Huángshān visits should ideally include nights on the summit. Room prices rise on Saturday and Sunday, and are astronomical during major holiday periods.
It's possible to camp at select, though not scenic, points on the mountain, such as the plaza in front of the Běihǎi Hotel. You'll need to ask for permission and pay a fee of ¥180.
Grapevine HotelHOTEL$
(黄山葡萄藤酒店, Huángshān Pútaoténg Jiǔdiàn %0559 556 7377; 92 Tangchuan Lu, 汤川路92号 r from ¥80; aW)
With sketches on the wall, this hotel has a youthful feel lacking at most hotels around the mountain. Rooms are basic but clean. It's just past the post office, before the bridge on the way to Tāngkǒu Town (a 30-minute walk from the bus station).
Zhōngruìhuáyì HotelHOTEL$$
(中瑞华艺大酒店, Zhōngruìhuáyì Dàjiǔdiàn %0559 556 6888; www.huayihotel.cn; 119 Tangchuan Lu, 汤川路119号 r from ¥580; a)
Though this white four-star hotel doesn't look like much from the outside, it has the nicest rooms in Tāngkǒu. Staff can help with bus and flight bookings and there's a free shuttle bus to the bus station.
Páiyúnlóu HotelHOTEL$$
(排云楼宾馆, Páiyúnlóu Bīnguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0559 558 1558; dm/d/tr ¥280/1280/1480; aW)
With an excellent location near Tiānhǎi Lake (Tiānhǎi Hú) and the entrance to the West Sea Canyon, plus three-star comfort, this place is recommended for those who prefer a slightly more tranquil setting. None of the regular rooms have views, but the newer dorms have unobstructed vistas and come with TVs and attached showers. Discounted dorms are ¥210 and doubles cost from ¥680.
Yùpínglóu HotelHOTEL$$$
(玉屏楼宾馆, Yùpínglóu Bīnguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0559 558 2288; www.hsyplhotel.com; dm/d ¥400/1480; aW)
A 10-minute walk to the right from the top of the Jade Screen cable car, this four-star hotel is perched on a spectacular 1660m-high lookout just above the Welcoming Guest Pine Tree (迎客松; Yíngkèsōng). Aim for the doubles at the back, as some rooms have small windows with no views. Discounts bring doubles down to ¥780 and dorm beds to ¥150.
Běihǎi HotelHOTEL$$$
(北海宾馆, Běihǎi Bīnguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0559 558 2555; www.hsbeihaihotel.com; dm/d ¥300/1480; aiW)
Located a 1.2km walk from the top of the Cloud Valley cable car, the four-star Běihǎi has professional service, money exchange, cafe and 30% discounts during the week. Larger doubles have older fittings than the smaller, better-fitted-out doubles (same price). There are ¥1280 doubles in the three-star compound across the square. It’s the best-located hotel, but also the busiest, and it lacks charm.
Dorms can dip to ¥150 when it’s quiet, but otherwise book out fast.
PORTERS ON THE MOUNTAIN
When climbing Huángshān, spare a thought for the long-suffering, muscular and sun-tanned porters (挑山工; tiāoshāngōng) who totter slowly uphill with all manner of goods from rice to water and building materials for the hotels and hawkers that populate the higher levels. They then descend with rubbish. Going up, they earn ¥1.80 per kilogram hauled aloft, downhill it’s ¥1.50 per kilogram. They ferry around 100kg each trip (and only ascend once per day), balanced on two ends of a stout pole across their shoulder. Remember to give way to them on your way up (and down).
5Eating
The tourist village next to the Tourist Distribution Center has numerous, nearly identical restaurants (dishes ¥10 to ¥100). There are supermarkets here, too.
For street food head into Tāngkǒu, where there are a few vendors on Yanxi Jie, near the bridge.
Most hotel restaurants offer buffets (breakfast ¥60, lunch and dinner ¥100 to ¥140) plus a selection of standard dishes (fried rice ¥48), though getting service outside meal times can be tricky. It's usually a better deal to sign up for a meal plan at your hotel.
8Information
Most hotels, even on the summit, have reliable wi-fi.
Medical Services
Běihǎi ClinicMEDICAL
(北海医务室, Běihǎi Yīwùshì MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0559 558 1595; h8am-10pm)
Opposite Běihǎi Hotel.
Huángshān Scenic Area Emergency Medical CenterMEDICAL
(黄山风景区卫生防疫中心, Huángshān Fēngjǐngqū Wèishēng Fángyì Zhōngxīn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0559 562 436)
On the east side of the river in Tāngkǒu Town.
Money
Bank of ChinaBANK
(中国银行, Zhōngguó Yínháng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Yanxi Jie, Tāngkǒu, 沿溪街 h8am-5pm)
Southern end of Yanxi Jie.
