Hiking Hangzhou's Mountains

Wushan Tianfeng, Yuhuang Feiyun, Shili Langdang, Longjing Wengcha, Shuangfeng Chayun,

Leifeng Xizhao, Nanping Wanzhong, Hupao Mengquan, Jiuxi Yanshu, Manlong Guiyu,

Yunqi Zhujing, Meiwu Chunzao, Huanglong Tucui, Quyuan Fenghe, Baoshi Liuxia,

Laohe Yunqi, Lingfeng Tanmei, Songjing Feixia, Bailong Feipu, Qingxu Dongtian,

Chengshan Huaigu, Longyin Shihou, Qiushan Xianyin, Qianlin Liusu, Shuangjing Guitang…

Walking through the forests and hills of Hangzhou,

Layer upon layer of peaks to the south and north, rivers and lakes flowing together to the east and west,

Whether you and I are here or not, the mountains—just stand there,

Through spring, summer, autumn, winter, the seasons cycle, a hundred generations of rivers and mountains, a timeless elegance…

Laohe Yunqi - Qinting - Beigao Peak

Hiking Route: Laohe Yunqi - Laohe Mountain - Qinting - Jiangjun Mountain - Beigao Peak - Beigao Peak Cable Car down to Laohe Yunqi—I thought the name sounded interesting, but didn’t know what it meant or how it originated. A friend said that going up is Laohe Mountain, and on rainy days clouds and mist swirl around the peak, and this spot is the starting point for climbing, hence ‘Laohe Yunqi’ (Old Harmony Clouds Rising). In terms of mood, that seems to make sense. On a spring weekend, for no particular reason, I chose Beigao Peak. I remember having been here before, but couldn’t quite recall if I’d made it to the summit.

The weather was fine, the path gentle. The first half was all stone steps, with lush trees shading the way. Soon we reached Qinting, took a short rest, looked up at blue sky and white clouds, clear for miles, and in the distance saw West Lake merging with the surrounding waters and hills. Continuing past Jiangjun Mountain, we could overlook Zhejiang University’s Yuquan Campus. After Jiangjun Mountain, the trail became steeper and a bit rough. Because it was the weekend, hikers came in an endless stream. The whole way, trees hid the sun, making it very cool.

It took more than two hours to reach Beigao Peak, where a stone tablet carved with Chairman Mao’s poetry stands. From Beigao Peak, you can see the mountains around West Lake—sky and water vast and open… Down below, there’s a cable car—the Beigao Peak Ropeway. At the bottom, exit, turn right and walk a bit to reach Lingyin Temple, but since it was getting late, I didn’t go there and just strolled through the tea gardens below. In the gardens, villagers were picking tea. Dusk was falling, and the setting sun cast a slanting glow over the tea fields and the black-tiled, white-walled village houses. By the roadside, villagers were roasting Longjing tea, and the air was full of early spring and a faint tea fragrance…

Baoshi Mountain - Geling

Hiking Route: No. 21 Beishan Street - Dashi Foyuan Statues - Jianpu Villa - Baochu Pagoda - Baoshi Liuxia - Geling - Baopu Taoist Temple - Chuyang Terrace - Lianheng Memorial Hall - Xiaofeng Bookstore

Baoshi Mountain is not high or precipitous, but it wins because of West Lake. It rises in a ring on the north side of the lake. Climb to the top for a full view of West Lake. The mountain is not only lush with trees, but also rich in cultural and historical sites. The Baochu Pagoda at the summit is a landmark of West Lake. I’ve been many times. You can go up from Baochu Road to the east, Qixialing Road to the west, Huanglong Cave behind the mountain, or Geling Road in front. This spring I started from No. 21 Beishan Street.

Across Beishan Street, facing Broken Bridge, there’s an inn called Xixia Xiaozhu. Beside it, stone steps go up to No. 21 Beishan Street. On the platform, I stopped to look back at the plane trees on Beishan Street, inner West Lake, Broken Bridge and the Bai Causeway, West Lake itself, and distant mountains… The view spreads out, and even the most restless mind can grow calm. Turning to go up, within a hundred meters I saw a huge stone shaped like a ruyi (wish-fulfilling scepter). Legend says this is where Qin Shi Huang moored his boats. To the side, a stone tablet reads “Great Buddha Temple Statues.” Turn left and you reach Jianpu Villa and the mountain gate; if you turn right and go down, you’ll reach Baochu Road.

The path up is almost entirely smooth stone steps. Soon we were at the top of Baoshi Mountain. Baoshi Liuxia (Precious Stone Flowing Clouds) is one of the New Ten Scenes of West Lake. Climb high and gaze far, and the view both south and north is incredibly open: to the south, you see inner and outer West Lake, the Bai Causeway, the Su Causeway, Mid-Lake Island, and Gushan, Yuhuang Mountain, Nan’gao Peak blending water and mountains; to the north, you can overlook the Dragon Hotel below or gaze far toward Zhejiang University’s Xixi Campus. The Baochu Pagoda on the summit was first built more than a thousand years ago, destroyed and rebuilt through the dynasties; the current eight-sided solid brick pagoda dates to the Republican era.

Beyond Baoshi Liuxia, follow the signs and walk slowly west for about ten minutes to reach Baopu Taoist Temple. Geling got its name because Ge Hong of the Eastern Jin is said to have retreated here for alchemy and cultivation. On the way up, a pavilion offers a spot to rest. Just out of the pavilion, a cliff carving reads “Vermilion Flowing for a Thousand Ages.” Halfway up, looking up at the high bright yellow walls of the temple and the lintel inscribed “Geling Fairyland,” it perfectly matches the Daoist thought of escaping the dusty world and following nature.

From Baopu Temple, head west and up to reach the summit of Geling—Chuyang Terrace (First Sun Terrace). The ancients said this high point was perfect for watching sunrise over the lake, hence the name. Now, surrounding trees block much of the view, so it’s not as open as Baoshi Mountain. To the west, you can vaguely see Zhejiang University’s Yuquan Campus. If you go down to the right and continue west, you can reach Yuewang Temple and Quyuan Fenghe. Or retrace your steps left and down a short way to exit Geling’s mountain gate onto Geling Road.

Out the mountain gate, turn right to No. 17 Geling Road, which is the Lianheng Memorial Hall inside the restored Manao Temple. Lianheng was the grandfather of former KMT chairman Lien Chan. Once, when I visited with family, I happened to meet a group of CCTV hosts—Li Xiuping, Ji Xiaojun, and others—participating in the “West Lake Poetry Festival – Love’s Decibel” charity event. My daughter bought a small souvenir there. Going down, you return to Beishan Street. Nearby are the famous Xinxin Hotel and, to its east, Xiaofeng Bookstore.

Back near Xixia Xiaozhu, I sat down at the Two Banks Coffee on the second floor by the window, ordered a glass of water, and watched the evening lights and shadows on Beishan Street, cars and people passing. While under the moonlight, West Lake and the distant mountains remained quietly in place, as always.

Gushan – A Hill of History

Hiking Route: Xiling Bridge – Mucai Pavilion – Wu Song’s Tomb – Qiu Jin Statue – Liuyi Spring – Pan Tianshou Statue – Yu Yue Memorial Hall – Xiling Seal Society – Louwailou Restaurant – Zhongshan Park – Qing Imperial Palace Ruins – Gushan – Fangong Pavilion – Zhejiang West Lake Art Museum – Cai Yuanpei and Lin Fengmian Statue – Gujing Jingshe Former Site – Zhejiang Provincial Museum – Wenlan Pavilion – Pinghu Qiuyue – Lu Xun Statue – Lin Qi Statue – Lin She – Crane Pavilion – Lin Hejing Tomb – Yun Pavilion – Zhongshan Memorial Pavilion – Chen Yingshi Statue – Haiwa Muyang Statue – Houshan Stone Arch – China Seal Art Museum

Little Gushan alone holds so much of Hangzhou’s, Qiantang’s, even China’s cultural history… ancient, modern, and contemporary. The finest place among lake and hills, with countless heroes and scholars across the ages…

“North of Gushan Temple, west of Jia Pavilion, water first levels with the clouds low” – Gushan faces south to West Lake, north to inner West Lake toward Geling on the north mountain, with the Bai Causeway eastward to Broken Bridge and the lakefront, and Xiling Bridge westward to Beishan Road and the Su Causeway. “Sparse shadows slant across clear shallow water, hidden fragrance floats under the dusk moon” – knowing Lin Hejing, the recluse who took plum as wife and crane as child, I also came to know Gushan, dwelling alone between lake and mountain, heart devoted to heaven and earth… While Gushan today is far from the tranquil retreat Lin Hejing found in the Northern Song, somewhere in the silence, it still carries the spirit of so many scholars…

China Seal Art Museum

Wushan – The People’s Mountain

Hiking Route: Shiwu Kuixiang – Yuanbaoxin – Twelve Zodiac Stone – Ruan Gong Shrine – Ganhua Rock – Baocheng Temple – Ruishi Ancient Cave Stone Carvings – Bailu Pavilion – Poshi Guanyin – Shifo Temple – Yunju Mountain Cliff Carvings – Sanmao Taoist Temple Ruins – Jianghu Huiguan – Zhejiang Sports Association Cliff Inscription – Zhejiang Revolutionary Martyrs Monument – Wushan Tianfeng – Chenghuang Pavilion – Yaowang Temple – Wugong Shrine – Drum Tower

Wushan is very different from other West Lake hills—it is fully imbued with the breath of everyday life, a mountain for Hangzhou people themselves. Early morning, going up from Shiwu Kuixiang and Yuanbaoxin Chenghuang Tower, from the foot to the top of the hill, you’ll see children, young people, but many more middle-aged women and aunties, grandpas and grandmas, even babies wrapped in swaddling clothes. It’s as lively as can be in some spots, and in others, as quiet as you could wish.

Above the Drum Tower, several large chess and card rooms and tea houses are almost packed with men and women – Hangzhou folks love ‘shuangkou’ (a card game). Not just in card rooms, but under any tree, a random table draws a circle of players. Hikers include student groups, teams carrying public service banners and picking up trash, groups practicing exercises with rhythmic clapping at the Jianghu Huiguan view platform, people doing aerobics to fast music halfway up the hill, quickstep dancing, impromptu badminton courts, young martial arts groups lining up for drills, small clusters of aunties and grandpas chattering, and many old gentlemen carrying birdcages in the early morning… People practicing tai chi, tai chi sword, sitting with eyes closed practicing breathing exercises… You won’t see even half of such scenes on any other hill in Hangzhou.

Wushan’s scenic spots and historical and cultural relics are enough to captivate both ordinary tourists and literati: Fenghuang Pavilion and Jianghu Huiguan Pavilion are both superb vantage points—so-called ‘Qiantang River on the left, West Lake on the right as a pillow’—but now Qiantang River is almost entirely blocked by too many tall buildings along the shore, while looking west toward West Lake and the western hills, you can take in nearly everything. Many cliff carvings—Ruishi Ancient Cave, Yunju Mountain, Ganhua Rock, Chongyang Temple Ruins, Ziyang Mountain Cliff Carvings, and more—and the Zhejiang Sports Association Cliff Inscription. Temples, shrines, and pavilions abound: Baocheng Temple, Guanyin Pavilion, Ruan Gong Shrine, Wugong Temple, Stone Buddha Temple, Wangwang Temple Ruins, Zhongxing Dongyue Temple, Medicine King Temple; pavilions like Zhongcui Pavilion, Bailu Pavilion, Wanghe Pavilion, Yunying Pavilion… There’s even the reading place of Ming dynasty loyal minister Yu Qian as a child—the Sanmao Taoist Temple ruins.

Wushan’s slopes are gentle, and the trails are almost all smooth stone steps. Wandering up and down, you can circle the whole mountain in a morning. In early autumn, the osmanthus is blooming, and a hidden fragrance drifts along the way. The ginkgo trees in the woods are just starting to turn a faint yellow. When the wind stirs among the trees, leaves lightly dance and flutter down… Near Wushan Tianfeng and the Medicine King Temple, there are century-old Chinese wingnuts and several lush, 700-year-old Song dynasty camphor trees. In the whispering breeze, lifting your head to gaze up, you can silently look back through the tumultuous dynasties… And the quiet serenity of Hewu Mountain House and Yunju Yayuan, with a cup of clear tea, seems able to surpass everything under heaven…

In Jianghu Huiguan Pavilion, the Ming dynasty poet Xu Wei wrote: ‘Eight hundred li of rivers and mountains, know in what year this picture; One hundred thousand homes’ smoke and fire, all gather in this pavilion tower.’ And the modern Qiu Jin, in her ‘Climbing Wu Hill,’ wrote: ‘Vast misty air connects river and sea, Half the green mountains are Yue land.’ Still they cannot fully express the millennia-long sentiments of Chinese scholars for their country. And at the northern foot of Wu Hill, the Zhejiang Martyrs Memorial Hall and Monument add endless heroism to this small mountain. The stele forest includes an inscription by Dr. Sun Yat-sen: ‘The world tide flows mightily; those who follow it prosper, those who go against it perish.’ And the large horizontal scroll above the Yuanbaoxin mountain gate archway on the south side reads: ‘The people cannot forget’—as if forever warning and waking the present age…

Atop Jianghu Huiguan Pavilion

Qiyun Temple - Yue Rock - Fenghuang Mountain

Hiking Route: Fantian Temple Stone Pillars – Qiyun Ancient Temple – Yue Rock – Jiangtai Mountain – Fenghuang Mountain Fenghuang Pavilion – Zhongshan Forest Monument – Lin’an City Ruins

The parking near Fantian Temple Stone Pillars seems easier than near Wansong Academy. Turn into Fenghuangshanjiao Road; the parking lot I’d checked beforehand didn’t let me in—but there are actually plenty of parking spots here. I found one a little further on, parked, and the “Fantian Temple Road” bus stop was right nearby.

Walking a few hundred meters along Fantian Temple Road, you see the Fantian Temple Stone Pillars, dating from the early Northern Song more than a thousand years ago, now a national key cultural relic protection site. Under the bright, clear autumn sky of Jiangnan, the warm afternoon sun shone on the tall spire of the pillars, making my eyes squint a bit. A nearby ginkgo tree had already half yellow leaves. Right opposite the pillars is a kindergarten—Liu’yi Kindergarten.

Turning left, the sign pointing up the mountain is clear, toward Qiyun Temple and Yue Rock. The trail is easy to walk, almost all stone steps. Trees and shrubs of varying heights line both sides. Yellow leaves scatter on the steps, along with wild chestnut-like nuts, and occasionally small unknown flowers bloom by the path. There’s a parallel trail of yellow earth and rubble—likely the old way up the mountain, now clearly abandoned.

In a hollow on the southern slope halfway up is Qiyun Ancient Temple, where Master Lianchi is said to have once served as abbot. The temple is not big, with bright yellow outer walls that seem even quieter in the still forest. Out of Qiyun Temple, going up left a short way takes you to Yue Rock: a sudden grove of stones rising amidst the forest and trees, with a clear spring bubbling among them. It’s said that on a moonlit night, moonlight filters through the treetops and spills onto the rocks and the spring—an ethereal, illusory sight rarely found in this world. Though I couldn’t see it at that moment, the slanting afternoon sunlight filtering through the woods seemed to cast flickering light and shadow on the rock surface. There were not many people on the mountain, just one or two hikers now and then. At Yue Rock, I met a large group of children—looking like primary or middle schoolers; they said they were from a weightlifting team, and had to do this kind of climb every day.

Atop Jiangtai Mountain, on piles of standing stones, I vaguely saw carvings—called ‘Paishi Stone Inscriptions.’ Perhaps because these stones run east-west in two rows, north and south, they’re called the ‘Paishi Stones’ (Court Array Stones), a name said to come from Qian Liu, King of Wuyue. The summit is sparsely forested, the open ground covered with dry yellow leaves. On such a fine autumn day, a light breeze stirs the deep autumn feeling… Seeing these stones reminded me of coming to Fenghuang Mountain years ago with a friend from the Old Yuhuang Palace side, how many years have passed now.

Turn right and go east to Fenghuang Pavilion. On the southern slope, there’s a large area that looks like an archaeological site. According to the sign, it should be the Shengguo Temple Ruins, but the path is closed and you can’t get through. The foot of Fenghuang Mountain was the site of the Southern Song imperial palace. When the Yuan dynasty came, the palace burned down and was almost completely destroyed. Fenghuang Pavilion stands on the summit; it has two floors. Climbing up, the world opens wide. To the northeast are Wu Hill and West Lake; to the south, Qiantang River and the Qiantang New City; to the west, you can gaze far at Yuhuang Mountain and the ring of West Lake hills: “Mountain overlooking river and lake, heaven and earth feel small; breath connecting Wu and Yue, ancient and modern heroes.” As dusk approached, the orange afterglow on the long western hills adorned the silence between heaven and earth.

Down from Fenghuang Pavilion, on the way I passed the Laohudong Southern Song Official Kiln Ruins on the left—but an iron fence with a locked gate blocked entry. On the right was the Zhongshan Forest Monument. In about ten minutes I reached the foot of the mountain, where a simple wooden fence enclosed the remnants of the Southern Song imperial city wall. Passing a couple of village houses, I came out onto Wansongling Road. It was getting dark, and streetlights were already on. Groups of students from a nearby school walked by, passing in front of the Lin’an City – Imperial City Ruins monument…

Wansong Academy - Laohudong Kiln Site - Jiangtai Mountain - Old Yuhuang Palace

Hiking Route: Wansong Academy – Yu Zisan Martyrs’ Tomb – Jieyi Pavilion – Laohudong Kiln Site – Jiangtai Mountain – Old Yuhuang Palace – Yuhuang Mountain North Gate

Wansong Academy is located on Wansongling Road at the northern foot of Fenghuang Mountain, which is how it got its name. Get off at Wansongling bus stop and you’re right at the academy gate. The academy was founded in the Ming dynasty and rebuilt in the Qing, with Qiantang River on the left and West Lake on the right, nestled in green hills, “extremely lofty and the supreme scenic spot.” As the highest educational institution in Zhejiang in its time, the academy has a long cultural lineage. Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong of the Qing dynasty respectively bestowed plaques inscribed “Zhe Shui Fu Wen” and “Hu Shan Cui Xiu.” Many scholars through history, including Wang Yangming and Zhu Yizun, lectured here.

At the turn of late autumn and early winter, red maples and ginkgoes were at their most beautiful. The whole garden was a riot of autumn colors set against the distant, clean blue autumn sky. There were few visitors. Walking quietly in the academy, following the rising terrain, I passed the Pin Zi Archway, Yangsheng Gate, Mingdao Hall, Dacheng Hall, and an etched portrait of Confucius. Near the highest point, a huge screen wall bears the four characters: “Eternal Paragon for All Ages.”

