to result in unmatched snow scenery, but mildenough to enjoy outdoor activity in a world draped with icicles. Today,Huangshan Mountain has developed a world-famous reputation as a must-see tourist site. With its convenient facilities: three cable lines, four three-star hotels on the peak, and all the paths paved with flat stones, it lures millions of visitors, foreign and domestic. Seeing is believing.welcome to HuangshanMountain!

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