Bank of ChinaBANK
(中国银行, Zhōngguó Yínháng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h8-11am & 2.30-5pm)
Changes money and has an ATM that accepts international cards. Opposite Běihǎi Hotel.
Police
Police StationPOLICE
(派出所, pàichūsuǒ MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0559 558 1388)
Opposite Běihǎi Hotel.
Public Security BureauPOLICE
(PSB, 公安局, Gōng’ānjú GOOGLE MAP ; %0559 556 2233)
At the northern end of Tāngkǒu Town.
8Getting There & Away
Bus
Buses from Túnxī (aka Huángshān Shì) take around one hour to reach Tāngkǒu from either the long-distance bus station (¥20, frequent, 6am to 5pm) or the train station (¥20, departures when full, 6.30am to 5.30pm, may leave as late as 8pm in summer).
Buses back to Túnxī (¥20) from Tāngkǒu depart on roughly the same schedule, and can be flagged down on the road to Túnxī. The last bus back leaves at 5.30pm.
The main bus depot for both long-distance buses to and from Tāngkǒu and tourist buses around Huángshān is the Tourist Distribution Center (新国线客车站; Xīnguóxiàn Kèchēzhàn Tangchuan Lu; 汤川路 ).
AHángzhōu ¥110, 3½ hours, seven daily
AHéféi ¥91, four hours, six daily
AJiǔhuá Shān ¥54, 2½ hours, two daily (6.30am and 2.20pm)
ANánjīng ¥110, five hours, three daily (8am, 1.50pm and 5pm)
AShànghǎi ¥148, 6½ hours, five daily
AWǔhàn ¥235, nine hours, two daily (8.40am and 5.30pm)
AYīxiàn ¥17, one hour, four daily (8am, 9.30am, 1.40pm and 3.30pm; stops at Hóngcūn and Xīdì)
Taxi
A taxi between Túnxī and the Huángshān Scenic Area should cost around ¥200; to the villages of Yīxiàn ¥110 to ¥140.
8Getting Around
Cable Car
Cloud Valley Cable Car (云谷索道; Yúngǔ Suǒdào MAP GOOGLE MAP ; one way Mar-Nov ¥80, Dec-Feb ¥65; h7.30am-4.30pm) Runs from Cloud Valley Temple (云谷寺; Yúngǔ Sì) to White Goose Ridge (Báiyànlǐng; 白鹅嶺), bypassing the eastern steps. Beware the long queues: it's best to arrive very early or late (if you're staying on the summit).
Jade Screen Cable Car (玉屏索道; Yùpíng Suǒdào MAP GOOGLE MAP ; one way Mar-Nov ¥90, Dec-Feb ¥75; h7am-4.30pm) Runs from Merciful Light Pavilion (慈光阁; Cíguāng Gé) to Jade Screen Tower (Yùpínglóu; 玉屏楼), just below the Yùpínglóu Hotel, bypassing the western steps.
Shuttle Bus
Official tourist shuttles run from the Tourist Distribution Center to Hot Springs (¥11), Cloud Valley cable car station (云谷站; Yúngǔ Zhàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ) (¥19) and Mercy Light Pavilion cable car station (慈光阁站; Cíguānggé zhàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ) (¥19), departing every 20 minutes from 6am to 6.30pm, though they usually wait until enough people are on board. If you're staying in Tāngkǒu Town, you can get the buses at the east bus station (东岭换乘分中心; Dōnglǐng Huànchéng Fēnhōngxīn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Tangchuan Lu; 汤川路 ) on Tangchuan Lu.
Jiǔhuá Shān 九华山
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The Tang dynasty Buddhists who determined Jiǔhuá Shān (九华山; Jiǔhuá Mountain; Nine Lotus Mountain) to be the earthly abode of the Bodhisattva Dizang (Ksitigarbha), Lord of the Underworld, chose well. Often shrouded in a fog that pours in through the windows of it
s cliff-side temples, Jiǔhuá Mountain has a powerful gravitas, heightened by the devotion of those who come here to pray for the souls of the departed. It is among the four most sacred peaks in China and there are dozens of active temples here, housing a population of some 500-plus monks and nuns.
The mountain is not untouched by commercialism; however, the hawkers of overpriced joss sticks and jade carvings come together with the ochre-coloured monasteries, flickering candles and low, steady drone of Buddhist chanting emanating from pilgrims’ MP3 players to create an atmosphere that is both of this world and of another one entirely.
History
Jiǔhuá Mountain was made famous by the 8th-century Korean monk Kim Kiao Kak (Jin Qiaojue), who meditated here for 75 years and was posthumously proclaimed to be the reincarnation of Dizang. In temples, Dizang is generally depicted carrying a staff and a luminous jewel, used to guide souls through the darkness of hell.