Go left and up is the “Guanfeng Ouxi” Pavilion. Turn back and down to Yu Zisan Martyrs’ Tomb. Yu Zisan was a student movement leader at Zhejiang University. In 1947 before the liberation, he was arrested by KMT secret police and secretly killed in prison; he was only 23. Thanks to the efforts of then-university president Zhu Kezhen and others, he was buried on Fenghuang Mountain’s Wansongling. After returning to Dacheng Hall and going right, passing through a stone forest, you can overlook West Lake from a high point. The view is so good you can clearly see both the nearby Leifeng Pagoda and the slender Baochu Pagoda on distant Baoshi Mountain. Continue down, passing Jianhu Pavilion, Guanyin Hall, and Zhengyi Hall. Exiting through the academy’s side gate leads to the Wansong Academy parking lot, where you can already see the Jieyi Pavilion just to the north of the academy.

Just north of Jieyi Pavilion, a stone staircase leads up to the Wansong Academy entrance of Fenghuang Mountain. Because the academy is fenced, there is a path inside but you’ll find the gate locked. Follow the path up and up, follow signs to turn left and down a short way to the Laohudong Southern Song Official Kiln Ruins. An officer came to ask which gate we’d go out, saying there were three gates and they close at 4:30… Return the same way to the three-way fork above; going west up a while leads to another three-way fork, where I realized I’d passed this junction on a previous visit: left goes east to Fenghuang Pavilion, right goes west to the Paishi Stones on Jiangtai Mountain.

The sunset’s afterglow was nearly parallel to the horizon, penetrating the woods and intermittently sprinkling bright golden marks on the trees lining the trail. Soon even this golden glow disappeared—the sun had set. Pass the Paishi Stone Carvings, head down the north side, and after ten minutes you reach Ciyunling and Old Yuhuang Palace: southward leads to Ciyunling Five Dynasties Statues and Bagua Field; west goes up Yuhuang Mountain; northward down not far is the Yuhuang Mountain North Gate.

Bagua Field - Yuhuang Mountain - Taiziwan

Hiking Route: Bagua Field – Ciyunling Statues – Old Yuhuang Palace – Zilai Cave – Seven Star Jars – Yuhuang Mountain – Yuebao Pavilion – Yijiang Pavilion – Hupao Road – Taiziwan

“Yulong Mountain touches the firmament, left arm around Qiantang, right pillow West Lake.” Yulong Mountain is Yuhuang Mountain. Starting from Bagua Field in the south, going up via Ciyunling and Cherry Blossom Meadow, all the way to the summit you’ll indeed have Qiantang on the left and West Lake on the right. Bagua Field lies at the southern foot of Yuhuang Mountain; it was the imperial field in the Southern Song, where in spring the emperor would lead a ceremony of plowing before the whole country began spring farming, showing the importance the agrarian society attached to farming. Called Bagua (Eight Trigrams), from above it indeed resembles a Tai Chi and Nine-Palace design. Today, the fields are planted with canola, soybean, and other crops. It was March, late spring in Jiangnan, the rape flowers in bloom, bees flitting, butterflies dancing, tourists coming in endless streams.

Cross Bagua Field from south to north, exit right onto Yuhuangshan Road, continue north, near the south entrance of the tunnel take the stone steps up on the right to Ciyunling. A short way up, there’s a little pavilion—the Yuhuang Mountain South Gate ticket office: 10 yuan for adults, half price for children. Ahead are the Ciyunling Five Dynasties cave carvings, a national key cultural relic site. Up further not far is Old Yuhuang Palace. Going straight down takes you to the mountain’s main gate—the North Gate; turning right and up on the north side goes to Fenghuang Mountain; the left path straight up from Old Yuhuang Palace goes toward Yuhuang Mountain.

Yuhuang Mountain is under 300 meters high. Go up a short way to the halfway point of Cherry Blossom Meadow and Zilai Cave. From the southern overlook, you can see the full shape of Bagua Field, the Qiantang River, and the Binjiang New City on both banks. Beyond Zilai Cave, climb the steps, with the ancient Seven Star Jars for storing water against fire on the right. Further ahead, crossing the winding mountain road (cars can now drive almost to the summit of Yuhuang Mountain), you’ll see a fork ahead. The sign says up to the Yuhuang Summit; left down goes to the zoo and Hupao Spring direction. From here to the South Heavenly Gate at the summit, the path is lined with slender green bamboo, giving a special clean, quiet elegance.

Yuhuang Mountain is an important site for Quanzhen Taoism. At the top are ancient building complexes built over generations: Fuxing Temple and Lingxiao Hall respectively enshrine the Taoist protector deity Lingguan and the Jade Emperor with the Queen Mother. There is also Tianyi Pond. From the peak, northward you can see Leifeng Pagoda, the Su Causeway, West Lake—water and sky one color. And from South Heavenly Gate, a distant view of Qiantang River—river and sky wide. Return along the same path to the three-way junction, turn right, and head downhill towards Hupao Road. On the way, pass Yuebao Pavilion; from Yijiang Pavilion, southward you can see the Qiantang River Bridge and Zhijiang Bridge, faintly make out Liuhe Pagoda.

Down the back mountain, very few people. The trail exits onto Lianhuafeng Road. Turn left is Hupao Road: to the left, Hangzhou Zoo and Hupao Spring; to the right, toward Nanshan Road. About half an hour’s walk takes you to Taiziwan Park, Huagang (Viewing Fish at Flower Harbor), and the Su Causeway, and further on, Leifeng Pagoda and Jingci Temple. Taiziwan draws countless visitors each tulip season. Spring is Hangzhou’s most beautiful—and busiest—season.

Jingci Temple - Jiuyao Mountain - Deyi Pavilion

Hiking Route: Jingci Temple – Nanping Mountain – Jiuyao Mountain Jiuyao Pavilion – Deyi Pavilion – Jingxiu Temple – Lianhuafeng Road

Jingci Temple on Nanshan Road is shaded by ancient trees, its walls bright yellow; now and then a deep, mellow, resonant bell tone drifts over—this is Nanping Wanzhong (Evening Bell at Nanping), one of Ten Scenes of West Lake. The temple sits at the foot of Huiri Peak on Nanping Mountain, built along the northern slope. First established in the Five Dynasties, it reached its peak in the Southern Song. Eminent monks and virtues emerged through the ages, merging Confucianism and Buddhism, ranking among the Five Great Mountains, called “North Lingyin, South Jingci.” Inside the gate, there are the Bell Tower, Jigong Courtyard, Mahavira Hall, Guanyin Hall, and at the highest point, the Shakyamuni Hall. From this high point, the view is open, with Leifeng Pagoda clearly outlined opposite.

From the northeast gate of Jingci Temple, take the Nanping Mountain trail up. Autumn day, blue sky and white clouds; tall pines, oaks, and dogwoods line the path. The stone steps are even, the slope gentle, and in under an hour you reach Jiuyao Pavilion. The pavilion has two levels; the second-floor platform offers an absolutely superb view of West Lake: inner and outer West Lake, Huagang, the Su Causeway all before your eyes, and close by Leifeng Pagoda; in the distance, Baochu Pagoda on Geling, the lakefront, even the TV tower on Beigao Peak are clearly visible, while Wengjia Mountain and other western hills roll, with village homes scattered among them, and large swaths of green Longjing tea terraces unfolding layer upon layer following the mountain contours—truly like an immortal’s dwelling. Set down a cup of clear tea, gaze across lake and mountain between heaven and earth, and in an instant, all the myriad worries of the world vanish…

Atop Jiuyao Mountain is a pavilion. Standing in the pavilion and looking south, you can see Yuhuang Mountain, Jiangtai Mountain, Fenghuang Mountain, and the Qiantang River. Jiuyao Mountain got its name because there used to be a temple to the Nine Luminaries Star Lords, who are said to govern all good or ill fortune in the human world. Coming up all the way, you can’t quite tell Nanping Mountain from Jiuyao Mountain—they seem to form a complete screen on the southern shore of West Lake, embracing and guarding this heavenly paradise second to none. On the way up, a stone step path branches off toward the northern foot, which should lead down to Taiziwan Park.

A hundred meters left of Jiuyao Pavilion takes you to the summit; going straight and right downhill, at a fork following stone steps and continuing on should lead toward Hupao and Siyanjing. Another dirt-and-rock path goes straight, merging after over half an hour with the back-mountain stone steps of Yuhuang Mountain, passing Deyi Pavilion, Jingxiu Temple, and exiting at Lianhuafeng Road. That route is rough, but along the way are ancient trees, strange rocks, flowers, and tea gardens… especially the tiny white wild chrysanthemums in the grass by the path, so pure and small yet with an extraordinarily sweet fragrance. In this empty valley, whether you’re here or not, “you see me, or not, I am right here”…

Zhang Cangshui Memorial Shrine

Jiuyao Mountain Buddhist Statues

Meijiawu - Sanfencha - Shifeng - Longjing Village

Hiking Route: Yunqi – Meijiawu – Premier Zhou Memorial Hall – Shili Langdang Archway – Sanchakou – Shifeng – Longjing Village

You can enter Meijiawu from both north and south via Meiling Road. Enter from the south past Yunqi, or from the north passing Tianzhu and Fajing Temple. The whole way, the eyes are filled with luxuriant green, refreshing to heart and spirit. I’ve been here several times. The most recent, with my daughter, we went to Yunqi and then up Shili Langdang. Another time, with a colleague, we went up from Meijiawu via Shili Langdang, passed Longjing, to Shuangfeng Village. The paths here are gentle, surrounded by green hills; it’s the main production area for West Lake Longjing tea.

Walking south not far along Meiling Road from Meijiawu, you’ll see a sign on the left for “Yunqi Zhujing” (Yunqi Bamboo Path). Enter the Yunqi archway, and you’re surrounded by slender bamboo, cool shade hiding the sun, elegant and serene. Midway there’s a pavilion called Xixin Pavilion (Heart-Washing Pavilion). Beside it a pool, fed by a mountain spring, crystal clear to the bottom, called Heart-Washing Pool. This ethereal place naturally seems to wash the heart and filter the dust, as if it could cleanse all worldly thoughts. Walking straight ahead leads to Wuyun Mountain. The name “Yunqi” (Cloud Perch) comes from the legend that clouds and mist linger in the valley all year round.

The houses of Meijiawu wind north-south along Meiling Road in the mountain hollow for about five kilometers, which is why it’s also called “Ten-Li Mei Hollow.” Now, both sides of the road are lined with tea houses and tea shops. The fame of Meiwu tea goes way back. Premier Zhou Enlai visited here many times to inspect and guide work; the village has a Premier Zhou Memorial Hall you can visit. Just north of the memorial hall, opposite the parking lot, you’ll see the archway inscribed “Shili Langdang – Benevolent Love Mountains.” Take this path up. Below the midpoint, tea bushes still line the trail; above halfway, the path is flanked by various trees. Looking back, Meijiawu opens wide under overlapping green mountains.

Follow the trail up to the three-way junction. There’s a sign: right goes to Wuyun Mountain, the Zhenji Temple ruins, Yunqi Bamboo Path and Jiuxi direction; left goes to Shifeng and Longjing Village. The so-called Shili Langdang generally refers to this mountain ridge path between Meiwu and Longjing, an old north-south footpath for porters from Wuyun Mountain to North Tianzhu. Turn left, round a bend, and suddenly everything opens up—Longjing Village lies right before you.

For tea lovers, Longjing is no less important to Hangzhou than West Lake. If Hangzhou lost West Lake, you’d wonder what Hangzhou would be; and if Hangzhou lost Longjing, it would seem like a person who’s lost their soul. Longjing tea, especially the pre-Qingming harvest from the Lion Peak area around Longjing Village, is the finest of all teas… “Shi, Long, Yun, Hu”—Shifeng Longjing is the supreme product. Place a cup of new tea on your desk; the leaves, green with a hint of yellow, clear and clean, distinct in shape, with an aroma that penetrates the heart and a sweet, fresh aftertaste. The whole cultural symbolism that has grown up around tea is perhaps no less important to Chinese scholars than calligraphy and painting.

Walking out of Longjing Village, maybe another half hour, at the village entrance at the foot of the mountain there’s a restaurant called “Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter.” The setting is quiet, tranquil, and elegant; the scenery inside and out seems to blend seamlessly with the surrounding mountains and waters. Out of the restaurant, turn right at Longjing Road and you’re at Shuangfeng Village. Keep going straight ahead and you reach Yanggong Causeway and West Lake.

Premier Zhou Memorial Hall

Yunqi Zhujing - Wuyun Mountain - Jiuxi Xucun

Hiking Route: Yunqi Zhujing – Xixin Pavilion – Douyun Pavilion – Wuyun Mountain – Zhenji Temple Ruins – Jiuxi Xucun

After rain, the mountain air is full of quiet, dense moisture. Especially after Hangzhou’s first light snow this winter just a couple of days ago, the mountain streams were even cleaner and clearer. There’s a small parking lot by the Yunqi Zhujing entrance; it was almost empty. Inside, near the “Yunqi Zhujing” archway and steles, a few maple trees still held their autumn colors, but after rain and snow, the stone slabs under the trees were covered with yellow leaves. Along the path, centuries-old and millennium-old sweetgum trees had long since shed their maple leaves; with the slender bamboo on both sides and the sound of water in the brook, the place felt even colder and quieter.

Wuyun Mountain is just over 300 meters high. Keep going straight along Yunqi Zhujing until you hit a fork, then turn right past the tomb of Master Lianchi, a late-Ming eminent monk, and you reach the start of the climb—Douyun Pavilion (Catching Clouds Pavilion). The uphill trail is almost entirely paved with flat stone slabs, very easy to walk. In a little over half an hour, you’re at the summit. The peak originally had Zhenji Temple, which worshiped both Buddhist and Taoist figures and hosted various wealth gods, hence also called the Temple of the God of Wealth. It had great influence among the people. But through dynasties, destroyed and rebuilt, now only ruins remain.

In front of the Zhenji Temple ruins stands a ginkgo tree over 1,400 years old, said to be the oldest tree in Hangzhou. This tree has weathered over a thousand years, enduring lightning strikes and fires, yet still stands silently atop Wuyun Mountain. Looking at its dark, mottled bark, I felt a sense of awe standing between heaven and earth. So often today we forget where we came from, and we’ve lost that original humility our ancestors had before nature.

Heading north behind the mountain is Wanlinbei Mountain, which leads all the way via Shili Langdang to Meijiawu, Longjing Village, Tianzhu, etc. Turning left goes down toward Jiuxi. The descent is even gentler, with few steps but many winding turns. On the way down, you can glimpse the Qiantang River in the distance, appearing and disappearing among the trees. Jiuxi Xucun at the foot of the mountain is covered with tea gardens. The village houses are still uniformly white walls and black tiles, half hidden among the mountain forest.

Dusk had fallen; the streetlights were dim yellow. There were few people on the road, mostly villagers heading home. By the road, you could see well-designed bed-and-breakfast inns. Going out of the village, past the “Wuyun Mountain” archway, the road becomes Jiuxi Road. Turn left and go up to Jiuxi Yanshu (Nine Creeks Misty Trees) and Yangmeiling; turn right and not far is the Jiuxi bus stop. On one side of the road, the clear blue-green water that flows down from the upper Jiuxi Eighteen Streams merges into the Qiantang River just ahead, then journeys eastward with the river.

Liuhe Pagoda - Ma’er Mountain Ridge - Jiuxi Eighteen Streams

Hiking Route: Liuhe Pagoda – Toutou Long – Dahua Mountain – Ma’er Mountain Ridge – Jiuxi Yanshu – West Mountain Hiking Trail – Jiuxi Eighteen Streams – Jiuhong Pavilion – Longjing Village

The Qiantang River makes a “Z”-shaped turn here, then its vast waters flow east, day after day… Qiantang River Bridge, Zhijiang Bridge, Liuhe Pagoda, Hangzhou Liberation Monument – Cai Yongxiang Martyrs’ Statue, a frozen picture, yet you can vaguely hear the Qiantang tidal bore rushing upstream like ten thousand horses trampling mountain passes, layer upon layer, gathering force as if a thousand tons, surging and soaring… For ten thousand years, this Qiantang water has ebbed and flowed; but alas, human lives differ from generation to generation…

The winter noon sun, cold and dazzling, filtered through the treetops and the high iron tower, painting the light before my eyes with bewildering colors. Standing atop Dahua Mountain, treading the Ma’er Mountain Ridge, looking far at Wengjia Mountain, gazing up at Guiren Peak, overlooking the rolling hills to the north… Under the vast, deep pale blue sky, among the mountains, in the empty valley and deep forest, birds sang in the silence, while occasional hikers passed through…

Jiuxi Eighteen Streams – scooping up a handful of sweet, cold stream water and holding it in my mouth, it felt as if the essence of heaven and earth had condensed in this icy, piercing stream and penetrated straight to my heart. The smooth, winding West Mountain Trail passes through this quiet, serene valley. Upstream, who knows where this clear stream water comes from? It hides, then follows the brook, then flows noiselessly over cobblestones on the path… Over and over, finally crossing tangible and intangible to merge into the Qiantang River…

Along the mountain path are scattered various famous and nameless old trees and ancient woods. Most have shed their leaves, leaving only dark, gnarled trunks and branches stretching into the sky. Especially in the high and low hollows, the trail, paved with stones large and small, is flanked by tea gardens laid out according to the terrain, tier upon tier. Walking slowly through this valley of vivid green, following the trail all the way to the end, you arrive at Longjing Village.

Cai Yongxiang Martyrs’ Statue

Xiaokangwu - Guiren Peak - Hupao

Hiking Route: Jiuxi Linhai Pavilion – Xiaokangwu – Hupao Back Mountain – Guiren Pavilion – Hupao

Pass the Wuyun Mountain archway at the entrance to Xucun Village, walk up along Jiuxi for a short while, and you reach Linhai Pavilion (Forest and Sea Pavilion) – an open-sided pavilion built in the late Qing and early Republic for visitors to rest. On the way, you pass the tomb of Chen Sanli – Chen was the son of Chen Baozhen, a late-Qing governor of Hunan, and the father of modern Chinese studies master Chen Yinke. Along with Tan Sitong and others, they were known historically as the “Four Young Reformers of the Late Qing,” personally involved in many significant modern Chinese events. In his later years, after the Marco Polo Bridge Incident and the fall of Beiping and Tianjin to the Japanese, he refused to collaborate and died of anger and starvation.

Back in college, I came to Jiuxi more than once with classmates, but those earlier memories have blurred. I only remember there weren’t so many houses and people then, the stream water was just as clear, with tea gardens on both sides, and further in, there was a big bend in the stream where a broad beach of green stones and tumbled rocks formed; we would gather dry branches and have a picnic there. Back then, Jiuxi felt more remote and secluded, as if it were the westernmost edge of Hangzhou, far, far from the city, and beyond that was the countryside of Fuyang… I never went all the way up then, until recently when I learned about Jiuxi Yanshu. Going past Li’an Temple and Yangmeiling, you can reach Nangao Peak or Manjuelong and Hupao Road.

