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Huangshan Tour--Four wonders of Mt.
Huangshan
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The
strange pines, absurd stones, sea of clouds and hot springs
are the
four wonders of Mt. Huangshan
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Strange pines
Huangshan pines are seen in every corner of 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.
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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), Cushion
Pine at
Lotus Valley, Phoenix Pine at the Sky Sea, Chessboard Pine
at Pingtian
Stone Bridge, Kylin Pine between Bei Hai Hotel and the Refreshing
Terrace, Black Tiger Pine and Sea Exploring Pine are among
the most
famous ones. |
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Absurd Stones
Spectacular rocky peaks will inspire your
imagination. Some look like human beings, birds or
animals or many other objects. Something that makes
the stones even more fascinating is that they assume
varied shapes when seen from different angles. Every
stone has its own fantastic legend.
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The rocks known as 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'.
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Sea of Clouds
Mt. Huangshan is home to clouds and mists. The Sea
of Clouds has a fairy tale beauty. Winter is the
best season for this spectacle. According to their
locations, the seas of clouds are divided into East
Sea, South Sea, West Sea, North Sea and Sky Sea.
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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. It is true that a sea of clouds
can be seen
in many high mountains but that of Mt. Huangshan is unique
with its
oddly shaped rocks and ancient pines. Peaks, large and small,
hide and
reappear in the boundless waves of clouds. The Heavenly Capital
Peak and
the Bright Peak appear as isolated islands within this white
sea.
All the colors seem more vivid in the sunshine. The clouds
are forever
changing, 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 Creator! You will be struck by the beauty when
all the red
leaves are floating on the white clouds in autumn, when the
clouds gush
between the peaks like a raging river while the red leaves
flutter
delicately in the breeze.
Go to the Jade Screen Pavilion to view the South Sea, the
Refreshing
Terrace for the North Sea, the Paiyun Tower for the West Sea,
the White
Goose Ridge for the East Sea and the Legendary Turtle Peak
for the Sky
Sea. |
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Hot springs
To be able to refresh yourself in the hot springs
on Mt. Huangshan must be one of the best ways of
enjoyment and relaxation. 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
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