A Journey to Mount Huangshan: A Wedding in a Dream

I remember a text from middle school called 'Mount Huangshan Pine, I Cheer for You Loudly.' The teacher had us read it aloud to build confidence, and I did too. I was captivated by the images in it—so beautiful. When could I go to Mount Huangshan?

After many twists and turns over the years, thinking about how most of us live in cities, year after year, we've grown accustomed to rows of green trees on the streets, blue skies and white clouds high above, and the dazzling lights of streets and skyscrapers at night. Many times I thought of visiting Huangshan, leaning towards the sky, soaking up its celestial aura. I also read many travel guides and personal accounts, and watched countless pictures and videos of Huangshan. But mundane affairs always kept me from going. This time, I stumbled upon a report about Deng Xiaoping climbing Huangshan at age 75, which deeply touched me. I made up my mind. The time was set for September 1st, and the final travel dates were decided as September 19th to 21st, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, for an in-depth tour, and I prepared a travel plan in advance.

On the afternoon of September 18th, I took leave. At 2 p.m., I set off by car. The journey was smooth, and I arrived at Huangshan Baichuan Hotel in about five and a half hours. The hotel had complete facilities and nice decor. It was very close to the Huangshan Transfer Center and offered free parking. There were many restaurants nearby; I picked one, ordered some food, ate, then went back to rest.

On September 19th, the first day, I got up at 7 a.m. The weather was clear. After breakfast, I went to the Transfer Center to take a bus into the mountain. During the pandemic, we needed to scan travel and health codes to enter. The road into the mountain was very steep. It would be dangerous for an inexperienced driver. That might be why transfer buses are mandatory. It took about twenty minutes to reach the Jade Screen Cable Car. I took the cable car up. At first, I was a bit scared looking down into the abyss, but soon I was captivated by the beautiful scenery around me and forgot my fear.

When I arrived at the Jade Screen Cable Car, the first thing that came into view was Lotus Peak—really high. Thinking about climbing it soon made my legs tremble a bit. I walked forward to the Welcoming Pine. The weather was clear, the temperature around 23°C. I wore a long-sleeve shirt and an extra jacket. There weren't many people. The Welcoming Pine was still so elegant, upright, and welcoming. People took turns taking photos with it, never tiring of it.

Beside the Welcoming Pine was a viewing platform. Looking up from there was breathtaking. On the right was Lotus Peak, on the left was Celestial Capital Peak. The two peaks open alternately every five years. Nearby were both self-service and manned shops selling things. Nongfu Spring water was 10 yuan per bottle, and Water-soluble C100 was 15 yuan per bottle.

From the Welcoming Pine, I walked along a gentle path. The scenery along the way was exquisite, too much to take in. Before climbing Lotus Peak, I needed some food to replenish energy. The climbing path was really steep, so safety was paramount. The walking sticks—one for each of the two of us—proved very useful. There was an old man climbing with us who was truly admirable. For me, it was also a motivation. Looking back at Celestial Capital Peak, it remained majestic and magnificent.

With mutual encouragement, we reached the top of Lotus Peak. Under the bright sunlight, I felt like I was looking down on all the other mountains. My mind was clear and I felt elated, with a sense of conquest. I lingered there, reluctant to leave.

Mount Huangshan is truly a paradise of tranquility, so elevated that it feels like you can shake hands with heaven. But as a mundane person from the mortal world, with too many worldly thoughts, I didn't know how to coexist harmoniously with this immortal place. I looked into the distance, where clouds seemed to rise like an ocean, and fantasized about sailing away on a light boat. Although there were no immortals on the other shore to contact, I still hoped for such a connection.

Finally, it was time to descend. Looking at the path down, it was also extremely steep. I felt like rolling down. My legs were trembling. At that point, the walking sticks—one for each of us—again played a crucial role in descending.

Next stop was Aoyu Peak. There were two paths from Lotus Peak to Aoyu Peak. We chose to climb up the One-Line Sky to reach Aoyu Peak. One-Line Sky was just a narrow crevice with steep steps—needing physical strength. There were stone benches for resting in the middle, which was thoughtful. I climbed it in one go, drenched in sweat. After resting a while, I moved forward and looked back at Lotus Peak, towering into the clouds. I still felt attached. From here, I could also see Bright Summit.