Across an angle from Linhai Pavilion is a large tea garden. A dirt and gravel path beside it goes up to Xiaokangwu. “Wu” refers to land that is higher around the edges and lower in the middle. Xiaokangwu rises between two hills, and the whole valley and slopes are covered with Longjing tea terraces arranged in layers. This is the peak season for tea flowers—green tea leaves, small pure white blossoms with yellow centers… Beside the trail or in the garden, stone ridges are covered with dark green moss and colorful Boston ivy… A few bare, isolated old trees stand in the hollow, and from the mountain, the distant cawing of crows drifts down…

It takes about an hour to climb to Guiren Peak – Guiren Pavilion. A fork going south seems to head toward Dahua Mountain; another path heading down north goes to Li’an Temple and Jiuxi. The trails are all stone steps, easy to follow. In the middle, there is a stretch on the ridge, up and down, not sure if it’s Ma’anshan (Saddle Mountain). Turning around a peak, suddenly before your eyes, the southern hollow and slopes are filled with more vast tea gardens layer upon layer… Not far off is the Qiantang River, and on the high slopes, the tea gardens stretch far away, the trees showing autumn colors in shades of red and yellow. Looking north, you can vaguely see Wengjia Mountain Village hidden across the hollow halfway up, with tea-covered hills terraced around it.

The weather was partly cloudy; though the view wasn’t perfect, from Guiren Pavilion you could still see the surrounding peaks including Beigao Peak, and to the southeast, Jiuyao Mountain and Yuhuang Mountain, and West Lake and Qiantang River even appeared in the same frame. Descending south from Guiren Pavilion is the back mountain of Hupao; the path is made of blue flagstones, steeper than the way up from Xiaokangwu. In less than half an hour you’re down at Hupao.

I had been to Hupao a long time ago. I vaguely recall that going all the way in through the gate, there’s a cliff where a high monk lies on his side and the Hupao Spring flows out. Today, walking around inside, I had almost no memory of it. Hupao spring water brewed with Shifeng Longjing—legendary perfection, the best under heaven. Hupao Temple is where Li Shutong, Master Hongyi, took his monastic vows. Life is short or long, time stretches far. At heaven’s edge, at earth’s corner, close friends are half scattered. A pot of cloudy wine makes the most of remaining joy; tonight’s parting dreams are cold…

Yangmeiling - Manjuelong - Nangao Peak - Santaishan Foothills

Hiking Route: Jiuxi Yanshu – Xizhongxi – Li’an Temple – Yangmeiling – Manjuelong – Wumen Cave – Nangao Peak – Chenwang Pavilion – Xieyuan Ruins – Faxiang Tangzhang – Huigao Gaoli Temple – Yu Qian Tomb – Yu Zhongsu Shrine

After the rain, an overcast day—perfect for a hike. Even though it was the weekend, partly because of the weather, and also because this route isn’t a hot travel line in Hangzhou, there weren’t many people along the way, and even fewer by the time we reached Nangao Peak.

Nine streams converge among the mountains; after rain, the streams are misty and swollen with water. Being there in person, the name “Jiuxi Yanshu” (Misty Trees at Nine Creeks) couldn’t be more apt. Follow the stream up, passing Xizhongxi (Stream Within a Stream), Li’an Temple, and Yangmeiling Village. The ancient trail is lined with metasequoia, pines, and tea gardens, a feast of green. The mountain homes are almost all uniformly white walls and black tiles.

From Ma Shiyong’s book “Mountains of Hangzhou”: Li’an Temple was originally called Yongquan Temple (Gushing Spring Temple), also known as Fayu Temple, so named because of the famous “Fayu Spring” within. Later, when Emperor Lizong of Song came here to pray for peace, it was renamed “Li’an Temple.” In the Five Dynasties, the eminent monk Zhifeng practiced here, and the King of Wuyue built the temple for him. Legend says that back then, a tiger in the wild would attack villagers; the master fed it meat until the tiger embraced Buddhism and no longer harmed people, so Zhifeng was later honored as the Tiger-Taming Master.

Yangmeiling is the source of Jiuxi’s Eighteen Streams, and it was named for its abundant red bayberries. Now it’s also a main production area for West Lake Longjing. Exit the archway at Yangmeiling village entrance, turn right and go down a few hundred meters, and you are in Manjuelong. Osmanthus trees are planted along the path and in front of and behind villagers’ houses. Every autumn, the orange osmanthus fills the air with fragrance; when a breeze stirs, the blossoms fall like a gentle rain, and the whole gully is suffused with the light sweet scent—this is one of West Lake’s New Ten Scenes, “Manlong Guiyu” (Rain of Osmanthus at Manjuelong). Turn left and go up; nearby on the left, a path with an archway and stone carving “Qianlong Ancient Trail” leads up the mountain. Or follow the mountain road from the village entrance straight up and soon you reach Nangao Peak.

After the rain, there were a lot of mosquitoes on the mountain, following you closely, buzzing and circling in your ears. So I practically ran up the mountain. Before long, I reached an open area halfway up, and the mosquitoes finally gave up. Looking around, at my feet and all around were green tea gardens in high and low terraces. Lifting my eyes, distant mountains rolled in layers, and to the south, the Qiantang River hung like a silver chain on the horizon.

On Nangao Peak stands “Chenwang Pavilion” (Gazing Afar Pavilion). From it, you can look east and south to see West Lake and the Qiantang River. There are several cave grottoes and carvings on Nangao Peak, the more famous being Shuiluo Cave (Water Music Cave) and Yanxia Cave (Misty Grotto). Climbing from the south slope, you pass Wumen Cave (No-Gate Cave). Inside, the Ming dynasty carvings are very well preserved, exquisite, perhaps because of the secluded and steep location, they escaped damage through the ages.

Nangao Peak is only 257 meters high. Descending from the summit, you quickly reach the bottom. Near the “Nangao Peak” archway, there’s a fork. Left goes to the Tea Museum and Longjing Village; right goes out not far to Liu Tong Hotel and Santaishan Road. At the foot of the mountain exit stands “Faxiang Tangzhang,” a camphor tree over 1,000 years old, said to be the oldest recorded ancient camphor tree in Hangzhou, but it seems nearly dead. On the way down, you pass Xieyuan Ruins (Blood Garden Ruins), the cemetery where soldiers of the Northern Expedition were buried.

Yu Qian’s tomb and Yu Zhongsu Shrine are at the foot of the left turn along Santaishan. Yu Qian was from ancient Qiantang, today’s Hangzhou, a famous Ming dynasty minister who rose to Minister of War and Grand Guardian. He was upright and incorruptible. His greatest historical achievement was insisting on fighting and taking command in the defense of the capital after the Tumu Crisis, ultimately defeating the Oirat army. But after the Yingzong Emperor was restored, Yu Qian was unjustly executed. After Emperor Xianzong ascended the throne, Yu Qian was posthumously rehabilitated and his title restored; later he received the honorific “Zhongsu.” His loyal blood through a thousand autumns, who are his equals? Later generations place him alongside Yue Fei of the Southern Song: “Thanks to these two Shao Bao, Yue and Yu, people began to value West Lake.”

Shiwu Cave - Shuiluo Cave - Yanxia Cave - Wengjia Mountain

Hiking Route: Shiwu Cave – Shuiluo Cave – Yanxia Cave – Wengjia Mountain Village – Longquan Ancient Well – China Tea Museum Longjing Branch – Huanhua Pool – Longjing Spring – Qingxu Jingtai – Fenghuang Pavilion – Guoxi Pavilion – Dixun Marsh – Longjing Wengcha – Xijia Pavilion – Zhejiang Xinhai Revolution Memorial Hall – Lijilong Mountain

The Three Misty Caves – Shiwu Cave, Shuiluo Cave, Yanxia Cave – at the foot of Nangao Peak in Manjuelong, going up in order. Though Shiwu Cave is at the mountain’s base, its setting is the most secluded. The cave’s carved statues, however, are almost all modern reconstructions, with stiff lines. Upon seeing old photos of the original statues, one can only sigh with regret, inexplicably wanting to weep… In Shuiluo Cave, the sound of a spring gurgles from an unknown source; cliff inscriptions – “Paradise on Earth,” “High Mountains, Flowing Water”… Ancient Yanxia Cave is at the highest point. I must have been here before, but have absolutely no memory of it. The Five Dynasties carvings inside were unfortunately not visible due to drainage repairs. A couplet on the pillars of the Husong Pavilion reads: “A half-empty pavilion with clouds dwells; deep pines in June, no summer heat comes.” The path behind Yanxia Cave goes up to Nangao Peak.

Wengjia Mountain village is scattered along the mountain contours and slopes, with Manjuelong Road running through it. In front of and behind the houses, persimmon trees are laden with fiery red fruit on bare branches. More people know Wengjia Mountain because of Yu Dafu’s “Late Osmanthus,” but this season, even the latest osmanthus bloom is long past. Occasionally you see a few remnants of blossoms on the trees, not as strong as before, but emitting a light, delicate fragrance that is even more pleasant. Near the Wengjia Mountain Village Committee is Old Longjing. On the stone well railing, deep grooves record the marks of time left for later memory…

In Hangzhou, almost every mountain is home to tea, or rather, tea is on every mountain. Wengjia Mountain is no exception, with tea gardens front and back all over the village. Down behind the village, halfway up the slope, is the China Tea Museum – Longjing Branch. Further down, pass the Longjing Village entrance archway. The forest here is dark and lush, with pavilions and halls hidden among the trees. Below the trees is Longjing Spring – also known as Longhong, where legend says Ge Xuan of the Three Kingdoms and Ge Hong of the Eastern Jin once refined elixirs. Out of the forest, past Xijia Pavilion, midst green pines and emerald cypresses and bamboo, is the Zhejiang Xinhai Revolution Memorial Hall. On the monument, Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s handwriting: “The Soul of the Nation Never Dies.”

Linhai Pavilion - Shili Langdang - Upper Tianzhu - Beigao Peak

Hiking Route: Jiuxi Yanshu – Linhai Pavilion – Tangjiawu – Wuyun Mountain – Zhenji Temple Ruins – Wanlinbei Mountain – Shili Langdang – Lookout Pavilion – Sanchakou – Fanyin Pavilion – Fajing Temple – Zhongyin Temple – Yongfu Temple – Taoguang Temple – Beigao Peak – Beigao Peak Ropeway down

These late autumn colors, so rich, seem almost unreal even right before your eyes. Together with the warm autumn sunshine and deep, transparent blue sky, everything dazzling is also truly here. What you’ll experience and see along the way, you might roughly know before setting out, but when you actually get here, truly here, it’s still hard to imagine the gorgeous mountain walk and autumn scenery unfolding before you: the multicolored Jiuxi, reflecting white clouds and blue sky in its water; the ancient ginkgo on Wuyun Mountain showering golden leaves in the breeze; on Wanlinbei Mountain, atop the Shili Langdang ridge, stepping on a thousand years of history; the distant valley of Meijiawu looking just like a world apart; from another angle, on this fine autumn afternoon on the Langdang Ridge, overlooking Longjing Village, you might ask yourself again and again where you are—can you truly believe the layered and crisscrossed splendor spread over the countryside before you is real?

From Upper Tianzhu to Beigao Peak: Fajing Temple, Zhongyin Temple, Yongfu Temple, Taoguang Temple—each of these temples was founded over a thousand years ago. The clean, either plain white or bright yellow, towering temple walls quietly bring everything back to stillness and peace. At last, climbing Beigao Peak, watching the sunset, seeing Hangzhou city, West Lake, and the eight hundred li of overlapping mountains stretching to the south…

Jiuxi is familiar yet strange, watching the mountain woods and streams drift past the distant years gone by. Jiuxi Yanshu goes down along Jiuxi; in ten minutes you reach Linhai Pavilion. Even though it wasn’t a holiday, there were still quite a few visitors on the path. At Linhai Pavilion, turn down north onto a clay and gravel path, cross a dry creek bed, and follow Tangjiawu hollow all the way up. Very few people. The hollow, with slopes on both sides, is also entirely tea gardens, and occasionally a tea farmer works on the mountain. About an hour after Linhai Pavilion, you join the stone-step trail coming up from Xucun Village. From then on, all the way to Beigao Peak, except for a short stretch of road accessible by cars at Upper Tianzhu, the trail is almost entirely paved stone. Climbing Wuyun Mountain, through the trees to the south, the Qiantang River and Zhijiang Bridge appear and disappear.

On Wuyun Mountain, previously I had gone up from Yunqi Zhujing to go down toward Xucun. Inside the Zhenji Temple ruins, the ground was almost completely covered with fallen yellow leaves. Sitting briefly by the thousand-year-old ginkgo, then heading north on Wanlinbei Mountain and Shili Langdang, a long stretch runs right along the ridgeline. On the left is Meijiawu and its tea gardens; on the right, also tea gardens, with West Lake in the distance, the surrounding mountains, and further still, Qiantang New City. Past the Lookout Pavilion and the ridgeline, you reach Sanfencha (Three Fork Intersection). Going down left leads to Meijiawu; turning right and up, after passing Shifeng you soon reach Langdang Ridge, which curves around Longjing Village below. If you cut through the tea gardens, you can go down to Old Longjing, Longjing Wengcha, the Imperial Eighteen Tea Bushes, and out toward Shuangfeng Village. From Langdang Ridge, via Fanyin Pavilion, it’s not far down to Upper Tianzhu and Fajing Temple. I remember during university, going through Lingyin Temple and Upper Tianzhu, then halfway down through Longjing Village…

I passed Fajing Temple around 3:30, planning to catch the last cable car down from Beigao Peak at 4:45. I intentionally quickened my pace. Under the deep, distant, clean, washed blue sky, through bamboo and mountain forests, Beigao Peak – elevation 313.7 meters – seemed almost always just ahead and above. After Taoguang Temple and Jinghui Pavilion, up quickly was Beigao Peak. I saw that it took about fifty minutes to climb from Fajing Temple. The afterglow of the autumn sunset bathed Chairman Mao’s poetry tablet pavilion on Beigao Peak, and the ridges of the mountains circling West Lake…

Dongyue Temple - Meiren Peak - Tianzhu Mountain - Jiqing Mountain

Hiking Route: Dongyue New Village – Dongyue Temple – Fahua Temple – Yifeng Yuli Pavilion – Meiren Peak – Longmen Pavilion – Longmen Mountain – Shiren Pavilion – Tianzhu Mountain – Fanyin Pavilion – Yangfeng Ridge – Qipan Mountain – Tianma Mountain – Jiqing Mountain – China Tea Museum – Shuangfeng Village

I set out from Dongyue New Village at noon and finally reached Shuangfeng Village close to 7 p.m., but I wasn’t in a hurry anyway. Dongyue Temple enshrines the Great Emperor of the East, a Taoist deity. Past the temple, going up a short way, cross a bridge at Liuxiang Brook, turn left and first go up to Fahua Temple, then turn back and go right to the West Mountain Hiking Trail. Fahua Temple lies on the back side of Beigao Peak; a stairway there climbs directly to the peak—it looks very steep. The temple gate bears an inscription by Zhao Puchu, former president of the Chinese Buddhist Association; his stupa also rests at Fahua Temple.

The West Mountain Hiking Trail has gently winding steps. At the start, tall pines dominate both sides of the path, with the way shaded. Though it was early summer, it didn’t feel hot, and a breeze even brought a chill. Up on the ridgeline, turn left for Beigao Peak, right for Meiren Peak and Longmen Mountain. From Yifeng Yuli Pavilion, you can see the whole Xixi Wetland to the north. From Longmen Pavilion eastward, you look down on West Lake and the ring of mountains to the south. A long stretch is on the ridgeline, peaks rolling on. Occasionally, stopping to rest, I could hear a woodpecker tapping on a trunk from the pine branches above…

Past Longmen Mountain, a cliff has a jutting, jagged boulder. Climb onto it and look down at the myriad valleys and folds of the hills, slopes layered in dark and light green, tilting and stretching away into the distance… Off to the left, the highest peak—Tianzhu Mountain—just stands there. The path through the woods, with a clear wind brushing by, left the world feeling like an empty, spiritual place. Now and then, a hiker would pass going the opposite way; we’d exchange a brief word and go on our separate ways…

Past Shirenling and Shiren Pavilion, continue on. At Shiren Pavilion, turn left towards Fengshu Ridge and Three Tianzhu. When you see a sign indicating a left path up toward Upper Tianzhu, that’s the entrance to climb Tianzhu Mountain. The trail up Tianzhu Mountain turns out to be tough—just dirt and gravel, no stone steps at all, threading through thickets. And because it had rained the day before, the descent was even more slippery. Tianzhu Mountain, also called Tianmen Mountain, at 412.5 meters is the highest peak among the West Lake hills, but the view from the summit isn’t particularly good. Gaode Maps was still very useful; from the summit, take the northeast path down toward Longjing Village and Fanyin Pavilion.

Halfway down Tianzhu Mountain, the view suddenly opens wide: below is Longjing Village, Shifeng, and in the distance, West Lake and Qiantang River… Not far down is Langdang Ridge, right by the Shifeng tea gardens. Turn right and go straight to Wuyun Mountain. After sitting and resting a while, I turned left toward Fanyin Pavilion, following the trail past Shimen Mountain, Qipan Mountain, Tianma Mountain… To the north of the ridge are Three Tianzhu and Lingyin Temple under Beigao Peak; to the south are Wengjia Mountain and, further, Qiantang River and Zhijiang Bridge. Although the visibility wasn’t great, from Tianma Mountain I could still clearly see West Lake and the surrounding sights: Chenwang Pavilion on Nangao Peak, Leifeng Pagoda, Fenghuang Pavilion on Wu Hill…

Descending Jiqing Mountain into Shuangfeng Village, dusk was falling. The hills and fields are just vast patches of Longjing tea gardens. The China Tea Museum (Shuangfeng branch) is perfectly situated here.

Qixia Ridge - Qingzhiwu - Lingfeng - Baoxian Temple

Hiking Route: Huanglong Cave – Yuelao Shrine – Ziyun Cave – Qixia Ridge – Yue Temple – Zhusu Garden – Quyuan Fenghe – Yugu Road – Qingzhiwu – Botanical Garden – Lingfeng Tanmei – Laihe Pavilion – Meiren Mountain – Songjing Feixia – Baoxian Temple

On Shuguang Road, the main gate of the Chen Jinglun Sports School faces the entrance to Huanglong Cave Scenic Area. Nearby are Hangzhou landmarks—the Dragon Hotel to the east, Yellow Dragon Sports Center to the west. Go one block north and turn right onto Tianmushan Road, and you’ll find Zhejiang University’s Xixi Campus—the former Hangzhou University. Going south and up leads to the Baoshi Mountain Hiking Trail, toward Huanglong Cave and Qixia Ridge. Winter: on the broad path of Huanglong Tucui (Yellow Dragon Spitting Green), two rows of tall, quiet plane trees stand; the lawn is scattered with dry yellow leaves, and in the distance, early risers exercise…

Passing Huanglong Cave to Baisha Spring, the trail is lined with slender bamboo, quiet and serene. Further up, the ancient Qixia Ridge path. In early winter, the mountains are still a riot of colorful autumn foliage among the high and low. Along the way: Ziyun Cave, Qixia Cave, Foshi Rock, Yueya Spring… grottos and cliff carvings, rocky walls and clear springs, high walls and deep courtyards… Maybe because it was the weekend, there were quite a few climbers, many of them older, making hiking their exercise. Some gathered in groups of three or five, sitting on stone stools under the trees around a table playing cards. Although far from the morning bustle of Wu Hill, it had a true air of ease and contentment. It brought to mind the verse of Master Huikai: “Spring has a hundred flowers, autumn the moon; summer has cool breezes, winter snow. If no idle cares cling to your heart, it is a perfect season on earth.”

