Mt. Jiuhuashan

» Huangshan, An Hui

Mt. Jiuhuashan Overview & Map Weather Transportation Information

Mt. Jiuhuashan is located in the Qingyang County of the Anhui Province and covers more than 100 square kilometers in area. The Shiwang Mountain, the main peak, is 1342 meters above sea level. It boasts 99 peaks and 18 scenic spots in its area. Besides, it is a holy site where Buddhists assemble - it has been established as one of the four sacred Buddhist shrines, along with Mt. Wutaishan in Shanxi, Mt. Emeishan in Sichuan, and Mt. Putuoshan in Zhejiang.

Legend about the name

The original name of the mountain was Mt. jiuzishan. However it was renamed Mt. jiuhuashan, meaning "the mountain of the nine lotuses." legend states that one day, Li Bai - the famous poet of the Tang Dynasty - came to visit this mountain. The poet was intoxicated with the scene of nine peaks that look like lotus blooms from heaven. Out of admiration he wrote the lines: "from the azure skies above descends a jade-like flow, and nine fascinating lotuses rise out of the hills below." since then the mountain has attracted men of letters through several dynasties, and thus obtained its fame. just as the Chinese saying goes:" a mountain is famous not for its height but for its holiness."

Why do visit

Pleasant climate

With its marvelous landscape and pleasant climate, the mountain is considered one of the best summer resorts in China. And the scenery keeps varying with the seasonal changes.

Beautiful scenery

Mt. Jiuhuashan is full of waterfalls, streams, exotic-looking boulders, ancient caves, old pines and exuberant bamboo. Popular for its spectacular peaks and perilous cliffs, Jiuhuashan is endowed with myriad of springs, streams, waterfalls, grotesque rocks and ancient caves. Covered with luxuriantly green pines and bamboo groves, and gleaming with crystal-clear waters, it offers enchanting scenery.

Sea of Bamboo

The great variety of the beauty of Mt. Jiuhuashan ranges from the hair-raising to the gracefully tranquil. And the scenery keeps varying with the seasonal changes. For instance, the Sea of Bamboo at Minyuan covers 1000 acres, and when the wind blows, the bamboo leaves sibilate with an ear-pleasing cadence while the streams are gurgling and the springs gushing in the background.

Phoenix Pine

Standing by a mountain path that threads its way through the Sea of Bamboo is the renowned Phoenix Pine, the so-called "Number One Pine in the Land under Heaven," which was planted during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, around 1,400 years ago. The tree's verdant foliage, together with its flat, scaly twin trunks form what looks like a green phoenix craning it's neck and flying towards the Heavenly Terrace.

Sacred Buddhist shrine

It is a holy site where Buddhists assemble - it has been established as one of the four sacred Buddhist shrines, along with Mt. Wutaishan in Shanxi, Mt. Emeishan in Sichuan, and Mt. Putuoshan in Zhejiang. It is said that Ksitigarbha or Dizang (the Bodhisattva of Salvation) is enshrined on Mt. Jiuhuashan. Ksitigarbha is one of the Mahayana Bodhisattvas of Buddhism.

It's also famous for the grand scale of temples and nunneries, visitors to the temples on Mt. Jiuhuashan are always impressed with the exquisite architecture and grand structure. Now there are no more than 90 temples in existence in Mt. Jiuhuashan, most of them restored in Ming and Qing dynasties. Among the most well known are the Incarnation Hall, Huacheng Temple, Zhiyuan Temple, Longevity Hall, Zhantanlin Temple, Ganlu Temple and Tiantai Zhending Temple.

Huacheng Temple

Huacheng Temple is the oldest and holiest temple on the mountain. It is located in the center of Jiuhua Street. Though it first appears simple and solemn, the structure and decoration of the building are truly artistic. The engravings on lintels, brackets and roofs reinforce the brightness and liveliness of the building. The picture, 'Nine Dragons Playing with Pearls' on a panel in the Main Shrine Hall is a consummate piece of ancient Chinese art.

