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FEATURED JOURNEY
Huangshan
Hiking through misty peaks and ancient pines on the loveliest mountain in China.
Words & Photography by Mark Cross
I’ve been blessed to be a humble witness to some of the most beautiful places in the world. Whether that arbitrary label of “beautifulness” was attached to a millennia-old grove of majestic trees or an endless vista of relentless waves falling off a flat earth horizon towards the setting sun, the scenes were stunning. From the “End of the World” boulders in the South China Sea to the otherworldly red deserts of the Middle East, all were splendid—but no more so than this endless, majestic mountain range in the southern Anhui province.
Like every theatrical production, this one has a starring role. Here in the area officially known as the Huangshan Scenic Area, the star is of course the mountain called Huangshan, which literally means Yellow Mountain. The star is accompanied by an enormous supporting cast—traditionally, Huangshan is described as a range of 72 peaks. In a typical one- or two-day visit, a visitor may only explore a few of them, though several dozen may be visible in the distance, depending on weather and cloud conditions.
Beyond the grand cast itself, this world-class ensemble is of course lavishly dressed in exquisite costuming. Every possible shade of nature graces the stage. The grandeur frequently made me question if this beauty could truly be real. This play has been performed and perfected daily ages before any audience was present to witness the breathtaking show in all its timeless, stoic beauty.
Approaching
…the base of Huangshan, anticipation flooded over me. Though I had been here once before, the excitement of what was to come had not diminished any more than the astonishment of getting those first few momentary glimpses of jagged rock appearing among the thick brush.
Huangshan’s place in Chinese history stretches back centuries. A legend dating to AD 747 associated the mountain with Huang Di, the mythical Yellow Emperor, from whom Yellow Mountain took its name. In more recent times, after being named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1990, it has drawn visitors from all over the globe. Parts of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon were filmed in the region. The movie was great, but the location certainly didn’t make the cinematographer’s job any harder—majestic beauty seems to appear wherever you point a camera.
Another advantage to having a little time before ascending is that the area around the mountain is stunningly beautiful. Quite a fitting way to build up to the grand event. This is no mere warmup act, though, as the scenery here is in many ways no less spectacular—just different. Spend some time following the clear blue waters of the Xin’an River and you’ll encounter an ever-changing series of picture-perfect scenes—a journey unto itself.
HUANGSHAN AT A GLANCE
LOCATION
Anhui Province, China
HIGH POINT
Lotus Flower Peak
1,864 meters
BEST TIME
Spring or Autumn
TIME NEEDED
2 to 3 Days
ACTUAL TIME NEEDED
A lifetime
AMOUNT OF AWE
207%
SPEECHLESSNESS
Near total
PHOTOGRAPHY
Be glad if you have digital
While there are no large bodies of water here, the area has more than its rightful share of beautiful waterfalls, winding streams, and picturesque old stone bridges. One bridge, dating back almost five hundred years to the Ming Dynasty, sends you crisscrossing over water and dry beds alike. Some stone paths even date back more than 1,500 years.
Then there are the trees. Mukeng Bamboo Forest is the name of this area, and it is truly exceptional indeed, displaying magnificent trees (stalks, actually) much taller than you ever thought bamboo could grow. A quick search over my fragile cell signal confirmed these are all easily 50 to 75 feet tall, with some reaching 100 feet. And they sway… proudly, it seems. Quietly… hypnotically with the incessant breezes. I would call it a humble reverence. Just to be here truly felt like a privilege.
“You won’t want to visit any other mountains after seeing China’s Five Great Mountains, and you won’t even want to visit the Five Great Mountains after returning from Huangshan”
Famous Chinese saying about the Yellow Mountain
Baby Bamboo…
the slightest touch
a wooden quiver
a semi-quaver
whispering breezes
all across its branches
landscape fawning
new notes—Octives
perceived, achieved
beyond imagining…
can you hear
the stoic silence
rustling within
the unmoving leaves
of the gentle tree… wafting
Ascending…
The 1,000-meter hike up the mountain can take three to seven hours (depending on the route chosen and, of course, your abilities), or a mere ten minutes plus waiting time via one of the cable cars heading to three different locations. Don’t worry if you choose the latter option; you can still hike on the mountain itself depending on how much you wish to explore. How far you choose to hike is entirely up to you.
In my case (pun intended), I had arrived here with a bruised Achilles tendon (that’s a whole other story—I may put that as an outtake on the explore page), but I was just too overwhelmed with the beauty to stop, so I trudged (polite word for my stumbling) onward. There are porters at various points on the paths who, for a negotiated fee, will carry you in a basket supported by long poles along some of the trails for a distance. When they saw me limping and sporting my dragon-head cane I had just bought for 20 RMB (about $2.75), they eyed me anxiously, but with some hesitation as I’m a bit bigger (taller… yeah, that’s what I meant) than their typical clientele. I wasn’t ready to count myself as a senior quite yet—at least not on this mountain—so I just smiled, waved them off, and continued limping onward. I ended up hiking about four miles up and down stones, steps, ridges, and the occasional tree branch that refused to move. It was not easy, but the reward remained with me long after the aches and pains finally went away.
Though I wasn’t carried (thankfully for everyone involved), just about everything else is carried up, down, and around. It is punishingly hard work, and you can see it in their faces.
Something Drifts Toward Nothingness
A quiet… a timeless peacefulness,
but there is time here,
though measured differently,
less abruptly, less harshly
than by the hands of a mere clock…
Something is Everywhere
The area is filled with old pines and older peaks, and it is impossible to stop because you just know something amazing awaits just a little farther down the path.
I need to head down this trail to “Begin to Believe (Shixin) Peak.” But do I still have time to get to “Flying-Over Rock” or to see what flowers were painted by the “Magic Brush.” And everyone tells me that “Stone Monkey Watching the Sea” is an absolute must-stop.
Apparently they decided to name “Lion Peak” long before there were cinematic tigers who crouched. Well its all in the feline family I suppose
“The play performed,
perfected daily
ages before
any audience”
Leave Nothing on the Mountain.
Carry More Away…
Silently meeting eyes all along the way,
we shared many moments of awe,
transcending any language or cultural barriers.
It’s a good sort of tired when you finally decide you need to leave this place. Of course, your body is worn, ready for sustenance, and done with climbing. Your spirit, though, has been thoroughly nourished and feels deeply rested.
The Stone Monkey will still watch the sea. Shixin (Begin to Believe) Peak is still with me. Perhaps my airplane fly over “Flying-Over Rock.” The scenes continue to haunt me with their rugged yet intricate beauty. The peaceful assurance they have offered will not soon let go of me. I’ll carry with me the knowledge that they remain there, standing at their posts, watching over this magical place—and always will.
Returning here after all this time, despite my memories and all the times I had revisited the images I had taken, I felt that same childlike astonishment all over again. Traveling with curiosity is its own reward…