At Guapai Mountain, under Yueya Spring on Qixia Ridge Road, going east and up leads to Geling and Baopu Taoist Temple. Going south and down are the May Fourth Constitution History Exhibition Hall and Huang Binhong Memorial Hall. Further down, turn left on Beishan Street and you reach Yue Temple. I’ve been to Yue Temple more than once. I still remember a period in my childhood when after dinner, I’d carry a little stool and sit by the loudspeaker at home early, waiting every day to listen to Liu Lanfang’s storytelling of “The Legend of Yue Fei.” “Green hills are honored to bury loyal bones”—Yue Wang Temple’s presence here adds a different atmosphere to Hangzhou: “With burning indignation, thirty years of fame and dust, eight thousand miles under clouds and moon.” Through thousands of generations, his heroic spirit endures in heaven and earth.

Exiting Yue Temple and crossing Beishan Street, opposite are Zhusu Garden and Quyuan Fenghe. Then head west past Yanggong Causeway intersection and Yugu Road; walk a short way to Qingzhiwu. Qingzhiwu has a long history, blessed by its location and current trends, and has naturally become a Hangzhou hip neighborhood. To the north is Zhejiang University’s Yuquan Campus, to the south it neighbors the Botanical Garden. Going straight west through Qingzhiwu leads to the North Gate of the Botanical Garden. Enter and you’ll soon be in the wintersweet garden and Lingfeng Tanmei.

When going from Laohe Yunqi or Xiaoshan up toward Beigao Peak, along the way there’s a fork toward Yuquan and the Botanical Garden. Climb up Lingfeng Tanmei, past Laihe Pavilion, and not far you reach this fork at the peak of Lingfeng. Turn left for Beigao Peak, turn right and go up to Meiren Mountain. The middle platform faces southeast, offering a distant view of West Lake. At the top of Meiren Mountain is a newly built pavilion, looking north to the western urban area of Hangzhou, and you can faintly see Xixi Wetland in the distance.

Songjing Feixia goes down, passing through Caiwu halfway down, to Baoxian Temple. Along the mountain path, I encountered people carrying hoes and shovels, baskets in hand, going up the mountain. At first I didn’t understand, then I realized it was the eve of the Winter Solstice—they must be climbing to sweep ancestral tombs. Different regions not far apart can have different customs, like our family mostly sweeping tombs at Qingming, but in the end, the wishes are similar: remembering the dead and blessing the living. Candlelight flickers, Buddhist chants drift—incense wishes in the burner still have embers, on the stone another life in spirit. Time rushes on, so we must cherish the present and not fail the past or the future…

Shitangwu - Daqing Valley - Zhugan Mountain - Three Tianzhu

Hiking Route: Meijiawu – Shitangwu – Daqing Valley – Xia Tongsun Memorial Hall – Daqing Village – Qingyin Pavilion – Lingyin Mountain Head – Zhugan Mountain – Jiuqu Ridge – Shiren Pavilion – Fengshu Ridge – Zhongyin Temple – Upper Tianzhu Fajing Temple – Middle Tianzhu Fajing Temple – Three Tianzhu Fajing Temple – Feilai Peak – Lingyin Temple

Morning in the mountains of Meijiawu, pushing open the window: on the hillside behind the house, green tea gardens; in the valley, homes scattered high and low, shrouded in thin mist; the air floating with the fresh, slightly damp breath of mountain spring… Climbing up from the Shili Langdang – Benevolent Love Mountains archway leads to Sanfencha, Lion Peak, Longjing Village, or south to Wanlinbei and Zhenji Temple on Wuyun Mountain. Meanwhile, on the early-morning streets of Meijiawu, kids heading to school with backpacks, old folks leaning on canes, and roadside morning markets…

Follow the clear mountain stream, the gurgling spring water down to the south. Between the valleys, Meiling Road runs through Meiwu, north to south. From far away, watch an occasional bright yellow pickup truck pass the tall metasequoias—coming near, then going far, disappearing into the vast green of the tea gardens at the mountain’s foot. A vague memory seems to recall a scene like this—a long trip when I was little, not even school age, sitting on a bus winding through mountain valleys and roads. Outside the window, the trees and fields on both sides kept flashing by; it felt like such a long journey…

Between Meijiawu and Yunqi Zhujing, on the right, a small stone step path goes up the hillside, leading inside and up. The hollow holds more layers of Longjing tea on both sides. The path goes on and up, and not long after you reach the ridgeline. According to the sign, if you follow the ridge south you head toward Baizi Peak and Songcheng; north is toward Dingjia Mountain, Yanjia Mountain, Zhugan Mountain. Crossing down over the ridge leads to Daqing Valley, with the Zizhi Tunnel cutting through the mountain. On the way, you pass Shitangwu Pond.

In Daqing Valley, scattered among the tea ridges are rapeseed flowers, winter jasmine, apricot blossoms, tea flowers… and other nameless little blossoms, along with the tender green buds of Longjing tea—as if all the colors of spring are in these hills. Some families had already picked tender Longjing buds and were drying them in flat baskets in front of their houses, roasting them in machines with tea oil, the faint fragrance lingering on for a long time…

Daqing Village is just as beautiful as all those other mountain villages I’ve walked through in Hangzhou. Past the village, it’s not too far to Lingyin Mountain Head, but the climb is noticeably steep. Then along the ridgeline to Zhugan Mountain is another long upward stretch. Past Zhugan Mountain’s summit, the rear ridge is relatively flat, though there are still ups and downs after Jiuqu Ridge. The view from the ridge is wide, overlooking—maybe there was a slight haze and visibility wasn’t great, but the sky overhead was blue with white clouds.

Along the mountain path, many fire pools of various types are scattered. On both sides of the trail, wild azaleas bloom sporadically, pink or red, in full bloom or bud. Going down toward Shiren Pavilion, you pass the entrance to Tianzhu Mountain. Far away, you can hear young hikers ahead shouting and calling to each other. After Shiren Pavilion, going down left leads to Yongxing Temple; continue past Longmen Mountain toward Fahua Temple and Dongyue Temple; turning right and down leads to Three Tianzhu and Lingyin Temple.

Chaiyaoli - Lingyin Mountain Head - Dingjia Mountain - Meiling Road

Hiking Route: South of Meiling Tunnel – Chaiyaoli – Jiuqu Ridge – Zhugan Mountain – Lingyin Mountain Head – Yanjia Mountain – Beichewu – Dingjia Mountain – Shitangwu – Meiling Road – Meijiawu

Going up Lingyin Road, past Three Tianzhu, exit the Meiling Tunnel into Meiling South Road. There’s a bridge. After the bridge, turn right and go down; among tea gardens is the mountain hiking trail. There’s no parking nearby. Go a little further past Xiaoyawu to Meiwu Village; parking spaces are marked on both sides of the road. Park and walk back.

In a tea garden, a sign stood, roughly indicating whose tea base this plot is. Suddenly seeing “Hupanju West Lake Longjing Tea Base” felt inexplicably familiar—back in university, when I went to Sanlian Bookstore by the lake, I’d always pass by Hupanju. The hiking trail follows a creek. Roadside and creekside, various wildflowers and wild fruits; a couple of tea farmers were picking tea in the gardens. The path starts gently, then steepens. At Jiuqu Ridge on the ridge, turn right for Lingyin Temple, opposite direction to Hejiayuan; turn left and up to the ridgeline and Zhugan Mountain.

Over a month ago, the wild azaleas along the trail were just budding or showing first blossoms, but today many are in full bloom, mostly pink. Looking far, from halfway up to the summit, green is interspersed with this brilliant, dense spring color—what they call “The most beautiful April days on earth.” From Zhugan Mountain to Shitangwu, via Yanjia Mountain, Dingjia Mountain, and others, you cross several peaks, going up and down repeatedly, the trail undulating. But all the way you’re on the ridgeline, and with fine weather, the visibility is excellent. To the right, you can see the rolling mountains of western Hangzhou suburbs and villages in the valleys; to the left, though blocked by dense woods, you can occasionally glimpse the homes in Meiwu Village below.

I started hiking after 2 p.m. After resting at the pavilions at Jiuqu Ridge – ‘Deep Green Bamboo’ and Beichewu – ‘Green Valley Clear Sky’, I reached Shitangwu around 5 p.m. I decided not to go toward Baizi Peak and Songcheng but turned left to go directly down to Meijiawu. Descending into the hollow, tea farmers were pruning tea bushes over a large area with saws. The whole valley was filled with the rich fragrance of freshly cut tea branches.

Dongwushan Village - Tofu Skin Ancient Trail - Dadunling - Bailongtan

Hiking Route: Dongwushan Village – Dayangwu Reservoir – Tofu Skin Ancient Trail – Dadunling – Wuchaoshan National Forest Park – Bailongtan Scenic Area – Longmenkan Village

Wuchaoshan National Forest Park is located in the western part of Hangzhou, near Zhuantang and Fuyang, belonging to the Tianmu Mountain range. Dongwushan Village sits southwest of the mountain. Homes follow the clear stream flowing down from Dayangwu, climbing upstream along both sides of the brook in this narrow valley, positioned between water and mountain. Almost every house is a modern building. In early autumn, the fruit trees in front of and behind the houses are laden with persimmons, dates, kiwi… Walking into the village feels, like many other mountain villages in Hangzhou now, peaceful and prosperous.

Following the mountain stream in the village all the way up is Dayangwu Reservoir. It’s not big. Under the blue sky and light clouds, the reservoir glimmers a pale turquoise, naturally recalling the beautiful lakes of Jiuzhaigou. The Dayangwu Ancient Trail entrance is just north of the reservoir. Dongwushan Village is most famous for its “tofu skin,” a specialty with a production history of over a thousand years. In the past, villagers carried poles of tofu skin along the Dayangwu Ancient Trail over the mountains to temples large and small along the way, which is why it’s also called the “Tofu Skin Ancient Trail.”

I asked two villagers, and both enthusiastically said, “Oh—hiking, right? Going to Bailongtan? Mmm, follow that ancient trail there—the Tofu Skin Trail—go all the way up. When you reach the platform on top, turn left and go down. When you get to the bottom, turn right, and keep going right all the way to Bailongtan… Is two or three hours enough? Yes, enough…” And indeed, following those directions, at a normal pace it took two hours to exit Bailongtan to Longmenkan Village.

The ancient trail now looks barely traveled. In the numerous hiking routes around Hangzhou, this one seems remote. Today, only backpackers and hiking enthusiasts might cross it now and then. The whole way was quiet. About half the trail has stone steps; many sections are just irregular stones. It reminded me that for off-the-beaten-path hikes like this, it’s wise to carry some basic outdoor backup items, including bug repellent—at the start, there were many mosquitoes, and near Bailongtan I encountered a huge white snake rustling away into the grass.

Cross over Dadunling and go down into the Wuchao Mountain forest area, with tall firs, pines, and vast bamboo groves. A refreshing breeze brushed by; now and then, yellow leaves from a tree would float lazily down. Unnoticed, a trace of autumn had appeared among the trees. Follow the under-construction mountain path right and down, and before long you reach Bailongtan Scenic Area. I had originally intended to go up Wuchao Mountain, where there are Wuchao Well and Wuchao Pavilion, but crossing the ancient trail this way, I didn’t know which side Wuchao Mountain was on. There was no time left, so I can only leave it for another day.

The Bailongtan Scenic Area path follows a plank walkway along the stream. One side is a cliff; on the other, cool mountain springs converge into a gurgling brook. The valley is shaded by trees, cooler than halfway up. At the exit near Bailongtan, there’s Bailong Zen Temple, incense smoke curling, the sound of chanting distant and serene. Past the Bailongtan Scenic Area archway is Longmenkan Village. On the hillsides are vast swaths of green tea gardens terraced up and down. And in the village, rows of pretty, exquisite Western-style houses—many serving as B&Bs—with clusters of bougainvillea in vivid rose pink blooming under the just-right sunshine.

Baoshou Temple - Longyin Shihou - Wuchao Mountain - Shangchengdai Village

Hiking Route: Xiaoshan Foot – Baoshou Temple – Xishan National Forest Park – Jinlian Temple – Longyin Shihou – Wuchao Mountain Massacre Site – Shangxinyuemu Archway – Wuchao Pavilion – Jixinong – Tianda Mountain – Dade Ridge – Feifeng Rock – Huangmei Pavilion – Guangming Temple Reservoir – Longwu Tea Town – Shangchengdai Village

Baoshou Temple at the foot of Xiaoshan looks unassuming from outside, but it was built in the early Tang dynasty along the ancient Hangzhou-Anhui post road. It is said that the Anhui merchant Hu Xueyan would always stop to burn incense here whenever he passed on his way back home to Jixi. In front of the temple gate, a small bridge crosses a brook to the tea gardens below—named “Baolong Bridge,” it was granted by Emperor Qianlong while traveling. Under the autumn morning sun, the bright yellow, clean temple, accompanied by the chanting and wooden-fish tapping of morning service, felt all the more cold, clear, and quiet.

The entrance to Xishan National Forest Park—‘Xishan’ roughly refers to the mountains west of West Lake, like Meiren Peak, Longmen Mountain, Zhugan Mountain, all included. Pass the Fayu Xiangyun Archway, deep into bamboo paths, up a short way to Jinlian Temple atop Xiaoshan. The temple integrates Buddhism and Taoism; it was once one of the three great temples in rural Hangzhou, with flourishing incense. Destroyed in the 1950s, it is now being rebuilt.

Beyond Jinlian Temple to Wuchao Pavilion on Wuchao Mountain, the stone-paved trail is relatively flat and easy. But after Wuchao Pavilion, the trail drops steeply, often a rough, natural path, before stone steps resume after Dade Ridge. All the way through the forest, it was so quiet you could hear leaves tapping branches and acorns dropping onto fallen leaves. By the roadside, white, yellow, and purple wild chrysanthemums gave off a light, hidden fragrance. Squirrels darted among the trees; birds chirped by from time to time.

Below the Longyin Shihou Pavilion, looking down the slope are whole patches of tea gardens, with a few farmers working inside. Contrasting with the green spread of the tea gardens, the mountainside is dotted with clumps of red and yellow, light and deep, the dazzling, brilliant autumn colors of the mountain woods. Beyond the Shangxinyuemu Archway, the path steepens. Wuchao Mountain reaches 494.7 meters, with Wuchao Pavilion on top. Below to the north is Xixi Yuan Village, overlooking the Yuhang urban area in the distance.

The Wuchao Mountain Massacre Site lies in this secluded valley below the peak. It was built to commemorate the Wuchao Mountain Massacre: on March 1, 1938, invading Japanese forces massacred hundreds of innocent refugees hiding in the Wuchao Temple below the mountain. The monument warns future generations never to forget the national humiliation—remembering history is not to perpetuate hatred, but to know where we today came from and to take history as a mirror.

Cross Wuchao Pavilion and go down, over the classic ridgeline of Wuchao Mountain—oddly shaped rocks, steep and perilous cliffs, myriad valleys stretching below… Ahead, cross Jixinong and Tianda Mountain, then via Dade Ridge to a three-way fork. Turning right goes to Dayangwu Reservoir and Dongwushan Village—the same route I once took up the Tofu Skin Ancient Trail to Bailongtan and Longmenkan Village. Turning left goes to Shangchengdai Village. Not long after the fork, the view suddenly opens. Below is Longwu Tea Town, and on the distant horizon, the Qiantang River hangs like a silver chain in the sky.

Below Huangmei Pavilion is the Longwu Tea Garden—said to be the largest protected base for West Lake Longjing tea in Hangzhou. Below the tea garden lies the Guangming Temple Reservoir, shimmering with emerald water under the autumn afternoon sun, surrounded by dazzling autumn foliage. Down from the tea garden is Shangchengdai Village.

Tanshan - Lujialing - Gongguan Mountain - Xiao Dongyue Temple

Hiking Route: Tongjian Lake Inner Lake Parking Lot – Tanshan Park – Yiqi Pavilion – Zhu Xi’s Tanshan Inscription – Huashan Hiking Trail – Hubu Village – Lujialing – Chenqi Pavilion – Inner Lake Park – Dingnan Mansion – Gongguan Mountain – Gongguan Corridor – Huju Corridor – Shilongshan Street – Westlake University – Xiao Dongyue Temple

On the western shore of Tongjian Lake lies a small, unassuming hill—Tanshan. The Southern Song Neo-Confucian scholar Zhu Xi’s Tanshan Inscription is located on the cliff north of Yiqi Pavilion at the hill’s southeast corner. It records how Zhu Xi, dismissed from office, passed Tanshan on his return south, with his disciples seeing him off: “In the intercalary tenth month of the Jiayin year of the Shaoxi era, Zhu Zhonghui returned south. He revisited the garden pavilion of Lord Zheng Cishan, toured the scenic cliffs and ravines, and tarried long. Lin Shizhi, Yu Fangshu, Zhu Yaoqing, Wu Dingzhi, Zhao Chengfu, Wang Boji, Chen Xiuyan, Li Liangzhong, Yu Kezhong all came.”

“Those before the Six Dynasties never heard of West Lake’s beauty.” Before the Tang dynasty, the more famous lake in Hangzhou was Mingsheng Lake, which is today’s Tongjian Lake. Tongjian Lake and the nearby Fengshui Cave, Ling Mountain, and Shilong Mountain all belong to Hubu Village. The village rests by hills and water. Besides the ecological green tea Longjing, they also produce black tea—Jiuqu Red Plum—and water shield, one of West Lake’s most iconic dishes. The village environment is excellent, with B&Bs and farmhouse restaurants. Shilong Mountain produced limestone and Hangzhou-grey marble. Although the mining operations are now abandoned and shut down, the damaged mountain body can never be fully restored.

East from Hubu Village, crossing Lujialing to Gongguan Mountain and down to the Inner Lake Park of Tongjian Lake. At the eastern foot near the lake is Dingnan Mansion, built in the Tang dynasty, an ancient post station for traveling officials—roughly equivalent to older-style guesthouses. The name Gongguan Mountain also derives from Dingnan Mansion. From the top of Gongguan Mountain, you can gaze far at the western mountains and Ruyi Peak. Going down the eastern side of Gongguan Mountain to Shilongshan Street exit leads to Yunqi Town and Westlake University.

