Unlock New Ways to Explore Huangshan! Fairyland Beihai Yunji Stay & Spectacular Xihai Small Train
Xu Xiake’s saying, 'After visiting the Five Sacred Mountains, no other mountains are worth seeing; after returning from Huangshan, no other mountains are worth seeing even the Five,' sparked our yearning for Huangshan. As a World Natural and Cultural Heritage Site, Global Geopark, and one of China’s top ten famous scenic attractions, Huangshan has always been renowned for its 'Five Wonders': odd-shaped pines, grotesque rocks, seas of clouds, hot springs, and winter snow. The scenery varies with the seasons, making any time the best time to visit Huangshan. Although I have been to Huangshan several times before, experiencing its gentle breezes and blooming flowers in spring and summer, as well as its snow-covered tranquility in winter, I was still full of anticipation for this July trip. Not only was I looking forward to the familiar beautiful scenery, but also to the newest and most exciting activities this summer. Absolutely relaxing, absolutely wonderful, and absolutely different from what you imagine. I've already planned a three-day itinerary for you. With so much excitement and fun, friend, want to hike the mountain together?
DAY 1: Cloud Valley Temple Cable Car up the mountain - Beihai Scenic Area - Dream Writing Brush - Monkey Gazing at the Sea - Lion Peak - Check in at Yunji
DAY 2: Monkey Gazing at the Sea (Cooling Terrace) sunrise - Unity Pine - Xihai Grand Hotel - Paiyun Pavilion - Xihai Small Train - Flying Over Stone - Bright Summit - Lotus Peak - Baiyun Hotel
DAY 3: Baiyun Hotel - One-Line Sky - Jade Screen Pavilion - Welcoming Pines - Internet-famous Cloud Balcony - Jade Screen Cable Car down the mountain
July is still the rainy season in Huangshan. We set off from Tangkou under a drizzling rain, took a bus winding through mountain roads, and arrived at the Cloud Valley Temple Cable Car, marking the start of our Huangshan trip. The mountain mist was hazy, like an ink painting. We quietly walked along a winding path, climbing step by step until we heard the creak of a door opening, and the characters '雲亼' appeared before us.
As the same homestay where Jack Ma once stayed, the origin of Huangshan Yunji is quite meaningful. '雲' is taken from the 'cloud' in 'cloud wandering', and '亼' is the traditional form of '集' (gathering), meaning like-minded people gather together. '雲亼' is also derived from the most magical 'Sea of Clouds' of Huangshan, and '亼' indicates that this is a gathering place for visitors and one of the best spots to view the sea of clouds. 'Beihai' is the name inherited here, indicating it is located in the Beihai Scenic Area and belongs to the Beihai Hotel. Saying that, isn’t it more upscale?
The thirteen guest rooms of Yunji are arranged according to the mountain terrain. Almost every room is an independent courtyard, each enjoying its own space with absolute privacy. The exterior is made of wood and bamboo, harmonizing with nature, hidden in the mountains yet unforgettable at first sight.
The guest rooms here are also named starting with the character '雲': Yunyi, Yunqi, Yunwu, Yunsiwu... each reflecting the unique Eastern aesthetics of Yunji. Inside, you'll find a five-star service experience, modern furniture design, elegant and quiet without losing style.
Such a high-end positioning naturally requires original wild mountain delicacies. The mountain stream spring water fish is prepared using the most basic Huizhou cooking method, with tender texture and delicious broth. There is also the Huizhou-style stone fungus and free-range chicken soup, made from free-range chickens raised in the Huizhou mountain forests. After slaughtering, chopping, and washing, they are put into a pot with mountain spring water and simmered for 2-3 hours, adding only a moderate amount of salt, then paired with stone fungus. The soup is golden in color, fragrant, and deliciously pure, truly a fine product.
I also really like the specialty snack, five-blade-skin egg rolls. It is made from a wild green ingredient found by streams in the hills of Huizhou. The tender shoots are washed and chopped, mixed with free-range eggs and a little salt, then fried into thin egg pancakes and rolled up, garnished with fresh flowers on a plate. There is also the Huangshan specialty stinky mandarin fish. Every dish is delicious and exquisite, making you want to feast.
People often say that a good homestay can turn life into poetry, but at Yunji, life is not only poetry but also painting. If the morning at Yunji is wrapped in clouds, then the afternoon at Yunji is rendered by Eastern beauty.
At Yunji, we encountered an elegant gathering. A stick of incense leisurely, delicious pastries to while away the exquisite afternoon. At this moment, it was raining outside, a pattering deep blue, making the room feel even warmer.
Brew a pot of tea and experience the charm of tea culture. Arrange a bunch of flowers and appreciate the poetic charm of floral decoration. Whether playing the zither or sitting quietly listening to the rain, at Yunji, you can always discover the small beauties of life. Qin, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, wine, and tea – life at Yunji is so comfortable and leisurely.