1Sights & Activities
Buses will let you off at Jiǔhuáshān bus station (九华山气车站; Jiǔhuàshān qìchēzhàn), the local bus terminus and main ticket office where you purchase your ticket for the mountain (九华山 Mar-Nov ¥190, Dec-Feb ¥140). You’ll also then need to buy a return shuttle bus ticket (¥50, 20 minutes, half-hourly) from the counters on the left of the admission-ticket windows. The shuttle bus goes to Jiǔhuá village (九华镇), halfway up the mountain (or, as locals say, at roughly navel height in a giant Buddha’s potbelly). The shuttle terminates at the bus station just before the gate (大门; dàmén) leading to the village, from where the main street (芙蓉路; Furong Lu; also called Jiuhua Jie, 九华街) heads south past hotels and restaurants.
Zhīyuán TempleBUDDHIST TEMPLE
(祗园寺, Zhīyuán Sì h6.30am-8.30pm)F
Just past the village’s main entrance on your left, worshippers hold sticks of incense to their foreheads and face the four directions at this enticingly esoteric yellow temple. Pilgrims can join chanting sessions in the evening, starting around 5pm.
Huàchéng SìBUDDHIST TEMPLE
(化成寺 h6.30am-8.30pm)F
Set back off the road, behind a pond, Huàchéng Sì was founded in the Tang dynasty (though the current building itself is not that old). It has ornately carved lions guarding the main steps (one male and one female), colourful eaves and beams, and three huge golden Bodhisattvas.
Bǎisuì GōngBUDDHIST TEMPLE
(百岁宫 h6am-5.30pm)F
A 30-minute hike up the ridge behind Zhīyuán Temple leads you to Bǎisuì Gōng, an active temple built into the cliff in 1630 to consecrate the Buddhist monk Wu Xia, whose shrunken, embalmed body is coated in gold and sits shrivelled within an ornate glass cabinet in front of a row of pink lotus candles. A funicular (百岁宫缆车; Bǎisuì Gōng Lǎnchē one way/return ¥55/100; h7am-5.30pm) also makes the journey, departing from just off Furong Lu.
Jiǔhuá Shān SummitHIKING
(九华山巅, Jiǔhuá Shān Diān )
Hiking the summit of Jiǔhuá Mountain alongside pilgrims following a stone trail (天台正顶) shaded by pines and bamboo is a real highlight. To begin the hike from the village, walk up Furong Lu for 450m and look for a sign on your left pointing up to Huíxiāng Pavilion (回香阁; Huíxiāng Gé). From here to the summit takes four to five hours; count on about two to three hours to get back down to the village.
Follow the path along the front of Tōnghuì Nunnery (通慧俺; Tōnghuì ǎn) as the gentle incline transitions to steep stone steps. The 750m trek up to Huíxiāng Pavilion takes around 20 minutes. Above it is the towering seven-storey 10,000 Buddha Pagoda (万佛塔; Wàn Fó Tǎ ), fashioned entirely from bronze and prettily lit at night. Continuing along, the path dips into a pleasant valley, passing Ròushēn Temple (肉身寺; Ròushēn Sì) and Welcoming Guest Pine (迎客松; Yíngkè Sōng) en route to Phoenix Pine (凤凰松; Fènghuáng Sōng). From here, the two-hour, 4km walk to the summit, Tiāntái Peak (天台正顶; Tiāntái Zhèng Dǐng; 1304m) is tough going, passing small temples and nunneries.
The summit is slightly damp, with mist shrouding the area. Within the faded Tiāntái Temple (天台寺; Tiāntái Sì) on Tiāntái Peak, a statue of the Dizang Buddha is seated within the Dìzàng Hall (地藏殿; Dìzàng Diàn), while from the magnificent 10,000 Buddha Hall (万佛楼; Wànfó Lóu) above, a huge enthroned statue of the Dizang Buddha gazes at the breathless pilgrims mustering at his feet. The beams above your head glitter with rows of thousands of Buddhas.
There’s another trail to your right before the main stairs to the Tiāntái Temple. This one leads you to one of the highest and quietest points of the mountain, Shíwáng Peak (十王峰; Shíwáng Fēng; 1344m), where you can stop and let the rolling fog sweep past you. This trail will also take you to Tiāntái Temple, with far fewer crowds.
An easier route is to take a bus (return trip included with the ¥50 shuttle bus ticket) from Jiǔhuá village up to Phoenix Pine, from where a cable car (天台索道; Tiāntái Suǒdào one-way/return ¥85/160; h6.50am-5pm) runs to the summit in five minutes. Note that from the terminus of the cable car, it's still a 1km climb up steps to Tiāntái Temple.