In Hangzhou, I’ve visited Dongyue Village’s Dongyue Temple and Wushan’s Zhongxing Dongyue Temple. The Dongyue Temple at the entrance of Shizi Village is popularly called Xiao Dongyue Temple. The main hall enshrines various Buddhist and Taoist deities; a small side hall even has a statue of a kindly, smiling, almost comically friendly local earth god. Xiao Dongyue Temple is also called Chaowang Temple. Right outside the gate, adjacent to the provincial-level protected Hangzhou Sea Embankment, stand a stone lion and a stone pillar remaining from the ancient seawall—“Pillar turning the tide, for ten thousand years”—and a over 400-year-old camphor tree. Southwest of Xiao Dongyue Temple is Shizi Mountain, also called Ding Mountain.

Spending the Night at Fanpu – by Cui Guofu (Tang)

The moon is dark, the tide falls again; a brief stop at Xiling ferry.

Village smoke and sea mist; boat fires merge with river stars.

The road winds around Ding Mountain; the dyke stretches alongside Fanpu.

Where has Chiyi* gone? Empty mountain overlooks the vast sea.

(*Chiyi: Fan Li, who took this name after leaving his official post.)

Fengshui Cave - Lingshan Fantasy - Lingshan Great Buddha - Qingxu Tower - Canghai Pavilion

Lingshan Scenic Area in Hangzhou lies southwest of Qiantang, near Fuyang. Within the area, Fengshui Cave and Lingshan Cave were formed over millions of years, creating towering giant stalactites and exquisitely crafted stone flowers and stone velvet balls. Both caves are immensely spacious. Fengshui Cave is a short walk from the scenic area entrance—“The cave is massive, water never runs dry; above it there is another cave from which a cool breeze emerges, hence the name.” Lingshan Cave is the Lingshan Fantasy; a shuttle bus from the visitor center takes about five minutes.

Li Zhiting of Zhejiang University’s College of Humanities has a detailed outline of the historical rise and fall of Lingshan Fengshui Cave in “A Historical Overview of Hangzhou Lingshan Scenic Area.” The hill where Fengshui Cave is located is called Yunquan Mountain, so a cliff carving reads “Yunquan Lingdong” (Cloud Spring Spirit Cave), and a stone archway is named “Yunquan Wonderland”—the starting point of the Ruyi Peak hiking trail. Throughout history, especially during the Tang and Song, many famous figures visited Fengshui Cave: Bai Juyi, Lin Hejing, Fan Zhongyan, Zhao Bian, Su Shi…

In the Tang dynasty, Fengshui Cave was formerly called Ende Cave, and nearby was Ende Temple. When Bai Juyi served as governor of Hangzhou, because of his friendship with Huiri Chan Master of Ende Temple (also called Ciyan Temple), he visited here several times, leaving behind a poem:

Clouds and water hide Ende Cave; official robes bind the governor’s body.

A brief visit, no lodging, heading back to the prefecture; I should be scolded by the mountain as a worldly man.

Fengshui Cave – by Lin Bu (Song)

Long had I heard of Fengshui Cave, beyond range after range, water after water.

By chance I entered the Cloud Spring Path; beneath the woods, first heard the guest-welcoming bell.

Fengshui Cave – by Fan Zhongyan (Song)

The immortals left several thousand years ago, sending the Qin people never to return.

Spring ends, peach blossoms nowhere to be found; only flowing water remains, reaching the human world.

First Visit to Hangzhou, Visiting Fengshui Cave – by Zhao Bian (Song)

The windy cave has a sound connecting to the water cave; listening to wind, watching water, a moment of leisure.

Not yet entering Hangzhou, already so at ease; for now, I am master of the southern mountain.

Riverside Immortal · Written at Fengshui Cave – by Su Shi (Song)

The four elements pervade everywhere; what doubt is there of wind and water here?

It surely inspires new poems for me. Hidden flowers scent the valley brook; cold duckweed dances in the ripples.

Borrowing from the Jade River* to grow two armpit wings; the heavenly immortals need not yearn for each other.

Still the flowing water sees the traveler home. On the high peak, the setting sun lingers; grass dew has already dampened my robe.

(*Jade River: a legendary river whose water gives wings.)

Inside Lingshan Fantasy’s Lingshan Cave, going up all the way, near the summit exit, suddenly the world opens wide and bright. Looking back, the gate reads “Qingxu Dongtian” (Clear Void Grotto Heaven). Further ahead is the Lingshan Great Buddha. Nearby are Qingxu Tower and Canghai Pavilion. Gazing far into the forested empty valley, homes are half hidden, as if in a dreamlike peach blossom paradise…

Fengshui Cave – Goutou Mountain – Ruyi Peak – Shuangling Village

Hiking Route: Xishan National Forest Park Lingshan Scenic Area – Fengshui Cave – Jiangtian Kuanglan Pavilion – Xishan – Goutou Mountain – Yeshan Tou – Ruyi Pavilion – Ruyi Peak – Shuangling Village

Ruyi Peak is 536 meters high, the highest peak within Hangzhou city limits, located west of the city. Cross Zhijiang Bridge to Xishan National Forest Park Lingshan Scenic Area. Many guides say the east entrance of Fengshui Cave; roughly right, but actually you don’t go toward Fengshui Cave, just follow Gaode Maps up the mountain. West of the go-kart track, enter the Yunquan Wonderland archway.

Quite a few people were hiking on the weekend, even in this relatively remote part of the suburbs. Shortly after starting up, I saw a girl in a hiking group looking pale, maybe she hadn’t rested well the night before. Hiking alone has its advantages, but if something happens it could be troublesome. Groups, I think, are even harder: so many people with varying ability all starting and finishing together—the group leader really has a tough job. So it’s probably better for those joining hiking groups to have some prior outdoor experience.

On the way up Ruyi Peak, there are many branching paths in different directions. This route goes over Goutou Mountain and Yeshan Tou, up to Ruyi Peak, then down to Shuangling Village. The whole loop is about ten kilometers—not counting elevation gain. On the mountain, you truly experience ‘Jiangtian Kuanglan’—the Qiantang River, upstream Fuchun River. Early in the morning, the distant Fuchun River and the valleys even had a floating sea of clouds. The whole way to the top, Ruyi Pavilion on Ruyi Peak was always faintly visible in the distance.

The first half of the ascent threads through forests and bamboo groves, almost entirely steps. There were several stone forests, looking a bit like Fenghuang Mountain or Jiangtai Mountain. The second half, past Goutou Mountain, is basically on the ridgeline, with several sections of rough, rocky trail, but the views are much broader. The autumn colors in the mountain wilds ebbed and flowed; though not vast continuous patches, they were still brilliantly red and yellow, unrestrained.

An old gentleman coming up from Banbishan Reservoir walked on the ridge with a slow, unhurried pace, accompanied by a plump dog named “Cola,” panting and puffing ahead of him. Below Ruyi Peak I also met two young mothers, each with a kid of about four or five, coming up from Shuangling Village. A group of seven or eight hikers and I were going up and down at similar times. The group leader was keeping to a schedule, saying after descending they still had to go toward Wuchao Mountain, and had to finish by 5:03 p.m. before sunset.

Descending into Shuangling Village, the hollow is also full of tea gardens. I suddenly wondered: are there any mountain villages in Hangzhou that don’t grow tea? Hangzhou is famous for green tea Longjing, but here in Shuangpu Town they uniquely produce a prized black tea—Jiuqu Red Plum. The mountain village is clean and quiet, you might not even hear a dog bark. In front of three- and four-story houses are spacious yards enclosed by stone walls. Golden and purple chrysanthemums bloom in clusters on and below the walls. In the corners of yards or on tea garden slopes, persimmon trees are loaded with ripe fruit…

Guan Mountain – Changhe Old Street

Route: Guan Mountain Ruquan Spring – Guandi Temple – Caishen Hall – Fencui Pavilion – Guan Mountain Ancient Temple – Guan Mountain Cliff Inscriptions – Mei Lang – Wang Dao – Guan Mountain Pavilion – Changhe Historical District

Guan Mountain is in Xiaoshan, now part of Binjiang District. Guan Mountain Temple originated in the Southern Song as Xi’yin Hermitage, later expanded and renamed Yunyan Temple. The Ruquan Spring at the foot of Guan Mountain is said to have been a drinking water source for the Southern Song imperial family. I entered the nearby Ruquan Hill House only to realize it was Guandi Temple. A short walk up the path leads to Guan Mountain Temple. On the cliff next to the temple tea room are Xiaoshan’s only surviving cliff carvings. In golden autumn, the osmanthus blooms, and a hidden fragrance drifts inside the temple. A couplet hangs: “Water falls, flowers bloom—spring and autumn’s intensity and lightness are all unreal; Peaks are still, clouds fly—dawn and dusk mist and rosy clouds are all illusion.” The ridge behind the temple, looking north from Wang Dao, overlooks the bustling Xiaoshan and main Hangzhou city, the Qiantang River faintly visible; directly below, the Shidai Overpass runs through the Guan Mountain Tunnel connecting north and south.

Changhe Old Street isn’t far from Guan Mountain. Compared to Wuzhen or Xitang, it’s a far quieter old town, with more of a lived-in feel. Along the river streets, Ze Street and Huai Street run north-south and east-west, crisscrossing. Scattered in the neighborhood are old mansions with high walls and deep courtyards, but more often old, small houses transformed into cafes, tea houses, book bars, and little pubs. From exhibits, I learned that the Lai family has been a prominent clan here. I suddenly remembered a Xiaoshan friend from long ago, before cell phones, whose surname was Lai. I thought it was unusual then, but it turns out to be a major surname here—a small sign of how vast and broad our great China is.

Laohudong Mountain – Chengshan – Kuahuqiao Site

Hiking Route: Laohudong Village – Lianhua Ancient Temple – Laohudong Mountain – Shanhe Village Committee – Chengshan Square – Yuewang City Ruins – Guyue Pavilion – Yuewang Shrine – Ancient City Wall – Lingyun Pavilion – Woxin Changdan – New Dachen Zen Temple – Sanshan Bridge – Kuahuqiao Site Museum

Laohudong Village Old Village Committee bus stop. The village is right along the river, at the southern foot of Laohudong Mountain. It doesn’t seem as flowery and prosperous as other mountain villages in Hangzhou, but it looks peaceful, serene, and comfortable. From the stop, you can see the Lianhua Ancient Temple halfway up the mountain. Follow the path up, passing the Laohudong Tea Plantation and Sanjiang Pavilion—here, the Fuchun River and Puyang River flow into the Qiantang.

Lianhua Temple’s founding date is unclear, probably during the Daoguang era of the Qing, destroyed and later rebuilt by villagers at the foot of the mountain. It’s said that a villager went to Putuo Mountain, and on the boat, a family member fell overboard. Though unable to swim, the person survived, and so they vowed to rebuild Lianhua Ancient Temple. After years of unremitting effort, the wish was fulfilled. The temple is on the sunny side of the mountain, built in layers following the slope. The south-facing view is exceptionally broad: the three rivers merge, and across the Qiantang in the distance, mountains roll on—vast and majestic. I suddenly felt the sky and universe clear, and my heart became still.

Behind Lianhua Temple, up a short way to the top of Laohudong Mountain, you can overlook the full view of Xianghu Lake below; farther, you can faintly see the Xishan Xianzhao Temple. The trail is all dirt and gravel, no stone steps. Parts of the descent are very steep; I’m used to carrying a trekking pole, so it was okay, but it’s not a trail for rainy days or right after rain. I had thought from the summit I’d turn right toward Shizi Mountain and then Chengshan, but there was no clear marker and I didn’t see an obvious right-turn path. Unknowingly, I turned left and went down to Yaojiawu Cemetery. The hollow exit is at Shanhe Village Committee – Shanhe Village Cultural Hall.

Chengshan Square is on the north shore of Xianghu Lake. A Xiaofeng Courier station stands on one side of the square, with coffee, tea, iced drinks, and fresh fruit juice—a good place to rest. By the lake stands the Chengshan Huaigu archway. Going up are Guyue Pavilion, Yuewang Shrine, Ancient Yuewang City, and the Ancient Yue City Wall. It is said that about 2,500 years ago, in the late Spring and Autumn period, after King Goujian of Yue was defeated by King Fuchai of Wu, he retreated to this mountain, slept on brushwood and tasted gall, determined to revive his state. He employed Fan Li and Wen Zhong, and ultimately after “ten years of population growth and accumulation, ten years of education and training,” he restored his kingdom and destroyed Wu.

The Kuahuqiao Site is a Neolithic relic dating back about 7,000-8,000 years, spanning between the Shangshan culture and the Hemudu and Majiabang cultures of Zhejiang. The Kuahuqiao Site Museum, with the theme “8,000 years, a startling glance; 8,000 years, treading the wave in song,” houses China’s First Boat—a dugout canoe about 8,000 years old, the earliest discovered in the world. There are also primitive stone tools bearing the simple wisdom of ancient people, finely crafted bone needles, and more…

Xiaoran Mountain – Beigan Mountain

Hiking Route: Dengfeng Diyi Pavilion – Yilan Pavilion – Xianzhao Temple – Jingang Pagoda – Jinxi Pavilion – Baihua Pavilion – Chailing Mountain – Xishan Park – Wenmei Pavilion – Martyrs’ Monument – Yuding Pavilion – Wangjiang Pavilion – He Zhizhang Statue – Jizhen Pavilion – Biyun Pavilion – Beishan Tonglan – Astronomical Observation Station – Meteorological Science Park

Start near Xiangyun Road at the Dengfeng Diyi Pavilion trail, go up past Yilan Pavilion, Xianzhao Temple, Jinxi Pavilion, Baihua Pavilion, cross Chailing Mountain… Stone-step trail, fine weather, hikers coming and going continuously. I asked and was told you can go straight all the way to Xishan Park—Xiaoran Mountain is now called Xishan—though the path is a bit harder. There are several viewing platforms along the way. To the north, the bright and clear Xianghu Lake and Chengshan; faintly visible in the distance, the Qiantang River and Fuchun River. To the south, the high-rises of Xiaoshan urban area, and occasionally high-speed trains crisscrossing by…

Xiaoran Mountain—“Goujian fought Fuchai, defeated, he occupied this mountain with his remaining troops. Gazing around, everything was bleak and desolate.” Hence the name Xiaoran Mountain—and this is also the direct origin of the name Xiaoshan. Xiaoran Mountain and Beigan Mountain almost run east-west across Xiaoshan urban area, forming a natural barrier between Xiaoshan and the Qiantang River. North of Xiaoran Mountain, closely neighboring, is Xianghu Lake, sister lake to West Lake. Xianghu is also one of the cradles of Chinese civilization, the Kuahuqiao cultural site here proving the beginning of Zhejiang’s civilization.

Xianzhao Temple on Shiyan Mountain—“The first light of the rising sun shines upon this temple.” An ancient tea path, slender bamboo, heavy-eaved pagoda. On the way up, the site of the original Ming dynasty Jiajing-era Yilan Pavilion and the rebuilt pavilion: “Step a thousand miles to a fairyland, outside the dusty world; gaze in all four directions, river tide and lake water within a painting”… Viewing the silent vastness of lake, mountain, river, and sky, an ineffable openness fills the heart. What leisure in life like this, “White tea and clean wind, nothing else to do; I’m waiting for the wind, and waiting for you”…

The west foot entrance of Beigan Mountain, going up, you encounter Wenmei Pavilion; further ahead is the Martyrs’ Monument. Follow the ridgeline east to the highest peak of Beigan Mountain—Yuding Peak, with Yuding Pavilion. Neither Yuding Pavilion nor the later Wangjiang Pavilion can see the Qiantang River anymore. Looking north and south, only modern urban high-rises crowd row upon row. I think back to how many years ago, in college, taking a bus or riding a bike to the south bank of the Qiantang in Xiaoshan, there was nothing but endless tidal flats and farmland. Little crabs ran rampant on the flats; in the distance, red-roofed, white-walled little houses dotted the field ridges…

The Tang dynasty poet and calligrapher He Zhizhang, courtesy name Jizhen, was a native of Yongxing in Yue Prefecture—today’s Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou. He left many eternally famous poems, celebrated for a thousand years. On Beigan Mountain, a statue of He Zhizhang and the Jizhen Pavilion stand in memory by his hometown descendants.

Two Poems on Returning Home

Young I left home, old I return; my accent unchanged, hair on my temples thinning.

Children meet me and do not know me; smiling they ask where this visitor comes from.

So many years since leaving home, now people and things have half faded.

Only the mirror-like lake in front of my door; the spring breeze does not change its old ripples.

Fangjiatang – Chuanwu Mountain – Laoying Rock – Yunmen Temple

Hiking Route: Fangjiatang, Guxi Village, Daicun Town – Yongfeng Nunnery – Fangxi Village – Jiuqu Shiba Pan – Xiangtian Zhufeng – Yunshi Mountain Villa – Xiangtianling Reservoir – Xiaofu Ancient Trail – Xiangtian Ridge – Guochong Ridge – Xiaofu Boundary – Chuanwu Mountain Nüwa Stone – Xiaohuang Ridge – Baiyun Nunnery – Laoying Rock – Tongtiantu – Haohanpo – Yunmen Temple – Magu Village Upper – Qingshan Village

The whole journey is almost a loop. Because a new road was built through Yuqing Ridge and Juewang Slope, two sections of ups and downs were removed. The pedometer showed over 30 kilometers. It was already the White Dew solar term, yet the weather remained hot. I had brought two bottles of water—clearly too little for the latter part; I almost couldn’t make it to the end.

Start hiking from Fangjiatang, pass Yongfeng Nunnery in Fangxi Village. At a three-way fork, one road goes toward Louta Ancient Town. Follow the winding Jiuqu Shiba Pan up to Yunshi Mountain Villa. Nearby is Xiangtianling Reservoir—built from 1969 to 1975, funded and constructed by the collective labor of four villages: Jianshanxia, Guxi, Fangxi, and Fengqiao. Now it benefits the region. It reminds me of my childhood, following the adults, watching men and women on the construction site working from dawn to dusk, digging a new canal with shovels and baskets in a flurry of heat.

Behind the reservoir, take the Xiaofu Ancient Trail up. Streams trickle, and the forest provides deep shade. After Guochong Ridge, crossing the mountain ridge into a hollow leads toward Caijiakou Village in Fuyang. Left hand down goes to Luojiashe Village. Keep going straight to Xiaoshan’s highest peak, Chuanwu Mountain at 744 meters. At the summit, a stone has inscriptions on two sides: “Chuanwu Mountain” and “Nüwa Stone.” Go down Xiaohuang Ridge, deep in the clouds: Baiyun Pavilion and Baiyun Nunnery. The gate couplet: “Sun, crystal bright, piercing clouds gives forth radiance; Moon, clear and full, hidden radiance illuminates.” Baiyun Pavilion also has a couplet: “Deep in the mountains in June; light breezes, cold seeping through clothes.”