In fact, many people just climb up and down Huangshan in one day, but that really misses out too much. If you want a more complete Huangshan trip, you should experience the wonderful sunrise. Staying at Yunji inherently gives you the best conditions for watching the sunrise, because it is only a ten-minute walk to the best sunrise and sea of clouds viewing spot, Monkey Gazing at the Sea. What particularly touched me was that the room provided super thick cotton coats. That way, guests who want to get up early to watch the sunrise can leave one bulky thick coat out of their luggage. Such thoughtful consideration, I love it.
At four in the morning, our group got up, first walking for more than ten minutes to reach the Cooling Terrace. However, the weather was not cooperative. Although the continuous drizzle from yesterday had cleared, the dark clouds in the sky were still thick. While waiting for the sun to come out, we used the camera's slow shutter and a phone flash to make a happy heart shape for Huangshan.
Although the sun was hidden in the clouds, we could still see a little rosy glow. From the Cooling Terrace, we rushed to Monkey Gazing at the Sea, and fortunately captured a bit of a sea of clouds. The entire early morning sky was deep blue, truly beautiful.
After watching the sunrise and descending the mountain, the sky began to clear. We continued exploring Beihai, checking in at the famous Dream Writing Brush. Because the upper third of the solitary peak is cracked crosswise, the part above the crack gradually becomes round and pointed, like a brush tip dipped in thick ink, while the lower two-thirds of the stone pillar resembles a brush handle. On the 'brush tip' grows a twisting ancient pine with branches stretching out like blooming flowers, hence its name. Legend says that if ancient literati felt their inspiration was drying up, a visit here would suddenly open their mind and produce brilliant writing.
This group of strange rocks in front, the one on the lower left, does it look like a revered old monk standing on a high peak, carrying a large bamboo basket for gathering herbs?
Before coming to Huangshan, I had already watched short videos online of the Xihai Small Train, but coming here in person felt much more stunning than what I saw on my phone. As the saying goes, 'If you haven't visited the Grand Canyon, you've wasted your trip to Huangshan.' Xihai Grand Canyon, also known as 'White Cloud Valley,' is located in the western part of the Huangshan Scenic Area and is the most beautiful and profound part. Only by being there can you appreciate this 'dreamlike scenic area.' And the small train is the way to experience that immersion.
Normally, it takes 2-3 hours to walk to the bottom of the valley. Once at the bottom, you can take the small train, which takes only 3-4 minutes to go from the valley floor to the Tianhai Scenic Area. The scenery along the cable car route is like a series of paintings unfolding and freezing frame by frame, giving you an extraordinary experience of 'being amidst the exquisite beauty with clouds and mist passing under your feet.'
The Xihai Grand Canyon sightseeing cable car operates daily from 8:00 to 17:00, so friends who want to experience it must not miss it.
Paiyun Pavilion is located at the Xihai Gate of Huangshan Scenic Area, with the characters 'Paiyun Ting' engraved on the stone beam. It is special because of its wide view, making it the best place to admire the ingenious rocks of Huangshan. Clouds and mist often rise and roll in the valley, dissipating just before reaching the stone pavilion, hence the name 'Paiyun Pavilion' (Cloud-Dispelling Pavilion).
Right in front of the right side of Paiyun Pavilion is another of Huangshan's ten strange rocks, the Immortal Drying Boots. Two huge strange rocks look like a pair of boots placed on a small peak terrace to dry, thus the name. I really admire the people who named these scenic spots; they are so imaginative.
On the evening of the second day, we ascended Bright Summit. Bright Summit is one of the main peaks of Huangshan, located in the central area, with an altitude of 1841 meters, making it the second highest peak, together with Celestial Capital Peak and Lotus Peak, forming the three main peaks. When we arrived, there were still some dark clouds in the sky, but soon the weather suddenly cleared. The weather in Huangshan is indeed like a child's face, changing instantly.
White clouds began to move swiftly in the sky. In the distance, Lotus Peak was wrapped in clouds, like a fairy mountain, appearing and disappearing. The view before us was truly one word: amazing!
This time we were very fortunate to see a Buddha's halo at Bright Summit. In physics, a Buddha's halo is a type of 'sun halo.' It is a natural wonder formed when sunlight strikes the surface of clouds, subjected to diffraction and diffuse reflection. However, the previous days of continuous rain were exchanged for this brief moment, making my heart extremely excited.
Although the sun did not set below the horizon, the sunset within the surging clouds had a different kind of beauty. The Huangshan Meteorological Station was surrounded by deep blue and orange-red. Sunlight shone through the clouds, casting golden rays, silhouetting the contours of the mountains. Winds and clouds surged and changed in an instant, making all the waiting seem worthwhile.