Historical Relics Museum

Precious sutras and other cultural relics in the temples are displayed in the Historical Relics Museum of the Mt. Jiuhuashan. The most valuable are the Buddhist canonical literature left from the Tang Dynasty, the Tripitaka left from the Ming Dynasty, and Emperor Kang Xi and Emperor Qian Long's handwritings left from the Qing Dynasty.

Corporeal Body Hall

It is also worth mentioning the Corporeal Body Hall houses the skeleton of Monk Wu Xia that has been well preserved for more than 350 years. Wu Xia once wrote sutras with a mixture of gold powder and his own blood in a cave of Mt. Jiuhuashan during Ming Dynasty. After hard practice of sutras for a hundred year in Mt. Jiuhuashan, Wu Xia passed away at the age of 126 - his body found in the cave three years after his death. Monks on the mountain believed Wu Xia was the reincarnation of Rinpoche. From then on, Buddhist believers have been keen to visit the mountain to pay homage to the monk.

When to visit

Opening Hours: 8:10a.m. - 6:00p.m.

Attractions around » Huangshan, An Hui

Natural Scene

• Yellow Mountains
• Mt. Jiuhuashan

Historical Site

• Tunxi Ancient Street
• Xidi Village
• Hongcun Village
• Tangyue Archway
• Nanping Village

Shopping & Leisure

• Tunxi Ancient Street

Mt. Jiuhuashan Highlights

Buddhism attraction highlights

• Mt. Emeishan
• Leshan Giant Buddha
• Mt. Lushan
• Mt. Putuoshan
• Mt. Wutaishan
• Kizilgaha Thousand Buddha Cave
• Mt. Jiuhuashan
• Dazu Rock Carvings
• Dai Temple
• Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves
• Bailin Temple, Great Zen Buddhist Center

city highlights

• Dunhuang
• Dengfeng
• Luoyang
• Taishan
• Emeishan
• Leshan
• Shijiazhuang

Mountain in Great China

• Yellow Mountains
• Chengde Mountain Resort
• Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
• Mt. Emeishan
• Mt. Taishan
• Mt. Wuyishan
• Mt. Qingchengshan
• Echoing-Sand Mountain
• Mt. Putuoshan
• Mt. Wutaishan
• Victoria Peak
• Mt. Jiuhuashan
• Mt. Wudangshan
• Mt. Tianzishan
• Mt. Changbaishan
• Mt. Cangshan
• Meili Snow Mountain
• Tianshan Mountains
• Mt. Huashan
• Mt. Qianshan
• Mt. Yuelushan
• Mt. Hengshan
• Flaming Mountain
• Mt. Gonggashan
• Mt. Hengshan
• Mt. Laoshan
• Mt. Qomolangma
• Green Lotus Peak
• Mt. Qingyuanshan
• Qilian Mountains
• Mt. Geleshan
• Cangyan Mountain Scenic Area
• Thousand Buddha Mountain
• Mt. Panshan
• Red Hill

