Originally known as Yellow Mountains, it was renamed Yellow Mountains in 747 A.D. in recognition of the legendary Yellow Emperor, who was the reputed ancestor of the Chinese people and who made magic pills for immortality here.
Something needs to know
Located in the southern part of Anhui Province, the Yellow Mountains are a marvel within an area of 154 square kilometers. There is a crowd of peaks, 72 of which have names indicating the shapes they resemble. Lotus, Brightness Apex and Celestial Capital are the three major ones, all rising above 1,800 meters.
Why do visit
The Yellow Mountains Scenic Area extends about 40km from north to south and 30km from east to west. As an important national scenic area, Yellow Mountains was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1990.
From ancient times the Yellow Mountains has been frequented by tourists seeking their mystery and admiring their scenery. They come to the conclusion that the strange pines, absurd stones, sea of clouds and hot springs are the four major attractions of the Yellow Mountains. As a matter of fact there are marvels almost everywhere.
Praised in history
Though looking fresh and young, Yellow Mountains have a long history to which ancient books, poems and paintings as well as carved inscriptions all bear witness. Poetic phrases in handsome calligraphy can be found in many spots on the mountain. They have become part of the fascinating scene themselves.
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Thousands of feet high towers the Yellow Mountains,
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With its thirty-two magnificent peaks,
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Blooming like golden lotus flowers,
- Amidst red crags and rock columns.
Li Bai was not the only poet who sang in its praise, Tang poets Jia Dao(779-843) and Du Xunhe ( 846- 097) also came here and wrote poems. In the succeeding dynasties people kept coming and giving expression to their admiration in poetry.
Beautiful scenery all year round
The Yellow Mountains change their color and appearance with the alternation of seasons.
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Spring
In spring blooming flowers decorate the slopes in a riot of color and fill the valleys with fragrance. -
Summer
In summer you see verdurous peaks rising one upon another and near springs gurgling merrily. -
Autumn
Autumn dresses the mountains in red and purple, as maples are all blazing-red. -
Winter
Winter turns them into a world of frost and ice with silver boughs and rocks everywhere.
Four wanders
The strange pines, absurd stones, sea of clouds and hot springs are the four wonders of Yellow Mountains. The Yellow Mountains Scenic Area extends about 40km from north to south and 30km from east to west. as an important national scenic area, Yellow Mountains was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1990.
Strange pines
Strange pines are seen in every corner of Yellow Mountains. 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 is that many trees grow branches on one side only. The root of a pine is several times or several dozens times longer than the trunk, therefore they 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.
Guest-Greeting Pine
At 1,600 meters high, the greeting pines in front of the Yuping Building are more than thousands of years with thick leaves, one of the symbols of the Yellow Mountain.
Absurd Stones
Erosion and fracture contributed to shape the rocks into huge columns giving rise to lofty peaks and deep ravines. 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.
Those spectacular rocks often are accompanied with strange pines, presenting a natural and harmonious picture. What's more, every stone has its own fantastic legend, telling beautiful and touching story.
"Monkey watching sea"
The most famous strange stone is "monkey watching sea". This is a huge stone on the top of the lion peak as if a large monkey squatting on the ground is appreciating the cloud sea with different scenery.
Sea of Clouds
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.
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. Sea of Clouds of Yellow Mountains is unique with its oddly shaped rocks and ancient pines. Peaks, large and small, hide and reappear in the boundless waves of clouds.
Tourists can 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.
Hot springs
Running out of the Purple Peak of 850 meters (2, 789 feet), the hot spring in Yellow Mountains is the first stop following the entrance. Legend has it that Yellow Emperor, the ancestor of the Chinese nation, bathed here 49 days before he ascended to heaven and became immortal.
Grand sunrise
Yellow Mountains is absolutely the best place to watch the sunrise. The Dawn Pavilion (Shuguang Ting), the Refreshing Terrace, the Lion Peak, the Red Cloud Peak, the Bright Peak, and Jade Screen Peak are the optimum places to appreciate the magnificence of the sunrise. In contrast, Red Cloud Peak and Paiyun Tower are the best places for watching the glow of the setting sun.
Natural paradise for animals and plants
The Yellow Mountains occupy an important place in China's botanical research. Here you will find century-old pines, firs ginkgoes, Chinese sweet gums, nanmus, camphor woods and the precious Magua trees, remnants of the glacial era. The Yellow Mountains abound in flowering plants; many of them are rare ones, such as Goddess Flower, the Yellow Mountains Azalea as well as camellia, plum, lily crape myrtle, orchid, Spring Herald Ina Flower and so on. Maofeng tea of the Yellow Mountains is well known at home and abroad.
The Yellow Mountains also provide the natural habitat for a wide variety of fauna. Among the animals there are monkeys, goats, deer and David's deer. There are rare birds such as the red - billed leiothrix, the silver pheasant, the octave-tone bird and the oriole, all good singers.
Something to pay attention to
Viewing the beautiful poem-and-painting-alike scenery through your own eyes, it is not important how dangerous the course of climbing is.