Coming to Huangshan and climbing to Bright Summit, you should naturally also check in at the highest meteorological station in East China—Huangshan Meteorological Station. Built in 1955, it is located at Bright Summit, at an altitude of 1840 meters. This is also a must-visit place for national leaders when they climb Huangshan, such as Deng Xiaoping, Wan Li, Chen Yi, Fang Yi, Zhang Aiping, Chen Muhua, etc. Some have left calligraphy praising the dedication of the meteorologists here. Since 2006, it has switched to eight regular weather observation and reporting times per day. To adapt to the development of Huangshan tourism, the station has added probability forecasts for sunrise, sunset, sea of clouds, and Buddha's halos, which is really impressive.
On the way to Bright Summit, we checked in at the legendary Flying Over Stone. As one of the ten strange rocks of Huangshan, the location and appearance of Flying Over Stone are indeed peculiar. The huge rock is 12 meters high, 7.5 meters long, and 2.5 meters wide; the rock platform beneath it is 12-15 meters long, 8-10 meters wide, 1.5-2.5 meters thick, and weighs about 360 tons. Its shape is strange, but it stands upright on a flat rock about 12-15 meters long and 8-10 meters wide, truly amazing! The contact surface between the two rocks is very small, and the upper rock seems to have flown from beyond the sky, hence the name 'Flying Over Stone.'
When we arrived at Jade Screen Pavilion, the crowd started to increase. Here you can see various internet-famous balconies that have recently become popular here, and they are new landmarks for many tourists. Friends who are interested must not miss them.
Next to Jade Screen Pavilion is the famous Welcoming Pines of Huangshan. One side of its branches extends outward, like a person stretching out an arm to welcome guests from afar, while the other hand elegantly slips into the trouser pocket, dignified and graceful. The name 'Welcoming Pine' is fitting. As one of the 'Five Wonders' of Huangshan, it has a history of a thousand years. In the province, it is the icon of Anhui TV station, and nationally, it was depicted by a Hui-style iron painting master and hung in the Great Hall of the People. In fact, the fame of the Welcoming Pine is not only due to its rich history and unique form, but more importantly because of the modest and gentle temperament and polite image it represents, which aligns with the traditions of the Chinese nation.
As a must-visit spot for tourists to Huangshan, the area in front of the Welcoming Pine was indeed crowded, but everyone lined up politely to take photos. Indeed, if you come to Huangshan and don't check in at the Welcoming Pine, it's really the same as not coming. So I didn't break the norm and took a photo haha, to soak up some spirit.
On the third day of our trip, the clouds and mist in the mountains increased again. Walking among them was no different from a fairyland. Along the way, the scenery was like an ink painting.
There are also the odd-shaped pines, one of the five wonders, which are even more beautiful than those seen in Chinese paintings.
These little yellow cars in front are called 'portable sedan chairs,' a traditional means of transportation in mountainous areas of southern China. They are usually made by binding two long bamboo poles into a stretcher, with a chair in the middle for passengers. Tourists with leg problems can choose this mode. On Huangshan, the carriers are mostly young people in their twenties and thirties. They have uniform work clothes and management, and are divided into sections for the front and back mountains, with different bearers responsible. However, if you want to photograph the bearers, you must communicate with them in advance, as some do not wish to be photographed. The minimum starting price for riding a Huangshan sedan chair is said to be 100 yuan, with a maximum limit of about 700 yuan, averaging over 100 yuan per kilometer. Of course, if the mountain path is particularly steep or if the tourist wants to extend the distance, the price will be negotiated according to the specific section.
In the Yuping scenic area, on the mountain north of Putuan Pine, there is a strange rock shaped like a palm with its index finger pointing to the sky, very much like guiding people on the path to Lotus Peak, hence its name. Ming dynasty poet Deng Kai wrote a poem: 'The path turns to seek a secluded trail, deep forest reveals a green peak. Lost way, rely on the finger pointing, not fearing the white clouds sealing the path.'
We took the Yuping cable car down the mountain, which is 2,176 meters long with a drop of 752 meters. My eyes couldn't stop moving: far gazing at Celestial Capital Peak, close viewing Lotus Peak, overlooking mountain streams and ravines. The beauty of layers of peaks flowed outside the window. Huge rocks were within reach, winds and clouds changed by the minute.
Besides the beautiful scenery, we also encountered various lovely animal friends on Huangshan: cute little squirrels, chubby birds, and a silly big orange cat! All things have spirit and beauty, and I am grateful that nature gives us so much beauty, and also grateful for the unexpected surprises every trip brings.
Encounter Huangshan, encounter this summer's new ways.
Encounter the Eastern aesthetics of Beihai Yunji homestay.
Encounter the spectacular Xihai small train crossing the grand canyon.
Encounter the sunset at Tianhai Bright Summit with surging clouds.
Encounter the welcoming pine of Yuping, as hospitable as ever for a thousand years.
Looking forward to encountering again, with different surprises.
Travelogue Directory:
1. New ways in Beihai
2. Recommended attractions along Beihai
3. New ways in Xihai
4. Recommended attractions along Xihai
5. New ways in Tianhai
6. Recommended attractions along Tianhai
7. New ways in Yuping
8. Recommended attractions along Yuping
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