Nature Reserve & Scenic Area in Great China

• Yellow Mountains
• Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
• Stone Forest
• Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
• Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area
• Yalong Bay
• Huanglong Scenic Area
• Mt. Emeishan
• Qutang Gorge
• Wu Gorge
• Xiling Gorge
• Wolong Nature Reserve
• Mt. Taishan
• Mt. Wuyishan
• Mt. Qingchengshan
• Echoing-Sand Mountain
• Mt. Putuoshan
• Mt. Wutaishan
• Gulangyu Island
• Reed Flute Cave
• Jimei School Village
• Victoria Peak
• Dadonghai
• Wuzhizhou Island
• Shennongjia Nature Reserve
• Mt. Jiuhuashan
• Mt. Wudangshan
• Shennong Stream
• Lake Taihu
• Lake Shahu
• Dragon Palace Scenic Area
• Suoxi Valley
• Mt. Tianzishan
• Huangshi Village
• Jinbian Stream
• Stone Bell Hill
• Mt. Changbaishan
• Shangri-la
• Feilaifeng Peak
• The First Bend of the Yangtze
• Mt. Cangshan
• Meili Snow Mountain
• Tianshan Mountains
• Tiger Leaping Gorge
• Eling Park
• Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base
• Mounigou Valley
• Small Three Gorges
• Mt. Huashan
• Penglai Pavilion Scenic Area
• Crown Cave
• Xinglong Tropical Botanical Garden
• Port Wusongkou
• Mt. Qianshan
• Shapotou
• Yellow River Scenic Area
• Mt. Yuelushan
• Mt. Hengshan
• Silver Cave
• Solitary Hill
• Twin Peaks Piercing the Clouds
• Nanxi River Scenic Area
• Dongba Valley
• Flaming Mountain
• Tianshan Grand Canyon
• Wangjiang Park
• Mt. Gonggashan
• Mt. Hengshan
• Half-Side Ferry
• International Beer Town
• Beidaihe Scenic Spot
• Laohutan Ocean Park
• Xiaoqikong
• Mt. Laoshan
• Huaxi Scenic Area
• Grape Valley
• Seven-Star Crag Scenic Area
• Mt. Qomolangma
• Yellow Cloth Shoal
• Forest of Odd-Shaped Peaks
• Wangfu Rock
• Badaguan Scenic Area
• Ruili
• Wudalianchi Scenic Area
• Port Lushun
• Port Lvshun
• Tianya Haijiao
• Xiao Dongtian
• Xian Qi Cave
• Merryland World
• Green Lotus Peak
• Sanya Bay
• Dongshanling Ridge
• Mt. Qingyuanshan
• Qilian Mountains
• Xiangzhi Valley
• Fanjing Mountain National Nature Reserve
• Baishui Tableland
• Dishuidong Cave
• Port Chaotianmen
• Mt. Geleshan
• No.1 Bathing Beach
• Cangyan Mountain Scenic Area
• Fujiazhuang Beach
• Xingcheng Beach
• Leigong Mountain Nature Reserve
• Maolan Karst Forest Natural Conservation
• Baizhangji and Feiyun Lake Scenic Area
• Thousand Buddha Mountain
• Mt. Panshan
• Shanghai Wild Animal Park
• Red Hill

Mt. Jiuhuashan FAQ & Travelers's Tips

  Transportation

1. Tour bus transfer center at Tangkou
2. How Can I get there?

  Food

1. Why are food so expensive on the mountain? Am I getting ripped off?

  Travel

1. How much does the ticket to Huangshan Scenic Area cost?
2. What are some sceneries that I can't miss when visiting Yellow Mountains?
3. What should I notice when climbing Yellow Mountains?
4. Any ropeway there?
5. Can I buy ropeway tickets from tour guides? Is it safe?

  Other Hints

1. Anything interesting in the around-area of Yellow Mountains?
   

• Tour bus transfer center at Tangkou

  You might be already confused by how many times to transfer and still confused about whereto transfer. Here is the introduction of transfer center at Tangkou transfercenter.
  

  • Zhaixi Transfer Station: If you live near Zhaixi, like Jinmangu Hotel (Golden Bangkok Hotel), Haizhou Grand Hotel, Zhaixi Grand Hotel, you can go to Zhaixi transfer station on foot.
    
  • Dongling Tansfer Station: It locates in the center of Tangkou. If you live near Xingang Grand Hotel (New Shore Grand Hotel), you can go to the station on foot or by bus.
    
  • Nandamen Transfer Station: If you live near the South Gate, you can go to this station on foot or by bus.
    

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• How Can I get there?

  The Huangshan (Yellow Mountains) that we usually talk about refers to Huangshan Scenic Area. There are three ways to get there.

  • Train: There are more than 30 trains that stop at Huangshan, but less start at Huangshan. After you arrive at Huangshan stop, you can take a tour bus in front of the train station to get to Huangshan scenic area. The tour bus cost about 15 RMB. Trains that start from Huangshan stop are ShanghaiN420 and Huaibei N410.
    
    
  • Airplane: The airport of Huangshan is locatedin the outskirt of the city, about 5km to the city center. You can take a taxi to Huangshan Transportation Center and then take a bus that goes from Tunxi to Taiping, get off at Tangkou and take a tour bus to Huangshan scenic area. The bus costs 13 RMB/person. Or you can take a taxi from the airport to Tangkou, which costs 200RMB/taxi.
    
