A Travel Guide to the Huangshan (2)
The Jade Screen Tower stands against the 1,668-meter high Jade Screen Peak. Originally the seat of Manjusri Temple, it is now a tourist center with complete service facilities. Around the Tower are elephant lion shaped rocks ancient pines. In front of the Tower there emerge to the left the Celestial Capital Peak and Ploughing Cloud Peak. OnPloughing Cloud Peak there is a rock which looks like a squirrel jumping at the Celestial Capital Peak. Below the peak there is another odd shaped rock which conjures up a scene of an immortal getting off a sedan chair. To the right are Lotus Peak, Lotus Pistil Peak and Holy Spring Peak. Viewed from distance the rock on Lotus Pistil Peak looks like a small boating-sailing through the ocean of clouds. Beside the peak there stands a rock that resembles a peacock playing in the lotus. Standing on the terrace in front of the pine, one is greeted by a panorama of numerous and rocks half hidden in the clouds. Therefore, a visit to the Jade Screen Tower has long been considered a must for a tour of the Huangshan.
The Jade Screen Tower is a halfway stop between the Hot Spring and the West Sea and North Sea scenic areas. Going further ahead, tourists pass the Farewell Pine and the Hassock Pine. If one looks back, an ox shaped rock on Ox Nose Peak comes into sight. The scene is known as Rhinoceros Watching the Moon. The distance from Jade Screen Peak down to the bottom of the Lotus Ravine is about two and half kilometers. Here the terrain rises. Climbing up several hundred steps stairs, one reaches Lotus Ridge. Standing above in the right direction is Lotus Peak.
With a height of 1,873 meters, lotus Peak is the highest peak of the Huangshan. It is embraced by small hills, resembling the lotus, hence the name. A one and half kilometer long winding path links Lotus Ridge and the apex of lotus Peak. One needs to cross four caves on the way up before reaching the apex. Pines in the shape of flying dragons and double dragons as well as the Yellow Mountain Azalea are found on the peak. Standing together in the central part oft he Huangshan, the magnificent lotus Peak, Brightness Apex and the Celestial Capital Peak unfold in all their majesty.
Going down the same route northwards, one passes turtle shaped and snake shaped rocks and reaches the One Hundred Step Cloud Stairs. Here, a scene of a rock resembling an old monk watching the sea under the opposite Rongcheng Peak is seen. Getting off the stairs and crossing the Lotus Cave and Huge Turtle Cave, one comes to the Heavenly Sea. To the left of the site of Central Sea Pavilion stands Stone Column Peak, and to the right is the Phoenix Pine. Going up for a while along the stone stairway, one can then look back at the famous rock sight known as Huge Turtle Carrying a Golden Turtle on Its Back. Further up in the right direction there stands Alchemy Peak and the 1,840.9-meter high Brightness Apex, the second tallest peak of the Huangshan. With Brightness Apex towering above the clouds, one commands a majestic view of a sea of ridges, peaks and gullies below.
Taking the west route or north route from Brightness Apex, visitors may tour the West Sea or North Sea, two famous scenic are as of the Huangshan, and stay at the West Sea Hotel or North Sea Guesthouse. The following is what visitors can see on the west route:
Descending Brightness Apex, one comes to the West Sea via a newly opened tourist route. A mystical Peak Flying From Afar first comes into sight, with a huge 10-meter high rock weighing 600 tons standing on it. Passing several peaks nearby, visitors arrive at the Dispelling Cloud Pavilion where one commands an excellent view of the unfolding scene. There stands in front of the pavilion a sea of variously shaped peaks that inspire all sorts of fairy imagination. These architectural wonders of the nature turn the whole West Sea into a natural art gallery. When the sun sets, the whole vaIIey basks in a myriad of sunrays, becoming a famous scene of the Huangshan. Equally impressive is the 1,712-meter high Rosy Clouds Peak behind the Dispelling Cloud Pavilion. Standing on the peak, one can watch the rising above the cloud and Peak Flying From Afar and Nine Dragon Peak in all their grandeur.