After Laoying Rock and Tongtiantu, heading toward the Billion-Year Volcano and Juewang Slope, then down Hao Hanpo and along the road all the way to Yunmen Temple. On the mountain road near the Xiao-Fu boundary, there was a wild kiwi vine. I picked two, only half ripe, but they quenched thirst and were extraordinarily fresh and delicious. I kept an eye out afterward but never saw another. On the trail was a group of hikers from Shanghai, strung out in a long line; some only went as far as Baiyun Nunnery and no further. There were also a few other scattered hikers, plus cyclists and motorcyclists. Near Yunmen Temple, smoke was already rising from the villages in the valleys below; occasionally a hawk spread its wings, circling the cliffs.

Yunmen Temple is located on the peak of Yunmen Mountain, at 597 meters. Ancient trees and tea gardens—in front of the gate, two three-hundred-year-old ginkgoes, and three other ancient trees nearby, with gnarled branches and dense leaves. The autumn sun set over distant mountains, its golden afterglow spreading over the tea garden. Among the tea ridges, a farmer worked silently in the distance… The resident monk said that Yunmen Ancient Temple was founded in the Ming dynasty, though some legends trace it to the Tang. The plaque “Yunmen Temple” was written by the abbot Fuyun in the 20th year of the Republic. Under the courtyard wall of the mountain gate, two osmanthus trees were in full orange bloom, their strong fragrance wafting through the mountain forest.

Go down the back mountain of Yunmen Temple, following signs to Magu Village or Qingshan Village. Down past two mountain gates and a pavilion, you reach the winding mountain road. Follow the road down. In the distant villages below, cocks crowed and dogs barked. Dusk was falling. Many villagers, after dinner, were strolling in the mountains; I figured they must have gotten used to mountain paths from childhood, walking so far out. From Qingshan Bridge bus stop, take bus 737 to Guxi South Station, and you are back at Fangjiatang. In the mountain village night, by the stream and on Pingshan Bridge, people gathered to enjoy the cool evening and chat…

Baiyaoshan – Louta Ancient Town

Hiking Route: Yanshang Village – Baiyaoshan – Jingtai Xianren Pavilion – Tian Village – Miao Clan Ancestral Hall – Donglou Family Temple – Yanshang Yu Clan Ancestral Hall – Dongjiwu Reservoir – Shengdi Temple – Xianyan Mountain Dendrobium Garden – Louta Ancient Town – Donglou Ancestral Hall – Lou Ying Shrine – Lou Manwen Memorial Hall

Louta Town is the oldest recorded market town in Xiaoshan, with a history of over a thousand years. In ancient times it was called Xianyan (Immortal Rock), because the Eastern Jin scholar Xu Xun lived in seclusion here and, legend says, transformed into an immortal. Mountain streams from upstream merge into Louta Stream, which runs through the town, eventually joining Yongxing River, Puyang River, and then the Fuchun River into the Qiantang. An archway at Zhoukou Bridge in the old town bears a couplet: “Surrounded by hills, a winding nine-bend stream; Half immortal paradise, half earthly town.” The town holds Donglou Ancestral Hall, Lou Manwen Memorial Hall, and Lou Ying Shrine and Memorial Hall. Lou Ying was a famous physician in the late Yuan and early Ming; his work “Compendium of Medicine” predates Li Shizhen’s “Compendium of Materia Medica.” At Dongjiwu Reservoir in the southwest basin of Louta, there is a Xianyan Mountain Dendrobium Chinese Medicine Planting Garden.

Baiyaoshan rises 608 meters. A hiking trail starts from Yanshang Village, or a mountain road allows cars to reach halfway. The trail starts with a section of wooden steps, then stone steps for the rest. At the summit is Jingtai – Xianren Pavilion. Climb the pavilion tower to see scattered clusters of villages among the ravines and valleys. To the northeast, the highest mass should be Chuanwu Mountain and Yunmen Temple Mountain of Daicun. Descend in a different loop direction, mostly through bamboo forests. The latter half follows a mountain brook with gurgling spring water… Exiting below is Tian Village. Walk along Louta Stream back to Yanshang Village. Along the road, in front of courtyard spaces, you sometimes see local Xiaoshan specialties drying in the sun—dried radish, preserved mustard greens…

Ancestral halls, shrines, and family temples are perhaps among the most important symbols of Confucian culture in China. I didn’t expect that in Xiaoshan’s mountain villages there would be so many ancestral halls, but it exactly confirms the deep, ancient origin of these settlements. In Tian Village, Xiaonan Village, on either side of Jinqian Bridge, stand Miao Clan Ancestral Hall and Donglou Family Temple, with ancient camphor and ginkgo trees over 200 years old just a few steps away. And more than that: for the first time I saw a village with a map showing the locations of famous and ancient trees—old hackberry, old locust, old trident maple, old wingnut, old yew…

Banshan – Gaoting Mountain

Hiking Route: Banshan National Forest Park – Lvxi Pavilion – Linxi Xuan – Cuifeng Pavilion – Fosho Zhang – Wangchen Pavilion – Banshan Niangniang Temple Ruins – Hangzhou Christian Church Banshan Hall – Banshan Niangniang Temple – Yinfeng Pavilion – Chen Family Tomb – Shuizhu Ju – Shuile Xie – Hushan Reservoir – Xianren Valley – Kuzhu Forest – Viewing Platform – Muyun Pavilion – Qianlin Liusu – Longshan Reservoir

Banshan and Gaoting Mountain are Hangzhou’s northern gateway, a place where countless events of family and state have played out through history. Banshan National Forest Park is on the west side of Gaoting Mountain Scenic Area. Banshan is 283.9 meters high. Entering the main gate near the Provincial Tumor Hospital, go up past Cuifeng Pavilion, and soon you reach Wangchen Pavilion near the summit. Turning back, halfway down is the Banshan Niangniang Temple Ruins. The temple was originally called the Temple of Lady Sasha. There are different versions of the legend. One says that at the end of the Northern Song, when the Jin invaders came, the young emperor Gaozong (then Prince Kang) fled to Banshan, where a local woman protected him. After Zhao Gou ascended the throne, he ordered a temple and statue built in her honor on Banshan.

Descending, pass the Hangzhou Christian Church Banshan Hall and the newly built Banshan Niangniang Temple at the foot of the mountain. A short walk away are Longshan Reservoir and Hushan Reservoir. Along the way, you pass the Chen Family Tomb of Chen Shutong’s family. Go up Hushan via Xianren Valley, past the Kuzhu Forest, through the Viewing Platform, to Qianlin Liusu. The name Qianlin Liusu (A Thousand Trees Flowing in White) comes from the Ming poet Li Liufang’s poem ‘Passing Longju Bay at Gaoting, Staying at Yongqing Zen Monastery with Yilian, Chengxin, Hengke, and Others’:

Often I travel beyond the world, and meeting a monk feels like meeting an old friend.

Lamp bright in a niche below, the long night satisfies deep conversation.

Unaware the mountain moon has risen, a thousand trees already flow with white.

Out the door, seeking the old brook, I love to walk on the shadowy pine path.

Air is clear, the vast sky pure; the cold moon is like spring dew.

Going to the temple not many steps away, turning back, I’m startled by the tangled wild.

A hidden spring washes my heart; the faint temple bell fades into the distance.

At Qianlin Liusu Pavilion

Banshan Niangniang Temple Ruins

Huanghe Mountain – Gaoting Mountain

Hiking Route: Dianjiang Tai – Chichun Pavilion – Huanghe Mountain – Wang Zian Statue – Gaoting Shrine – Chengtian Pavilion – Taiping Army Silver Cellar – Gaoting Mountain – Gaoting – Xiangu Cave – Shuiyuan Pavilion – Wanhe Pavilion – Longdong – Fori Temple – Huyin Chenshan

Hangzhou’s first snow this winter. Walking on the snow-covered trail of Gaoting Mountain, listening to the soft sound of snow sliding from branches, clean stone steps, gray hidden sky, red leaves blanketed in white, an immense silence in all the world…

Legend says the immortal Wang Zian rode a yellow crane over this mountain, hence the name Huanghe (Yellow Crane) Mountain, and a statue of Wang Zian now stands on the summit. Below the mountain, the Hangzhou Ring Expressway passes straight through the Huanghe Mountain Tunnel. Wang Meng, one of the Four Masters of the Yuan, lived in seclusion here for many years, styling himself “Woodcutter of Yellow Crane Mountain.” Chichun Pavilion commemorates Jin Nong, number one of the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou in the Qing, a Qiantang native skilled in painting and calligraphy, who was buried on Huanghe Mountain.

Gaoting Divine Shrine—it is said that ancestors already worshipped the deity of Gaoting. The temple was expanded from the Sui-Tang to the Song, reaching its peak, but now traces are hard to find. Later people erected a Gaoting Divine Pillar as a memorial. Gaoting Mountain, guarding Hangzhou’s northern gate, has been connected to many historical events and figures over a thousand years: Jin and Yuan invasions, the Taiping Army, Wen Tianxiang, Zeng Guofan…

Cross Gaoting Mountain, pass Gaoting and Xiangu Cave. Going down, Longju Temple is undergoing major reconstruction with no clear path, so I descended from Fori Temple.

Linping Mountain / Qiu Mountain

Hiking Route: Linping Park East Gate – Jiemei Pavilion – Quzhuwu – Zoo – Tingtao Pavilion – Yuhang Revolutionary Martyrs’ Monument – Songtao Liuxiao – Donglai Pavilion – Daoqian Pavilion – Linsong Pavilion – Qiushan Wencha – Guiru Pavilion – Songshi Xuan – Wanfeng Pavilion – Duanling Canxue – Linping Shanse – Xijia Pavilion – Juxian Pavilion

Linping Mountain is also called Qiu Mountain—because the Tang dynasty hermit Qiu Dan lived on this mountain seeking Taoist immortality, hence the name. Today, there are still sites like Qiu Shan Xian Yin and Qiu Shan Wen Cha. Entering the Chunhui Wanxiang at the east gate, you immediately see a statue of Gu Kuang. According to legend, Gu Kuang visited his friend Qiu Dan in the mountains but didn’t meet him, leaving behind Fourteen Miscellaneous Poems on Linping Hollow:

Empty mountain, no trace of birds; what could match my mind?

Winding knotted cord writing; scattered grass-script characters.

New tea already on the roasting frame; old frame worries about mildew.

Round and round, burning new smoke; calling a child to split cold wood.

Who is playing the zither in the valley; the valley is dark and silent when the zither sounds.

Because you pluck a Shang tune; grass insects startle in hidden walls.

In the first year of the Duangong era of Emperor Taizong of Song, Linping town was established. One theory about the name Linping is that it came from Linping Lake. Northeast of Hangzhou, past the Gaoting hills and straight over Linping Mountain, lies a vast flat plain. The Yuan poet Wu Jingkui wrote: “After passing Linping by boat, not a single green hill; the great river swallows the two Zhes, the plain enters the three Wus”—roughly true: from Xijia Pavilion, looking west, on the left is Banshan and Gaoting Mountain—Wangchen Pavilion faintly visible; on the right is Chaoshan, China’s number one plum-viewing mountain. In all other three directions, it’s a thousand-li plain.

When Su Shi served as vice-prefect of Hangzhou, he saw off his fellow official and friend Chen Xiang (courtesy name Shugu) as far as Linping, leaving this parting poem:

Song of the Southern Country · Seeing Off Shugu – Su Shi

Turning back, the wild hills lie across; no dwellers seen, only the town.

What compares to the pagoda on Linping Mountain, so graceful, welcoming guests from the west and seeing off travelers?

On the return road, the evening breeze is cool; a single pillow, first cold, dreams cannot form.

Tonight, under the slanting lamp, flickering; autumn rain clearing, tears do not clear.

On Linping Mountain summit is Xili Cave, also called Dragon Cave, but I couldn’t find it. However, near below Daoqian Pavilion, there is a cave. Even far from the cave mouth, I felt a cool blast of air rushing out from deep within the mountain. From Daoqian Pavilion up to Linsong Pavilion, the path is covered with pine needles: “The path to the empty mountain seems to end, yet someone knows this place.” Further on is Qiushan Wencha; on both slopes among pine forests, tea gardens are layered in green.

Spring is probably the most vibrant season for Linping Mountain and Linping Park. Songtao Liuxiao, flowers blooming all over the mountain, one can imagine that world of many flowers: azaleas, hydrangeas, peonies in different seasons. There are also Donglai Pavilion, Riyue Hebi, Duanling Canxue, and the Yuhang Revolutionary Martyrs’ Monument. Linping Mountain runs a circular electric cart, you can wave and get on or off anytime; I haven’t seen this on other Hangzhou mountains—it’s very convenient.

Chaoshan – For Plum Blossoms

Hiking Route: Shuimo Rongzhuang – Daming Hall – Wu Changshuo Memorial Hall – Chaofeng – Chaoshan East Garden Entrance

Heaven was kind—overcast but no rain, few visitors. At the entrance, I asked the staff how to get to Songmei and Tangmei, and how to go up the mountain. They said half an hour or so to Beiyuan, all in that area—true indeed, but “every five steps a clump, every ten steps a slope,” the time spent admiring flowers and scenery far exceeded that. Direction signs in the garden are very clear, just follow the indicated direction. Upon entering, spring filled the garden, a balance of strong and light colors, a delicate fragrance in the air. Pass Shuimo Rongzhuang, Ten-Li Plum Forest, Camphor Avenue, to Daming Hall and the Wu Changshuo Memorial Hall.

Modern art master Wu Changshuo loved plum blossoms, painted them, and loved Chaoshan’s plums the most, leaving the line, “Ten years not reaching the Fragrant Snow Sea; plum blossoms remember me, and I remember plums.” After his death, he was buried at Chaoshan. Of the five ancient plum trees of Chu, Jin, Sui, Tang, and Song, Chaoshan has two: Tang Mei and Song Mei. Both ancient plums are in Daming Hall, also known as Bao’ci Temple. Facing the new flowers and leaves adorning the old, gnarled branches, for a moment it felt as if time and space had whirled through the ages. I seemed to suddenly understand why Chinese literati have always been so devoted to the plum. Through a thousand years and the change of dynasties, a natural, humble, and proud spirit stands there: “It does not seek praise for its color, only leaves a pure fragrance filling the universe.”

Without leaving Daming Hall, there is a path going up the mountain at the back—only one way, just follow the stone steps all the way up. There is a stone pavilion, and the path flanked by bamboo and quiet woods. At the summit, there is a stone carving “Chaofeng” by calligrapher Zhang Zongxiang, and Yuxi Temple (Shang Sheng Hall), built in the Ming and rebuilt in the Qing. Looking down from the summit at the Yuhang urban area, the view opens wide. They say going up is easy, coming down is hard, but Chaoshan’s descent steps are relatively gentle.

Climbing up and then descending via the south slope exit, returning to the East Garden gate, took about two hours. At a fast pace, an hour would be enough. Coming down, before you is a pond of emerald water, with green willows and red plum blossoms on the bank, and in the distance, canola flowers already glowing golden… Travel is always wonderful, especially in the spring of March.

Dongming Mountain

Hiking Route: Mengxi Dongmingshanju – Jinshan – Hang County and Wukang County Boundary Marker – Kengmen – Jiuduling Pass – Likengmen Village – Dongming Temple

Dongming Mountain Forest Park is in Yuhang District, right next to the northern side of the Liangzhu Ancient City Archaeological Ruins Park. Many boundary markers for the Liangzhu site stand on the mountain.

Dongming Mountain is somewhat different from other Hangzhou mountains—no vast tea gardens, no neat stone hiking steps, except for a long, casually piled stone path at the very start. Setting off from Mengxi Dongmingshanju, the rest of the trail was almost all dirt and gravel, though mostly fairly level. However, the long slope down from Kengmen to Jiuduling Pass suddenly became very steep. It’s a bit like the highest peak around West Lake, Tianzhu Mountain, but I felt the descent was even steeper and harder. Still, it’s fine in good weather; just don’t go on a rainy day.

As the elevation changed and the mountains differed, beside the trail were tall metasequoias, various pines, and most of all, vast bamboo groves filled most of the slopes. Long stretches of the path were covered with withered, dry fallen leaves. Among the bamboo were many fallen stalks—probably bent by heavy snow last winter. Occasionally I met mountain folk cutting and trimming bamboo.

On the ridgeline stands a boundary marker: “Hang County and Wukang County use the watershed of Dazhu Mountain ridge as the boundary.” Hang County roughly corresponds to today’s Hangzhou urban area; Wukang is now Deqing County. Down below, Jiuduling Pass was a strategic land transport pass between ancient Hangzhou and Wukang. Near the boundary marker, there’s a patch of seemingly abandoned tea garden. Turning left and going down should lead to the ruins of Qunxian Temple—we had originally planned to go there, where there’s a ginkgo tree over 300 years old. But we overshot and followed the ridge straight down all the way to Jiuduling Pass, and soon after, Likeng Village.

Likeng Village is similar to most Hangzhou mountain villages—white walls, black tiles, ancient trees and tea gardens, clean, quiet air that is sweet and refreshing. A clear mountain spring forms a crystal-clear stream running through the village. I asked an old man in the village, “How do we get to Dongming Temple?” He said, “Up there, turn right and go up, about half an hour.” “A single path through the woods, the wind grows sharper; gradually no rooster crows, gradually leaving the dusty world.” Crossing the bamboo hill, Dongming Zen Temple lay right at our feet. “Legend says Emperor Jianwen came here in hiding when the sun first rose at dawn; he inscribed ‘Dongming’ (Eastern Brightness).”

Qing dynasty, Dong Penglai, “Climbing Dongming Mountain”

Straw shoes tread on frost to the mountain peak; plum flowers all along the path, beautiful with snow.

Before the stupa of Master Changzu, faint clouds; on the palace of Lord Jian, mirror-like light.

A thousand peaks closely guard a dust-free land; ten thousand fingers surround a preaching dais.

Arriving here, the dream-like eyes suddenly open wide; deep in the bamboo shade, I will lie down and rest.

Jingshan

Hiking Route: Jingshan Village – Jingshan Ancient Trail – Banshan Pavilion – Mingpiju – Xixin Ting – Wangjiang Pavilion – Dongpo Xiyan Pond – Jingshan Temple

Jingshan, Jingshan Temple, and Jingshan Tea have long been famous. Jingshan Village is nestled in the valley of Jingshan; almost all the houses are built facing south on the northern slope. After getting off the bus, follow the signs along the village road for about ten minutes to reach the ancient trail. The trailhead is right next to the village road—once for nobles and generals, now the starting point for villagers and hikers like us.

The Jingshan Ancient Trail is about three kilometers from start to summit. The path is gentle, mostly paved with stone slabs, though some sections are covered with soil, making it tough on rainy days. Both sides are lined with bamboo and tea gardens. In the bamboo, bamboo shoots rise at different heights; in the tea gardens, the spring tea is just right, tender green with a hint of yellow. Climbing up, pausing now and then, passing Banshan Pavilion, Xixin Ting, Mingpiju, Wangjiang Pavilion, Dongpo Xiyan Pond, Imperial Stele Pavilion, in just over an hour we reached the top. Looking down and into the distance, the late-spring green, following the mountain ridges, rolled out near and far.