    
  • Bus: If you come to visit Huangshan from Wuhan,Hefei, Tongling, Anqing, Nanjingor Wuhu, you should ask if the bus will stop at Tangkou, and if it does, you can just get off at Tangkou station to save some time. Buses from other cities like Shanghai and Hangzhouonly stop at Tunxi; therefore, you will need to transfer to the bus from Tunxito Taiping and get off at Tangkou, and then take a tour bus to Huangshan Scenicarea. The tour bus costs 13RMB/person.
    

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• Why are food so expensive on the mountain? Am I getting ripped off?

  Food is expensive on the mountain because all food was carried up to the top by porters working for Huangshan Scenic Area. A bottle of water is about 10 RMB, sometimes even 12RMB; a cucumber is 3RMB.

  Food in hotels and restaurants is also expensive. Avegetable dish costs between 30-40 RMB. Dishes with meat in it are even more expensive, which cost 60 to up to 100RMB. So if you are not planning to eat onthe mountain, please prepare enough food before you enter the area.

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• Anything interesting in the around-area of Yellow Mountains?

  Huangshan is sure the best place to visit in this area, but other small places around it areworth visiting too.

  1. The old streetsin Huangshan city is pretty interesting. Stuff there are not of very goodquality so if you want to buy some, make sure you bargain half of the pricedown.

  2. If you likebamboo shoot food, you should ask your taxi driver to take you to the outskirtof the city and try some food made by authentic farmers.

  3. Huashan PuzzleCave and Chengkan Eight Diagrams Village are twomust-visit spot near Huangshan. You can take a round-trip taxi there, whichcosts 100 RMB/taxi.

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• How much does the ticket to Huangshan Scenic Area cost?

  There are low season and shoulder period tickets.

  Low season lasts from December 1st to the next year's late February. Peak season starts from May 1st to November 1st.

  Low season's ticket costs 120RMB/person, and 100RMB/ticket for students, soldiers, and seniors above 60 years old. It is free for the elderly above 70 years old.

  It costs 200RMB/person during shoulder period and 100RMB/person for students, soldiers, and seniors above 60 years old.

  It is free for the elderly above 70 years old. The golden week holiday belongs to peak season, but the price of ticket does not rise.
  

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• What are some sceneries that I can't miss when visiting Yellow Mountains?

  Every scenic spothas its must-see sceneries. There are 10 things in Yellow Mountains that you have to see.

  1. Queer pinaster: Huangshan pinaster is a special species of trees. They usually grow on cliffs.Greeting Pinaster is the most famous kind of pinaster on Huangshan. ShixinApices is where most of the pinasters are at.

  2. Odd rocks: Theodd shapes of rock were formed due to the weather here with sunshine, rain,wind, etc, which are natural carvers for those rocks. There are some famousstones named Flying Stone from Afar, Monkey Watching the Sea, etc.

  3. Cloud sea: cloudsea is formed under special climate, and when the cloud is lower than the topof the mountain, people on the peak will see a sea of cloud below their feet.

  4. Hot spring: Hotspring area locates on the mountainside. If you climb up the mountain throughthe south gate, no mater where you go, YunguTemple or Ciguang Temple,you will have to walk pass the hot spring area. The temperature of the hotspring remains 42 degrees Celsius all the time. It is suitable for bathing anddrinking. 48 tons of hot spring is pouring out every hour. The hot spring canalso be used as medication. It is effective for several kinds of diseases.

  5. Odd apices: There are 77 mountain peaks that are higher than a thousand meters, including36 big apices and 36 small apices. Among those apices, LotusPeak is the highest while Tiandu Peakis the steepest.

  6. Sunrise: It will be such amagnificent scene like you have never seen before. Sunrise among the mountains and peaks, abovethe cloud sea will make you never want it to stop. The sunrise time differs indifferent seasons: 5:30am-6:00am in spring; 4:40am-5:20am in summer,4:50am-5:20am in autumn and 5:30am-6:00am in winter.

  7. Sunset: Thesunset dyes a golden color to all the mountains around. Image being on the topof Huangshan and enjoy the beautiful sunset. Guangming Top, Paiyun Pavilion andDanxia Apices are the best place to appreciate this wonderful sunset scene.