The West Sea, long known as the Mystery Valley for the many clusters of peaks and the fathomless depth of the valley has been opened up as the White Cloud Stream Scenic Area. The seven-kilometer long newly paved staircase extends from the Hook Bridge Nunnery inside the West Gate of the Huangshan, across the bottom of the valley, and reaches the newly built Central Sea Pavilion at the Heavenly Sea. Tourists may go to Qianxun Falls via the Hook Bridge Nunnery and the Shy Spring. The highest falls in the Huangshan, Qianxun Falls has a drop of 140 meters, and is ice-free all the year round. The falls thunder can be heard at Swan Rock near the brook and one can also have a near look on the ''Immortal Walking on Stilts''. Passing the Dropping Spring and the Lucky Cloud Bridge, one comes to the Dispelling Cloud Pavilion. Then, a twisting path leads one through Buxian Bridge and to the Goddess Flower Bed and finally to the Central Sea Pavilion at the Heavenly Sea. On the way, one can watch pines in all kinds of odd shapes.
The North Sea is just a few kilometers away from the Dispelling Cloud pavilion in the West Sea, with the Huangshan West Sea at an altitude of 1, 630 meters above sea level.
In the Dawn Pavilion in front of the guesthouse, one may enjoy the beautiful scenery of Beginning to Believe Peak and Goddess Peak as well as the Stalagmite Bridge hat inspires imagination of various fairy scenes. To the right of the guesthouse is the Flower House. In front of it is the Sunken Flower Bed with many rocks of fantastic shapes in it. Turning left from the guesthouse and passing the Unicorn Pine leads one onto the Cooling Terrace and Lion Peak. Reaching out from the cliff and facing the valley in three directions, the terrace is an ideal place for watching sunrise and the sea of the rocks on Pingding Hill which is famous for resembling a scene of a monkey watching the sea. Below Lion Peak is the Ten Thousand Pines Forest which sends out constant pine soughing. Turing right from the guesthouse, while viewing various ancient pines on the way, one crosses the lmmortal Bridge and ascends Beginning to Believe Peak. Here, a magnificent view of stalagmites unfolds itself.
Leaving the North Sea Guesthouse, and descending the mountain path right of the Cooling Terrace, visitors may proceed to the Pine Valley Nunnery Scenic Area at the bottom of the North Sea. Following the winding Eighteen Fold Path and crossing the Flower Brook and Bird Valley, one sees the swan and brush shaped rocks, and then Camel Peak on the left. At the Three Way Pavilion, one may view the three Buddha shaped rocks on Pagoda Peak to the east. Further ahead, there are peaks on the left resembling cock, bookcase, medicine case and sedan chair roof. To the right of the Two Way Pavilion, there are two scenes known as ''the lmmortals Watching the Poster'' and ''the Poet Li Bai Gets Drunk''. The Pine Valley Nunnery lies ahead of the One Way Pavilion. On the way to Lotus Ridge two and half kilometers away, one sees a number of pools, such as the Jadeite Pool, the Black Dragon Pool, the White Dragon Pool and the Aged Dragon Pool along the brook. The water scene is most enchanting at the Jadeite Pool, which, it is said, used to be the bathing place of the ocean dragon princess.
To go to the Cloud Valley Temple Scenic Area in the East Sea, one needs to turn left from the North Sea Guesthouse and go eastwards. Passing the Black Tiger Pine, visitors reach White Goose Ridge, and the beautiful and steep White Goose Peak stands in the left direction. White Goose Ridge is the terminal of the newly installed 2803.96-meter long cable car route between the Cloud Valley Temple and the North Sea. Traveling on the telpher gives one a bird-eye view of the East Sea. Those who prefer to walk may down the valley and appreciate the scenery on the way. Descending White Goose Ridge, one is greeted by numerous rocks of bizarre shapes around the brook as well as picturesque valley scene consisting of woods and springs. Passing the Fascination Pavilion, the Cloud Valley Temple is in sight.
Situated between Arhat Peak and incense Burner Peak, the 890-meter high Cloud Valley Temple is a half way stop in the back mountains on the way back from the North Sea to the Hot Spring as well as the departure station of the cable car route to the North Sea. Tourists going both ways may stay at the hotels here. In particular, the Cloud Valley Mountain Villa, a newly built spacious building in the traditional local architectural style of the Ming Dynasty, provides comfortable service for tourists. Here, one can also see the rare aged yellow Chinese fir and iron Chinese fir and enjoy the Huangshan Maofeng, a famous local tea. Descending the mountain path to the left of the Cloud Valley Temple and going through the bamboo grove, tourists can watch the Nine Dragon Falls four kilometers away.
On the way back from the Cloud Valley Temple, one can stop to watch the pouring and thunderous Thousand Feet Falls at close distance before finally returning to the Hot Spring.