Huangshan (simplified Chinese: 黄山; traditional Chinese: 黃山) means "Yellow Mountain." It is a mountain range in southern Anhui province in eastern China. The area was originally called "Yishan" and was later renamed because of a story about the Yellow Emperor performing alchemy there. The area has the most plant life below 1,100 meters (3,600 feet), and trees can grow up to the treeline at 1,800 meters (5,900 feet).

The region is famous for its natural beauty, including sunsets, unusual-shaped granite peaks, Huangshan pine trees, hot springs, winter snow, and views of clouds from above. Huangshan often appears in traditional Chinese paintings, literature, and modern photographs. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of China's most important tourist attractions.

Physical description

The Huangshan mountain range has many peaks, some more than 1,000 meters (3,250 feet) high. The three tallest and most famous peaks are Lotus Peak (Lianhua Feng, 1,864 meters), Bright Peak (Guangming Ding, 1,860 meters), and Celestial Peak (Tiandu Feng, 1,829 meters). The World Heritage Site includes a core area of 154 square kilometers and a buffer zone of 142 square kilometers. The mountains were formed about 100 million years ago when an ancient sea disappeared because the land rose. Later, during the Quaternary Period, glaciers helped shape the landscape.

The plants in the area change with elevation. Mesic forests, which need moderate moisture, grow below 1,100 meters. Deciduous forests, which lose their leaves seasonally, grow from 1,100 meters up to the tree line at 1,800 meters. Above that, alpine grasslands cover the land. The area has a wide variety of plants, including one-third of China’s moss and similar plant families and more than half of its fern families. The Huangshan pine (Pinus hwangshanensis) is named after the mountain and is known for growing straight out of rocks. Many of these pines are over 100 years old and have names, such as the Ying Ke Pine (Welcoming-Guests Pine), which is thought to be more than 1,500 years old. The pines vary in shape and size, with the most crooked trees often considered the most beautiful. The mountain’s moist climate also supports tea growing, and Huangshan is known as one of China’s top places for green tea. Mao feng cha (“Fur Peak Tea”), a famous local green tea, is named after the soft, hairy tips of the tea leaves found in the area.

From the mountaintops, visitors can see clouds below, called the Sea of Clouds (yúnhǎi) or “Huangshan Sea” because the clouds look like an ocean. Some views are named “North Sea” or “South Sea.” One writer described the cloud views from Huangshan as follows:

The area is also known for special light effects, such as sunrise views. Watching the sunrise is considered an important part of visiting. A rare phenomenon called Buddha’s Light (fóguāng) is also famous and appears about two times a month on average. Huangshan has several hot springs, most near the foot of Purple Cloud Peak. The water stays at 42°C (107.6°F) all year and has a high amount of carbonates. The water is believed to help prevent illnesses of the skin, joints, and nerves.

History

Huangshan was formed about 100 million years ago and developed its special rock shapes during the Quaternary Ice Age.

During the Qin dynasty, Huangshan was called Yishan (Mount Yi). In 747 AD, the name was changed to Huangshan (Mount Huang) by an official order from the emperor. The name is believed to honor Huang Di (the Yellow Emperor), a famous Chinese leader and the mythical ancestor of the Han Chinese. One story says Huangshan was where the Yellow Emperor traveled to Heaven. Another story says the Yellow Emperor lived in the mountains, worked to improve his morals, and made special pills to gain immortality, which is how the mountain got its name. The name "Huangshan" is often linked to the poet Li Bai. In ancient times, Huangshan was hard to reach and not well known, but the name change in 747 AD seems to have increased interest in the area. After that, people visited it more often, and many temples were built there.

Huangshan is famous for its stone steps carved into the mountainsides. There may be more than 60,000 steps in total. The time when the steps were built is unknown, but they are said to be over 1,500 years old.

Over time, many places on the mountain have been given names, often with stories behind them. For example, one story tells of a man who did not believe the beauty of Huangshan and went to see it for himself. After visiting, he became convinced of its beauty. One of the peaks he visited was named Shixin, which means "start to believe."

In 1982, Huangshan was recognized as a "site of scenic beauty and historic interest" by the State Council of China. It was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990 because of its natural beauty and its importance as a home for rare and endangered species. Later, it was certified as a National Geopark and then as a regional geopark in the Asia Pacific Geopark Network. In 2004, it became a UNESCO Global Geopark.

In 2002, Huangshan was named the "sister mountain" of Jungfrau in the Swiss Alps.

Artistic and scientific inspirations

Huangshan is well known for its important role in Chinese art and literature. The mountains and their scenery have inspired many poets, including Li Bai. They have also been a common subject in poetry, Chinese ink paintings, and photography. Between the Tang dynasty and the end of the Qing dynasty, more than 20,000 poems were written about Huangshan. A special group of painters even named their style after the mountains. In modern times, Huangshan has appeared in movies and TV shows. For example, filmmaker James Cameron said Huangshan influenced the design of the fictional world in his 2009 movie Avatar. A Chinese animated series called Stitch & Ai, based on Disney's Lilo & Stitch, is also set in the Huangshan mountains.

Huangshan is also important for scientific research because of its variety of plants and animals. In the early 1900s, scientists from China and other countries studied the area's geology and plant life. Research on Huangshan continues today. For example, in the late 1900s, a group of researchers studied Tibetan macaques, a type of monkey found in the region.

Tourism

Huangshan is a popular place for tourists in China, with at least 140 sections open to visitors. In 1987, the city was renamed from Tunxi to help attract more visitors to Huangshan. In 2007, more than 1.5 million people visited the mountain. The city is connected by train and airplane to Shanghai and can also be reached from cities like Hangzhou, Zhejiang, and Wuhu, Anhui. Buses travel from Huangshan City to the base of the mountain, where visitors can take a cable car or hike to the top.

There are more than 50 kilometers of walking paths that allow people to reach scenic areas. Hotels and guest houses are available for visitors who stay overnight. Many visitors hike up the mountain, spend the night at the peaks to watch the sunrise, and then walk down a different path the next day. The area is rated as a AAAAA scenic area by the China National Tourism Administration.

Hotels, restaurants, and other buildings at the top of the mountain are supplied with goods by workers who carry supplies on foot. These workers use long poles over their shoulders or backs to carry their loads.

Climate

Huangshan has two types of climate classifications: humid continental (Dfb) or subtropical highland (Cfb), depending on the temperature line used. Because of its high elevation, Huangshan is colder and receives more rainfall than other areas in Anhui.

Image gallery

• A view from a cable car
• Bijia Peak
• Man-made steps built on the cliffs of Huangshan
• Xihai Great Canyon
• Shixin Peak
• A rock formation in Huangshan
• Steps carved into the rock leading to Tiandu Peak
• Another rock formation in Huangshan
• Huangshan pines
• Huangshan with trees and clouds visible
• The summit of a mountain in Huangshan