At the summit, Jingshan Temple is grand and solemn. The entrance screen wall reads, “The World’s Jingshan, Two Paths Return to the Hall.” To the left and right stand several ancient ginkgoes over a hundred years old. According to the “Jingshan Temple Gazetteer,” the Tang dynasty’s eminent monk Faqin resided on Jingshan, and Emperor Daizong bestowed on him the title “State Teacher Chan Master” and ordered the founding of the temple. Emperor Xiaozong of the Southern Song visited Jingshan and personally inscribed “Jingshan Xingsheng Wanshou Zen Temple,” now preserved in the Imperial Stele Pavilion. At its peak in the Southern Song, “A million pines on the double path dim; three thousand halls and towers under the five peaks chill”—it ranked first among the Five Mountains and Ten Temples of Jiangnan. From the Ming dynasty it gradually declined. Over 1,200 years, destroyed repeatedly by fire and war but rebuilt many times; in the late 1980s, the Zhejiang provincial government approved the reconstruction of Xingsheng Wanshou Zen Temple.

We returned by the same way down—the so-called “Two Paths Return to the Hall.” Behind the mountain, another trail also goes down to Jingshan Village, longer at five kilometers according to the sign. Now, a road behind the mountain allows vehicles to reach the summit, but generally it’s not open to private cars. Back in the village, evening was approaching. Looking across, I saw people picking tea on the opposite slope, so I followed the stone steps up halfway… The view was open, the breeze refreshing. In the valley, houses with black tiles and white walls were scattered; in the distance, cooking smoke was rising. The large tea garden right before me was the Jingshan Tea Functional Zone belonging to the village.

“The Classic of Chinese Tea” records that Jingshan tea leaves are slender, tight, and uniform; the liquor is tender green and bright; the taste is pure, fresh, and mellow. Production began in the Tang, its great fame rose in the Song, and it continued to be renowned through the Yuan, Ming, and Qing. The Qing Jiaqing “Yuhang County Gazetteer” notes that the founding monk of Jingshan Temple, Faqin, “once planted several tea bushes with his own hands, offering the leaves to the Buddha. Over the years, they spread all over the valley. The taste is fresh and fragrant, unlike any other; this is today’s Jingshan tea.” Jingshan tea is not only historically deep, but also traveled across the seas with Japanese monks who came to study Buddhism at Jingshan Temple during the Song and Ming. The Zen tea culture of Jingshan was thus introduced to Japan, evolving over centuries and now considered the origin of the Japanese tea ceremony.

Niangniang Mountain

Hiking Route: Niangniang Mountain Farm – Waiwutang Shantang – Lihutang Reservoir – Dayu Valley – Niangniang Mountain Sightseeing Tower – Gongpin Tea Garden – Muxin Valley – Chilin Qiguan – Changle Forest Farm – Yuji Pavilion – Ganling Reservoir

Niangniang (Queen) Mountain is in Jingshan Town, Yuhang District, Hangzhou. Folk legend says: King Yu was trapped on the mountain by a flood, hungry and exhausted. A village girl on the mountain couldn’t bear to see him suffer, so she gave him the small amount of grain she had treasured to keep her family alive. Yu was saved and continued his work directing flood control everywhere. After the waters were tamed, he returned specially to the mountains to find his benefactor, but the girl had starved to death. Yu was deeply moved and conferred on her the title “Holy Mother Queen,” hence the name Niangniang Mountain.

The ancient legend is of course impossible to verify, but the area has Dayu Valley, Yuji Pavilion, and other sites related to King Yu, perhaps later commemorations. Climbing the sightseeing tower at the summit and looking around, Niangniang Mountain truly stands between lake and hills. Looking at the map, starting with Niangniang Mountain as the center at due east and rotating clockwise: Yuhang South Lake, Wuchao Mountain, Ruyi Peak, Qingshan Lake, Daqing Mountain, Jingshan, Luniao Mountain, Wangwei Mountain, Moganshan, Dongming Mountain, Liangzhu, and more, along with reservoirs large and small dotted among the peaks.

We started up through Dayu Valley, but found no trail at the end. We retreated, and hearing voices from the ridge on the right, we climbed the slope and soon found a dirt and stone trail up. Follow the signs straight ahead to reach the summit. Niangniang Mountain is not high, about 400 meters, but the final stretch to the top is really quite steep. On the way, I saw a hiker pushing a bicycle up, and a girl in flip-flops, tap-tapping her way up with a little dog; she said the flip-flops were non-slip…

The Changle Forest Farm in the Niangniang Mountain area has a long history, its predecessor being the Hangzhou North Forest and Pasture Company founded by Mr. Zhuang Songfu in 1910. The Lihutang and Ganling Reservoirs were built by local villagers to store water for irrigating a thousand acres of farmland below, but together with the surrounding forest farm they create a unique lake and mountain landscape. Especially in late autumn, around the reservoirs, pond cypress, metasequoia, ginkgo, and sweetgum leaves turn a brilliant yellow and red—the whole world a riot of color…

Wangwei Mountain

Hiking Route: Fatou Village, Moganshan Town, Deqing County – Guanyin Hall – Shanggaowu Village – Zhujia Tou – Dianbing Tai – Wangwei Mountain Ancient Trail – Bamboo Sea Floating – Yuhang Wangwei Mountain Village – Muyun – Wangwei Mountain Summit – Qinlao Village

On the country roads of Moganshan, Fatou Village follows a mountain brook, its water pale green and crystal clear. There are bridges across the stream now and then, and several fish-scale dams where many visitors are playing in the water. At Duibekou Village Reservoir (also called Moganshan Lake), turn right, winding up along Township Road 104, passing Beihu Village—merged from Shanggaowu Village and Lanshukeng Village—all the way to the road’s end at Zhujia Tou. You could keep driving up, but seeing the winding road, I parked here and walked up the ancient trail.

In the village, at Guanyin Hall, I saw that the main donors’ surnames were Xuan and Wang, likely the two big families in the village. Along the village road, tall piles of brooms were stacked—made from bamboo tips, which they said are the area’s main source of income. Many years ago, the bamboo itself was valuable; now, a single bamboo stalk is worth less than one broom made from it. Near the Zhujia Tou bus stop, there was a broom workshop. I stood watching for a while and chatted briefly with a few villagers, feeling their simple, sincere mountain character.

Wangwei Mountain, also called Huanghui Mountain, is 730 meters high. Legend connects it with Huang Chao, the rebel leader at the end of the Tang dynasty. From the grass pavilion being built near Zhujia Tou, follow the stone-step ancient trail up, both sides dense with tall, slender bamboo. At the top ridge, a sign says the Wangwei Mountain Ancient Trail goes straight down to Qingshan Village in Yuhang. At the three-way junction below, turn right and go up, passing Dianbing Tai, Zuoyou Fengyuan Twin Waterfalls, and Bamboo Sea Floating—still endless bamboo forest.

Near Wangwei Mountain Village, besides bamboo, there are some tea gardens—this is also a main production area for Jingshan tea. The village isn’t big, a quiet cluster perched halfway up the mountain, with a ginkgo park. I asked the villagers, and they pointed to a path going up behind the village. On the mountain, in a large tea garden along the slope, an elderly couple was watering the tea bushes. Under the scorching sun, the old man wore a cool straw hat, his forehead covered in sweat beads.

The summit view is extremely open: below, the green high-mountain tea gardens; in the valley below, villages; winding mountain roads through the forest; and in the distance, the calm Duihekou Village Reservoir among the hills. Going down, I hitched a ride with a Wangwei paragliding driver. The driver said everyone had already dispersed at this hour—in the early morning before dawn, both hilltops had been filled with people watching the sunrise.

That night I stayed in Fatou Village. The mountain village under the night sky was so quiet and peaceful. Looking up at the starry sky, I couldn’t remember how long it had been since I’d seen so many stars. A round moon as bright as a white jade plate slowly emerged from behind the dark mountains. In the night, a firefly flickered past and disappeared into the grass by the brook.

Luniao Mountain

Hiking Route: Xikou Village – Luoyaowu – Qizigang – Centennial Azalea Forest – Baizhang Pingtiantang – Sixi Entrance – Sixi Village

Baizhang Pingtiantang Forest Ancient Trail Loop: start from Xikou Village Luoyaowu, pass the giant rock carving at Qizigang, then summit, and descend toward Sixi, pass Sixi Village and return, taking under four hours. Late April is azalea season at Luniao, and on a weekend, many hikers came. But among all the mountains I’ve walked in Hangzhou, it’s rare to see so many people climbing at once. The parking lots along the Luoyaowu trail were nearly full, and several teams came by big bus.

Approaching the summit, I understood why so many people were here at this time. The hillside was ablaze with wild azaleas in purple and red—I’ve rarely seen such a spectacle. Groups of three or five, and also solitary hikers. On the trail, I met an old man leaning on a cane, his hair silver. When I asked, he was eighty-five years old, but his breathing was calm as he chatted. He said he liked to climb Hangzhou’s mountains when he had time, and this was his first time here.

The azaleas covering the mountain are the spring of Luniao Mountain, such a vivid, dressed-up spring. But the bamboo shoots—some tall, some just breaking through the soil—and the murmuring streams along the path are another, quieter, clearer spring of these hills. Many place names in these mountain villages, though they have origins, I actually don’t know the real stories: Luoyaowu, Baizhang Pingtiantang, Luniao Mountain, and so on. Whether historical, legendary, or much embellished, every name surely has some tale behind it.

On the road, Qianbai Line passes through Dongshen Village, a quiet, deep mountain village. I had wanted to stop and look on the way back, but the navigation took another direction. Unintentionally, perhaps because of the unexpected stillness of the mountain forest, or some indescribable detachment unique to these mountain villages, the winding, undulating mountain road passes through the village. Just like that, one day a segment of a life’s journey passes quietly through here.

Yaotou Mountain

Hiking Route: Dalu Temple – Yaotou Mountain

Dalu Temple lies halfway up Yaotou Mountain. Driving up from Taitang Village, the mountain road is only wide enough for one car, but there are plenty of passing spots. The road isn’t steep, but several turns are almost 360 degrees. As we climbed, I felt my ears pop now and then; in fact, most of the time the only sound was my own ears ringing. Villagers were on the mountain, cutting bamboo and stacking the trimmed stalks by the roadside. Occasionally, a bicycle or motorcycle rode up. There’s a parking area in front of Dalu Temple, not many spots, but today only a couple of cars were there.

Dalu Temple is surrounded by mountains on three sides, with a deep valley in front. Giant trees and bamboo tower around, especially several tall firs—deep autumn, early winter, their leaves a deep red. The temple was first built in the first year of Yongkang in the Western Jin dynasty—nearly two thousand years ago. The existing iron bell was cast in the second year of Hongwu of the Ming, 1369. Yaotou Mountain lies at the easternmost end of the Tianmu range, at 1,095 meters the highest peak in Yuhang District, called Hangzhou’s Summit. Climbing from Dalu Temple to Yaotou Mountain summit and back by the same route takes about two and a half hours. If walking a loop from the foot of the mountain, according to hiking guides, it’s about six hours or more. On the mountain, I met a young man who had started hiking early from Shangougou.

Tianmu Mountain – by Mingben (Yuan)

One mountain not yet done, another to climb; a hundred li and not a single level mile.

I suspect it’s what the old monk points to in the distance; only fit for painting, not for walking.

Halfway up Yaotou Mountain are also bamboo groves and tea gardens. In the tea gardens, golden ginkgoes are scattered among the slopes with a few pines. Follow a small brook and stone steps winding up. Near the summit, the vegetation becomes low, mostly large-leafed bamboo. The sky was clear blue and wide. The summit view was open; northward, I faintly saw what looked like a bungee jumping platform on Hongtao Mountain. In early winter, the sun sets early. By the time I reached Dalu Temple, the sun had dipped behind the mountain, and the forest grew even quieter. Going down to return, I saw a female silver pheasant strolling leisurely on the road ahead. At the same time, the villagers were beginning to pack up and head home…

Shichangcheng – Jiuyangping – Tangfengjian

Hiking Route: Xiangxi Village – Xianghe Village Cultural Hall – Langjiawu Earth God Temple – Shichangcheng – Longqiyan – Jiuyangping Village – Zhang Clan Ancestral Hall – Lianshan Village Zhang Clan Hall – Tangfengjian – Dongpo Ancient Trail – Xiangxi Village Yao Gong Shrine

Enter Xiangxi Village, pass Xianghe Village Cultural Hall, and go up at Langjiawu Earth God Temple. Early morning, the mossy, frosty, dewy path was a bit slippery, but some villagers were already coming down, saying they’d checked the Earth God Temple, Yunqing Pavilion, and the iron bell on the back mountain. The trail follows a clear stream. Soon, I saw winding crags and abrupt cliffs; near the summit is Longqiyan (Dragon Fin Rock). Descending from Jiuyangping to the viewing platform opposite, I saw the undulating, sinuous, spirited Shichangcheng (Stone Great Wall) on the ridgeline, like a dragon resting in the empty valley, poised to leap, ready to soar into the highest heavens.

Jiuyangping—the most beautiful mountain village in Fuyang, at about 500 meters altitude, is located in a hollow on the sunny slope of Tangfengjian, the highest peak of Xindeng Town. An ancient, natural village, dotted with ginkgo, torreya, sweetgum, and Chinese pistache, some with ancient name tags marking five or six hundred years. Houses climb the hillside; many still have stone or yellow-earth walls, with half-wall-high stacks of split firewood neatly piled against the wall. The village isn’t large; you hear cocks and dogs, doors left open.

The village has a Zhang Clan Ancestral Hall and a Zhang Clan Hall. The Zhang ancestors first moved to Jiuyangping in the late Ming, early Qing. An old village man said the Zhang Clan Hall is an old house from before 1949, with a plaque marking it as a historical building of Fuyang District. It currently serves as the exhibition hall for the CPC Jiuyangping Branch historical materials: in 1931, some soldiers of the Third Regiment of the Thirteenth Red Army of the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army dispersed and hid in Jiuyangping, developing and establishing the CPC Jiuyangping Branch.

Jiuyangping is on the northern border of Fuyang District, next to Banqiao Town in Lin’an District. A winding mountain road has been built to the village; a car can drive all the way up to Zhang Clan Ancestral Hall. The village is about 50 kilometers from Sun Quan’s hometown, Longmen Ancient Town. Behind the village, the hiking trail goes up to the summit of Tangfengjian, 710 meters. To the northeast, you can vaguely make out Lin’an city and Qingshan Lake. Both sides of the trail are thick with azaleas; on distant cliffs, a few eager blossoms had already opened. One can imagine what a riot of spring color will carpet these mountains when April’s full bloom arrives.

Hangzhou has many ancient mountain trails, but Jiuyangping Forest Ancient Trail is praised as the most beautiful forest ancient trail in Hangzhou—or at least one of them. It’s said that Su Dongpo, when he served as vice-prefect of Hangzhou in the Northern Song, once crossed this path on his way to and from Xindeng Ancient Town (then called Xincheng), so today it is also called the Dongpo Ancient Trail.

On the Road to Xincheng – by Su Dongpo (Northern Song)

The east wind knows I wish to travel in the mountains, blowing away the sound of rain from the eaves.

Over the ridge, fair-weather clouds are draped like cotton gauze; at the treetops, the first sun hangs like a brass gong.

Wild peach smiles, the bamboo hedge is low; the stream willows sway, the water clear over sand.

The homes in the western hollow must be happiest, cooking celery, roasting bamboo shoots to feed the spring plowing.

Langjiawu Earth God Temple

Xingmei Peak – Longmen Ancient Town

Hiking Route: Longmen Mountain Rafting Parking Lot – Longmen Mountain Flying Waterfall – Xingmei Hollow – Qifengkou – Huangmei Peak – Xingmei Peak – Yaowu Village – Longmen Ancient Town

Xingmei Peak—Fuyang District’s highest peak, 1,068 meters. The loop takes about six hours. After descending, driving from Yaowu Village to Sun Quan’s hometown, Longmen Ancient Town, is less than ten minutes. I parked at the Longmen Mountain Rafting lot and paid ten yuan. I chatted briefly with the toll collector; rafting has been suspended for several years. Longmen Mountain is one of the water sources for Lake Taihu. Hangzhou hasn’t seen rain for a long time this winter, so the mountain stream flow was markedly low. The Flying Waterfall’s volume was light, falling a hundred meters from the cliff—less majestic, but more ethereal, graceful, and elegant.

Birds sing in the empty valley, clear spring water flows over stones. The mountain brook gurgles with a clear sound; birds chirp crisply in the woods; the wind passes through treetops, and dry leaves rustle down. Ancient stone-step path, bamboo groves and tea gardens. Climbing up, I passed the lower and middle pavilions, went by the hundred-zhang waterfall, and reached Xingmei Hollow Reservoir. Around the reservoir, green bamboo, red maples, ancient trees, and a mountain household—a bungalow, home to a forest ranger’s family of three. The elderly man has guarded this mountain forest since 1985, nearly forty years now; he said the younger generation would soon take over. It was near noon; smoke curled from the chimney of the white-walled, black-tiled house.

From Xingmei Hollow, go up past Qifengkou. The ridgeline between Huangmei Peak and Xingmei Peak lies like a dragon’s backbone across the mountain crest, dotted with tall and elegant Huangshan pines. From Xingmei Peak, you see layers of distant mountains and villages in the valleys near and far. Returning from Xingmei Peak to Qifengkou, I took the loop. For the first time, I tried following an outdoor track on the Two Steps app, and it seemed to work very well. On the way down, I passed two more small reservoirs, the water nearly turquoise and crystal clear, reflecting the blue sky and the colorful forest on the surface. The trail led out to Yaowu Village. A few households in the village were taking advantage of the fine early-winter weather to renovate or build new houses. Another place had new construction with a sign: “Splendid Fuchun · Longmen Mountain Tourism Construction Command.”

Yan Ziling Fishing Terrace – Maling Ancient Trail

Hiking Route: Fuchun River Hydropower Station – Yan Ziling Fishing Terrace – Luci Village – Maoping Village – Shishe Village

“Yan Ling did not follow the emperor’s chariot; he returned to sleep on the empty mountain and fish in the green stream.” The humanistic depth and scenic splendor of Yan Ziling Fishing Terrace, the foremost sight under heaven, are almost fully captured in these two seven-character lines by Li Bai. Climbing the East Terrace at Yan Ziling Fishing Terrace, in the misty rain, vast sky and green water. “Cloudy mountains are gray; the river is vast. The manner of the gentleman is like the mountain high, the river long.” Besides Yan Ziling, later the Yuan master Huang Gongwang lived in seclusion by the Fuchun River and created one of China’s top ten famous paintings, “Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains,” known as the Orchid Pavilion of painting.