4Sleeping
Jiǔhuá village has plenty of accommodation options. None are particularly good value, but you can usually bargain for something in the range of ¥150 to ¥200 for a double room outside holiday periods. The further you head from the bus stop the better deals you're likely to find.
Bǎisuìgōng Xiàyuàn HotelHOTEL$$
(百岁宫下院, Bǎisuìgōng Xiàyuàn %139 0566 7465, 0566 283 3122; Furong Lu, 芙蓉路 r ¥360-1380; aW)
Pleasantly arranged around an old temple, this hotel has the right atmosphere and a good location. Standard rooms are just that – lino floors, small showers, but comfortable enough. It’s right beside Jùlóng Hotel, opposite Zhīyuán Temple.
Jùlóng HotelHOTEL$$$
(聚龙大酒店, Jùlóng Dàjiǔdiàn %0566 283 1368; Furong Lu, 芙蓉路 d & tw ¥1280-1480; aW)
The long-standing Jùlóng’s recent facelift has resulted in quality rooms decked out with easy-on-the-eye hues of brown and gold. Flat-screen TVs, good bathrooms and friendly staff round out the experience. Discounts knock rooms down to ¥690 on weekdays, ¥890 on weekends. It’s opposite Zhīyuán Temple, off Furong Lu after you enter the main gate.
Shàngkètáng HotelHOTEL$$$
(上客堂宾馆, Shàngkètáng Bīnguǎn %0566 283 3888; Furong Lu, 芙蓉路 d & tw ¥1280; ai)
With an upscale vibe that skews more towards a wellness retreat than a spiritual one, Shàngkètáng Hotel has rooms with rosewood furniture, flat-screen TVs and plush carpets (some rooms have a wet carpet smell though). Weekday discounts can knock rooms down to ¥480, ¥720 on weekends. The in-house vegetarian restaurant is the best in town.
5Eating
Restaurants, which are numerous in Jiǔhuá village, historically served only vegetarian food, though now some do offer meat. Look for dishes (¥10 to ¥100) featuring bamboo and mushrooms of all colours and shapes harvested from the mountain.
Zhīyuán Temple serves vegetarian meals (5.30am, 10.40am and 4.40pm; ¥10) to the public after the monks have eaten, though often runs out of food.
oQíyuán VegetarianVEGETARIAN$$
(祇园素斋, Qíyuán Sùzhāi Shàngkètáng Bīnguǎn, 上客堂宾馆 dishes ¥28-188, buffet ¥78; h11am-2pm & 5-8pm; v)
Come here to sample (and study: the picture menu is well translated) the exotic edible fungi, shoots and roots of the mountain. Dishes range from humble Chinese chestnuts flavoured with osmanthus (a flowering shrub; 桂花板栗; guìhuā bǎnlì; ¥28) to prized 'stone ear' mushrooms (石耳, shí'ěr; ¥188), a kind of lichen that grows on rock and is believed to have medicinal properties.
8Information
Bank of ChinaBANK
(中国银行, Zhōngguó Yínháng 65 Huacheng Lu, 化城路65号 h9am-4.30pm)
Foreign exchange and 24-hour international ATM. West of the main square, halfway up Huacheng Lu.
China PostP
OST
(中国邮政, Zhōngguó Yóuzhèng 58 Huacheng Lu, 化城路58号 h8am-5.30pm)
Off the main square.
Jiǔhuáshān Red Cross HospitalHOSPITAL
(九华山红十字医院, Jiǔhuáshān Hóngshízì Yīyuàn %0566 283 1330)
Seven hundred metres up Furong Lu from the town entrance.
8Getting There & Away
Buses from Jiǔhuáshān bus station (九华山气车站; Jiǔhuàshān qìchēzhàn; the bus terminus and main Jiǔhuá Mountain ticket office) run to the following destinations:
AHángzhōu ¥125, five hours, 6.50am and 2.50pm
AHéféi ¥88, 3½ hours, hourly (last bus at 4.50pm)
AHuángshān ¥54, three hours, 7.20am and 2.30pm
ANánjīng ¥85, three hours, four daily (6.40am, 7.20am, 8.40am and 1pm)
AShànghǎi ¥140, six hours, two daily (7am and 2pm)
ATúnxī ¥70, 3½ hours, 7.20am and 1.30pm
AWǔhàn ¥155, six hours, 7am
AYīxiàn ¥60, 2½ hours, 7.30am and 12.30pm
The nearest high-speed train station is Chízhōu (池州). Buses depart hourly (¥12, one hour, 7am to 4.50pm) for Jiǔhuáshān bus station from the bus station next to the train station. Chízhōu can be reached from Shànghǎi (¥221, four hours, four daily) and Héféi (¥69 to ¥91, 90 minutes, nine daily).
Lonely Planet China Page 83