  8. Buddha lights: According to statistics in weather department, there are 2-5 times when Buddhalights take place on Huangshan each month. The best times when the lightsappear are after rain before 9am and late afternoon when it's going to rainsoon. Places above 1,600 meters of altitude are the best places to see thelights, such as Tiandu Peak, Lotus Apices,Guangming Top, Shixin Apices, Danxia Apices, etc.

  9. Rimed trees and Glaze: During winter, the temperature usually drops below zero, so fog or raindrops will become ice sticking to trees or rocks. This phenomenon is call RimedTrees. Cold rain drops on the ground and forms some hard see-through substance;this is called Glaze. On average, there are 62 days of rimed trees and 35.9days for glaze each year. Rimed trees can last for 24 days straight with adiameter of 23.2 centimeters. Glaze can also last for almost 25 days straight,with a maximum of diameter 41.3 centimeters.

  10. Plants and animals: Huangshan is also called the 'gene storage, the amusement park for bird'. Ifyou are lucky enough, you will see short-tailed monkeys, squirrels, thrush,etc.
      

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• What should I notice when climbing Yellow Mountains?

  Here we would like to provide you some useful tips to make your trip more enjoyable.

  1. Wear comfortable shoes like mountain climbing shoes or sports shoes. Leather shoesor shoes with plastic bottom are not advised because they are too slippery formountain roads. A walking stick is pretty necessary.

  2. Please prepare: raincoat (it is windy on the mountain so umbrella is not suggested), gloves, flashlight, walking sticks, enough fresh water, snacks that can keep youenergetic like beef jerky and chocolate.

  3. Lean forward a little when you climb the mountain, and walk in a "Z" shaped way to avoid from getting too tired.

  4. Walking fast is not good for mountain climbing, and to keep save, when you look at sceneries, please stop walking. It is dangerous to look at scenes while walking.

  5. When storm happens, water can flow very fast. So keep off from water when it's going to rain.

  6. When taking pictures on a high peak, photographers should not move after selecting shootingspot, especially not move backwards, in case there is a cliff behind.

  7. Please do not carve, paint or write on the architectures on Yellow Mountains, because most of them are protected historical sites.

  8. Please do not smoke in no-smoking area. After smoking in smoking area, please throw out thecigarette end in garbage cans.

  9. Please do not throw garbage along side the mountain road. A tree-shaped garbage can can be found every several meters away.

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• Any ropeway there?

  Yes. There are three ropeways on the mountain: Yuping Ropeway (Jade Screen Ropeway) which isfrom Ciguang Pavalion to Yuping pavilion, Yungu Ropeway (Cloud Valley Ropeway)which is from Yungu Temple to Bai'e Mountainsrange, and Taiping Ropeway ( Peace Ropeway) which is from Songgu Nunnery toSonglin Apices.

  • Each cable car on Yungu Ropeway can hold 50 people at atime, 300 people each hour. But it takes long time to wait for this ropewayduring golden holiday week or weekends.

  • Yuping Ropeway was built in 1996, it is the newest and most advancedropeway. Each cable car can hold 6 people at a time, and 800 to 1,000 peopleeach hour. It's good choice to take Yuping Ropeway when there are a lot ofvisitors to Huangshan.

  • Taiping Ropeway is the longest ropeway and can hold most passengers.Each cable car can hold up to 100 people.

  The prices for theride on the three ropeways are all the same, which is 65RMB/ticket during peakseason and 55RMB/ticket during low seasons.
  

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• Can I buy ropeway tickets from tour guides? Is it safe?

  When buy ropewaytickets, you will see some tour guides in front of the ticket counter trying to sell ropeway tickets.

  They are safe. No need to doubt the credibility of the tickets, because usually Yellow Mountains ropeways sell 16 tickets to tour guides and another ticket for free, or there must be at least 16 people in the tour for atour guide to get a free ticket so he can go with his tour.

  So usually tour guides will have to buy 16 tickets himself, get a free ticket and sell other tickets. So the tickets that tour guides sell are safe to buy.

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