From the rock face above Luci Village, you can overlook the full view of Luci Bay. On the north side of the cliff on the ridgeline is Longmen Bay and Longmen Bay Fishing Island—once a peninsula, it became an island when the Fuchun River hydropower station reservoir was created. By the river stands a Tang dynasty horsetail pine, over 1,300 years old, one of Hangzhou’s ten famous ancient trees. Going down, I met an elderly village couple going up the mountain to check on spring bamboo shoots in a distant hollow. They said there used to be many more villages on the mountain; one moved down to Luci Village, another moved to Tonglu.

Maling Ancient Trail—Zhejiang Province’s most beautiful forest ancient trail. The Tonglu section runs from Luci Village via Xiekengkou and Maoping Village to the ancient village of Shishe, about 12 kilometers, accompanied all the way by a clear, rushing water channel. Ming and Qing ancient buildings, cypresses, yellow locust, ancient camphor trees a thousand years old, covered bridges and stone arch bridges across the mountain stream, and clan temples, ancient temples—the ancient villages along this trail seem like pearls left by the river of history in these deep mountains.

Fuchun River Little Three Gorges

Xijing Mountain

Hiking Route: Xijing Mountain Scenic Area Visitor Center – Qin Lake – Feipu Bridge – Anshi Mountain House – Huaixie Pavilion – Xieyu Rock Waterfall – Baibu Cloud Ladder – Shangyangshukeng Reservoir – Yuantong Stone – Foguang Cliff – Shuanglin Temple – Xijing Mountain Ancient Trail – Hushan Yilan Pavilion – Eighteen Jinshi Memorial Hall – Kuzhu Forest – Longshu Pavilion – Sanban Bridge

Xijing Mountain is in Lin’an District, Hangzhou, part of the Tianmu mountain system, and part of Qingshan Lake National Forest Park. The scenic area’s stone-step trails are well built. Shuanglin Temple, formerly Baolin Temple, was first built in the Tiancheng era of the Later Tang of the Five Dynasties, over a thousand years ago. In front of the gate is the thousand-year Xijing Ancient Trail. The temple passed through Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing to modern times, mostly destroyed, leaving only stone lions, stone bridges, and other relics. The Guanyin Hall and other parts are later reconstructions. On one side of the temple in the forest is the giant Foguang Cliff rock.

A short way up, the Shangyangshukeng Reservoir is under construction in the mountain ravine, so the water downstream at Xieyu Rock Waterfall and Qin Lake is murky yellow, but the waterfall itself is so exquisite—rare among Hangzhou’s mountains. Past the reservoir, the stream water is crystal clear. At the summit stands Hushan Yilan Pavilion, with an open view to gaze far at Qingshan Lake. A short walk beyond the pavilion is the Eighteen Jinshi Memorial Hall, commemorating that the nearby Jixian Village produced eighteen jinshi during the Song and Yuan dynasties. On the way down, the hillside has a Kuzhu forest—common in the mountains, but so dense and with so many ancient trees is very rare.

Xie Fu’s Eastern Mountain, Dongshan Comeback—Xie Fu means Xie An, courtesy name Anshi. In the tumultuous four hundred years of the Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern dynasties, Xie An—who hid in the mountains but emerged to save the realm—was a legendary figure of the times. In the eighth year of the Taiyuan era of the Jin Xiaowu Emperor (383 AD), the northern Former Qin ruler Fu Jian invaded south with a force of a million, threatening the Eastern Jin capital Jiankang. Xie An played go and gambled on villas while directing affairs with calm, ultimately crushing Fu Jian in one of history’s most famous battles where the few defeated the many, the Battle of Fei River. It’s said that before Xie An took office and became Prime Minister of the Eastern Jin, he lived in seclusion here on Xijing Mountain in Lin’an. Later people built Anshi Mountain House and Huaixie Pavilion on the mountain to commemorate him.

Dusong Pass

Route: Banshan Village Cultural Hall, Baizhang Town, Yuhang – Yashan Shantang – Guanshang Natural Village, Changshuo Street, Anji County – Dusong Pass and Ancient Post Road on Dusong Ridge – Anji Highway Culture Exhibition Hall – Dusong Small Temple – Yangshan Ridge – Yangshupeng – Fotuo Zen Temple – Banshan Village Cliff Carvings – Dongshen Village, Deqing County

Driving further along the Qianbai Line, the scenery grew more familiar—this was Dongshen Village, the hometown of Shen Yue, and Qinlao Village, where I came down from Wangwei Mountain. Luniao Mountain is also in this area. Further along the mountain foot towards the deep hills is Banshan Village—its name probably originates from this setting. The countryside villages now are beautifully built, especially the mountain villages of Hangzhou, with party service centers, cultural halls, and rows of mountain homes—many Western-style villas—and most precious, the green waters and lush mountains, with centuries-old customs, culture, and clan temples.

Banshan Village is a national forest village, with over 90% greenery coverage, and known as China’s number one bamboo village. The hillsides along the village road are vast bamboo forests. It was the season for spring bamboo shoots madly shooting up; the forest floor was full of shoots of different heights. Picking the single line, entering tender sections to cross Ya Mountain Village, then to Yashan Shantang, and further down into Anji County’s Guanshang Natural Village of Huzhou, where the “First Pass of Jiangnan,” Dusong Pass, is located. The ancient Hangzhou-Anhui post road, Dusong Stream, Dusong Gorge, deep cliffs—to cross Dusong Ridge, this natural barrier pass was the only way. Thus, in history, Dusong Pass was almost a contested strategic point between north and south. It was through here that the Yuan army marched south to directly strike the Southern Song capital Lin’an.

Dusong Pass was built during the Southern Song’s resistance against the Jin, while the ancient post road was first constructed as early as the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. Along the ancient road, with clear stream water, near the Dusong Pass post station, there is a small Dusong Temple. It is very inconspicuous, but inside stands a towering ancient fir over three hundred years old. The hiking trail from Dusong Pass to Tongling Pass crosses Yangshan Ridge; from the summit, you can gaze far at Anji county town. Past Yangshupeng in the valley, cross another peak, and you see the Xiao’en Pagoda of Fotuo Zen Temple. Fotuo Temple was first built in the second year of Qianhua of the Later Liang and has been renovated and expanded since. The screen wall at the mountain gate reads “Pure Heart Banshan,” and in front of it is a cluster of nearly five-hundred-year-old cedars. Though not comparable to East or West Tianmu, it is a thousand-year-old temple with a majestic canopy, a different kind of world.

Daming Mountain

Route: Daming Mountain Visitor Center – Zhu Mian Shi – Tenglong Waterfall – Ruyi Valley – Longmen Flying Waterfall – Qianmu Field – Xuan Kong Plank Road – Yubi Peak – Daming Lake – Senlin Neighbour Camp – Steel Great Wall Viewing Platform – Shuttle Bus Transfer Point

Emperor Taizu of Ming, Zhu Yuanzhang, left many legends on Daming Mountain in Lin’an. The name Daming Mountain is said to be related to him, along with many scenic spots like Zhu Mian Shi (Zhu’s Sleeping Stone), Fenming Stone, Mingfei Seven Peaks… Daming Mountain is a developed scenic area with excellent facilities. A shuttle bus takes you from the visitor center to the mountain base, and a cable car goes from the base to the Senlin Neighbour Camp and Daming Lake. From the camp to Longmen Gorge and the Flying Waterfall, almost the entire path is on a suspended plank walkway, with few steps and as flat as walking on level ground. There’s even a slide going down, and go-karts available at the bottom.

The round trip on foot is about 12 kilometers. Counter-clockwise: Ruyi Valley, Longmen Gorge, Xuan Kong Plank Road, Daming Lake, descent via Steel Great Wall. The weather was past Mid-Autumn and Cold Dew, yet still as hot as summer. The stone-step trail ascends along the mountain stream, but it’s cooler in the mountains, especially in the shade. Daming Mountain is an offshoot of the Huangshan range, so the landform and vegetation resemble Huangshan: Mingfei Seven Peaks, Jingma Ridge, Yubi Peak, Qianmu Field, Ruyi Pines, Southern Chinese Hemlock… But summer plum is unique to Daming Mountain. The villages below have many tall ginkgoes, and the village name is literally Baiguo (Ginkgo) Village.

Steel Great Wall is a feature of Daming Mountain, not seen on other hills. Coming down from Senlin Neighbour Camp, along the ridgeline, a drop of thousands of steps reaches near the cable car’s lower station. Because most of it runs along a ridge or cliff, the view is incredibly distant and open; beside or below you are deep valleys and ravines, rolling hills stretching far, and among the valleys, a touch of autumn color in light yellow or dark red already peeks through.

West Tianmu Mountain

Route: Red Temple – Half Moon Pool – Huanzhu Mountain House – Kaishan Old Hall – Five Generations Together – Big Tree King – Zhang Gong Shelter – Gaofeng Pagoda Courtyard – Lion’s Mouth – Red Snake Cave – Taming Tiger Flying Waterfall – Bell Tower Rock – Incarnation Kiln – Tianmu Academy – Crown Prince Hermitage – Chanyuan Temple – Zhou Enlai Speech Site Memorial Pavilion – Tianmu Ancient Kiln Museum

“Tianmu’s thousand-fold beauty, forest sea ten li deep”—West Tianmu Mountain is called the kingdom of forests, the kingdom of big trees, and truly worthy of the name. There are many ancient cedars over a thousand years old; three or four hundred years is considered young. At least, I’ve never seen so many ancient trees on all the mountains I’ve hiked. Besides cedars, there are ginkgoes, golden larch, Chinese wingnut, etc. Before Kaishan Old Hall, a large cluster of ginkgoes—looking like several trees growing together like conjoined branches—is labeled “Five Generations Together,” with two signs: one says 1,500 years, the other 12,000 years… The wingnuts near the Tianmu Ancient Kiln Museum are over 600 years old.

West Tianmu Mountain is also a cultural mountain where Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism merge. Related historic sites include Crown Prince Hermitage, Kaishan Old Hall, Zhang Gong Shelter… Buddhism on Tianmu Mountain began in the Eastern Jin with the founding master Zhu Fakuang. In the Yuan dynasty, the eminent monk Gaofeng and his disciple founded Kaishan Old Hall, which is the Linji Zen school’s ancestral temple, also known as “Lion Orthodox Zen Temple.” The nearby stupa cluster contains the stupas of eminent monks from the Yuan, Ming, and Republic eras. And in front of the grove stands the “Big Tree King,” a thousand-year-old cedar once honored by the Qianlong Emperor. Though it has died, it still stands towering and unyielding. “I think of where my master practiced his way; heavenly incense, osmanthus seeds falling in profusion.” It was exactly golden autumn, the mountain temple secluded, osmanthus fragrance drifting.

Li Bai’s poem: “In the past, climbing to the very top, I peered down at the pines of Tianmu; where immortals refined the elixir, they left traces and ascended.” Legend says Zhang Daoling, the founder of Daoism and honored as Celestial Master Zhang, was born on Tianmu Mountain and practiced here for many years. To this day, there are Zhang Gong Cave and Zhang Gong Shelter. The Liang dynasty Crown Prince Zhaoming, Xiao Tong, lived in seclusion here and compiled China’s earliest surviving poetry and prose anthology, the “Zhaoming Anthology,” with over 700 pieces from pre-Qin to Liang, “classic but not rustic, distant but not wild, beautiful but not licentious, restrained but not stingy.” Today, Crown Prince Hermitage has the Anthology Tower and Tianmu Academy, and below them, Chanyuan Temple, a serene place with morning bell and evening drum.

East Tianmu Mountain

Route: East Tianmu Mountain East Gate Parking Lot – Magong Pavilion – Zhongxin Pavilion Ruins – Mountain God Temple – Meigong Bridge – Xiling Vertical Rainbow – Jiuli Pavilion – Zhaoming Zen Temple Upper Hall – Zhigong Book Garden – Erxian Peak – Daxian Peak – Dongya Waterfall – Longmen Waterfall – Longwang Pond

East Tianmu Mountain’s East Gate visitor center has a small lot, only a few cars. Walk back to the ancient trail entrance. Up to Zhigong Book Garden is all stone steps or flat path, a gentle climb and relatively easy. Beyond Zhigong Book Garden up to Daxian Peak, it’s almost all dirt and gravel, with steep climbs. The hardest part is descending from Erxian Peak to near the Dongpu Grand Canyon; the slope drops sharply, and in some short sections there’s almost no foothold, requiring hands and feet. Only when you see the bamboo forest behind do stone-step paths gradually appear.

Compared to West Tianmu, East Tianmu has relatively fewer old cedars; the dense ones are mainly from Meigong Bridge, Xipu – Xiling Vertical Rainbow up to Zhaoming Zen Temple Upper Hall. There is a cable car on the mountain; at the upper platform, though visibility wasn’t good, you could still see the Dongya Flying Waterfall “plunging several hundred feet…” Zhaoming Zen Temple has a lower and an upper hall, both founded in the Liang dynasty of the Southern Dynasties, about 1,500 years ago. It’s said Crown Prince Zhaoming divided the Sanskrit Diamond Sutra into 32 sections and compiled the Zhaoming Anthology here.

Tianmu Mountain has many rare plants and wildlife, with ancient and famous trees everywhere. Near the summit, I ran into three people collecting medicinal herbs. Soon after starting up the ancient trail, halfway up the slope, I saw an animal far away that looked like a dog, a pig, a deer, yet none of them, heading into the bushes uphill. On the way down, I saw another beautiful creature that looked like a pheasant or something flutter away from the trees. Going up, it was overcast, misty; after Erxian Peak, the clouds suddenly parted to reveal blue sky and white clouds. Daxian Peak is about 1,480 meters, overlooking range after range of peaks, and you can faintly see the highest peak in northern Zhejiang, Longwang Mountain.

Zhaoming Zen Temple Upper Hall

Longwang Mountain

Route: Lin’an District Earth Wild Child – Longwang Mountain – Gaoqiao Wu – Longtan Reservoir

A small loop about nine kilometers starting from Lin’an’s Earth Wild Child. At high altitude, bamboo shoots in the forest seemed to grow a bit later than on our plains, maybe due to variety. At the foot of the mountain, lots of harvested bamboo shoots filled two small pickups. From the Zaoxi interchange, follow Langbai and Xitai lines between East and West Tianmu, passing Longtan-Xiguan Reservoir. Below the reservoir dam, the Tianmu Grand Canyon is a yawning abyss. The Red Temple going up to Kaishan Old Hall on West Tianmu was also nearby.

The ascent was relatively steep, through bamboo forest with a few tall pines, then shrubs—around 900 meters elevation. A little further, we broke out of the woods onto a firebreak, and suddenly the world opened wide. Two directions: right to Yaowang Peak – Qianmu Field; left to Longwang Mountain. The whole route to the summit is on the broad firebreak along the ridgeline. Some hikers who had camped the night before were already descending. Later I met one planning a 45-kilometer traverse.

Longwang Mountain is the highest peak in northern Zhejiang, 1,587.4 meters. The summit was hazy with mist; looking into the hollows was a tranquil, spectacular sea of clouds. Then a sudden gust, and the ethereal white clouds in the valleys crossed the ridge, revealing distant mountains for a moment… On the peak, besides wind and clouds, only the ethereal chirping of small birds, and now and then a little squirrel popping out from a pine branch, briefly locking eyes with me before darting away. And along the trail, there were still clusters of blooming azaleas.

On the mountain, I saw boundary markers for the Tianmu Mountain Nature Reserve and also for the Anji Hynobius Salamander National Nature Reserve. The descent followed a mountain brook, the water sometimes slow, sometimes rushing, sometimes leaping, gurgling and clear. In a pool halfway down, I actually saw two small salamanders. Near the boundary between forest and bamboo, there were heaps of trash obviously left behind by hikers, and scattered litter was also visible along the trail. I thought: if the mountain could choose, perhaps it would never want humans to set foot on its land again.

Yaowang Peak – Qianmu Field

Route: Lin’an District Earth Wild Child – Yaowang Peak – Qianmu Field – Xiguan, Xiyou Village, West Tianmu

At the Lin’an District Earth Wild Child, on the trail to Longwang Mountain, the ridgeline fork: left for Longwang Mountain, right for Yaowang Peak. The forecast said light rain, and fortunately it was just light showers. On Yaowang Peak, it rained for a while at the start, but mostly it was fine later. Several spots on the trail were only wide enough for one foot; after Qianmu Field, the muddy path was very slippery, which reminded me not to go up in rainy weather in the future. But perhaps because of the rain, after it stopped, the clouds on the summit cleared, and standing on the peak feeling the mountain breeze, looking out, only blue sky, white clouds, distant mountains, empty valleys, and bird song remained.

Yaowang Peak is also called Jieli Peak, said to be the geological relic of volcanic eruptions billions of years ago. Each peak is a unique masterpiece of nature, different rock formations, yet mostly spectacular and wondrous. So they say Yaowang Peak is the most beautiful of the Tianmu Seven Peaks, and it truly deserves its name. From Yaowang Peak, you can gaze far at Qianmu Field and Qianmu Peak. Going down, two steep slopes had ropes left by previous hikers, which helped a lot. Descending from Qianmu Field, because of the rain, parts of the trail had turned into little creeks. The mountain streams converged, rushing and roaring and leaping down…

Qingliang Peak

Route: Yinlongwu – Baibu Ridge – Songlin Ridge – Longchi – Wanxiang Stone – Qingliang Peak – Shichangcheng – Shimen Gorge

Qingliang Peak is Hangzhou’s highest peak, and also the highest in the Tianmu range, with a summit elevation of 1,787.4 meters. Located on the Anhui-Zhejiang border—Jixi of Anhui and Lin’an of Zhejiang—it is a national nature reserve with abundant ecological and natural resources. As you climb, vegetation changes with altitude. Unlike other Hangzhou mountains—no bamboo forests, no tea gardens—villages have walnut groves on the slopes; further up, pine forests, shrubs, arrow bamboo, meadow, iris seas, high-mountain azalea. Streams, waterfalls, seas of clouds… At the peak, look around: ranges of peaks and layers of hills, sheer cliffs of a thousand fathoms, clouds opening and closing, a magnificent sight between heaven and earth. Fantastic stones subtly form recognizable shapes—Three Pure Ones, Tang Monk with White Dragon Horse, Snow White and the Dwarfs, Jade Rabbit Pounding Medicine…

In the woods, all kinds of strange-shaped wild fungi in white, black, brown, gray, pink… Animals and birds are also rare and unusual: not far off, the sound of what seemed like a wild boar; among the trees, an animal like a white deer suddenly bolted away; halfway up, on the ridgeline in the pine forest, a pair of silver pheasants—one with pure white feathers streaked with mesmerizing colors—so brilliantly dazzling. On the way down, near the foot of the mountain, an old, slender woman with a cloth bag slung over her shoulder walked nimbly among the walnut trees, picking up fallen nuts left after the harvest…