Arriving at Aoyu Peak, I looked westward. Deep ravines and treacherous valleys crisscrossed the landscape. The path from Aoyu Peak to Bright Summit was not steep, relatively flat. The approximate walking time could be referenced from the tourist map. I walked, stopped, and ate along the way, taking longer. I reached Bright Summit at 5 p.m. I remember that climbing Bright Summit had been a dream of mine since childhood. That day, my dream came true.

By then, fog had started to form. Sitting through the sunset was not possible, but I could enjoy the misty scenery. Looking east from Bright Summit, nature seemed like a stone sculptor, cliffs plunging straight down, peaks undulating layer upon layer. Lotus Peak and Celestial Capital Peak appeared and disappeared in the mist, full of immortal aura. Here you can see the sunrise. To the west, layers of peaks rose and fell, magnificent, where you can see the sunset.

At 6:30 p.m., I checked into White Goose Hotel. The hotel had complete facilities. I took a hot shower to recover my energy. Since we planned to get up at 5 a.m. the next day to watch the sunrise, after dinner at 8:30 p.m., I went to bed early.

Summarizing the travel experience and feelings of the first day, I wrote a seven-character quatrain poem as follows. Please comment:

A place so high, heaven can be held in hand,

But how does this mortal belong in this fairyland?

From the lofty terrace, a light boat sails into the sea,

The other shore has no mediator, but a dream may be.

It rained a little during the night. I felt a bit uncertain about seeing the sunrise the next day. But on September 20th, the second morning, I still got up at 5 a.m. The temperature had dropped. It was still dark, with heavy fog. I turned on a flashlight. My feet and calves were a bit sore. Since we had three days to tour, there were two opportunities to see the sunrise. For a good spot, I initially chose Bright Summit for today and Clear Cool Terrace for tomorrow. Lion Peak was closed.

When I arrived at Bright Summit, the fog was still rolling in. Many people were waiting eagerly. In the end, the sunrise didn't show. I'll save it for next time. I then walked towards Flying Rock. On the way, the fog didn't clear; it was still misty. The opposite peaks appeared and disappeared dreamily. Looking down at the precipice beside me was scary, as if about to fall into an abyss.

When I reached Cloud-Dispelling Pavilion, the fog had almost dissipated, and the sun had come out. From the pavilion, I saw West Sea Grand Canyon—majestic layered peaks, flying mists and cascading waterfalls—so beautiful that words cannot describe it.

The path from Bright Summit to Cloud-Dispelling Pavilion was not steep, relatively flat, but the descent into West Sea Grand Canyon was very steep and required good physical condition. When you felt you were near the bottom, you were terribly mistaken; you still had a long way to go. While being surrounded by layers of beauty and sighing in awe, you might feel most keenly your aching legs. You constantly cheer yourself up: with such beautiful scenery, even the exhaustion is worth it.

Ah, I finally made it to the bottom. My legs were too sore. I decided to take the trendy mini-train back up. The little train glided between the steep mountains, letting me enjoy the dynamic undulating beauty. After coming up, I passed by White Cloud Hotel and reached Bright Summit to watch the sunset. At sunset, the clouds turned crimson, stretching thousands of miles. It was broader and more moving than watching the sunset from the foot of the mountain—truly different. At 6:30 p.m., I returned to White Goose Hotel and checked in. Again, after dinner at 8:30 p.m., I went to bed early.

On September 21st, the third day, the Mid-Autumn Festival, I got up at 5 a.m. again. The weather was clear, but the temperature had dropped significantly to 7°C. It was quite cold. I put on all the clothes I could, and then I wasn't cold. I decided to climb Bright Summit again to watch the sunrise. I saw the sun rising hot and glowing from the east, its light bright and pure, transcendent. From Bright Summit, I could also see a sea of clouds in the distance.

Because of the fog yesterday, we discussed and decided to walk the Flying Rock section again to compensate for the inability to see clearly yesterday. From Flying Rock, the views of the mountains were also beautiful. We took several photos posing as if pushing or moving the rock.

Next, we passed by Cloud-Dispelling Pavilion Hotel, Unity Pine, and arrived at Monkey Gazing at the Sea. The monkey was truly lifelike, quietly watching the changing clouds, reading the vicissitudes of the world, with a deep, everlasting expression that stirred the imagination.

Dreaming of a Writing Brush Blooming made one's mind teem with literary inspiration.

Beginning to Believe Peak made one truly believe that Huangshan is worth visiting.

Finally, we reached Bamboo Shoot Peak. Along this path, there were again magnificent layers of peaks, lofty and precipitous, full of splendor.

As a weary traveler from the mortal world, walking among the clouds, chasing the light of sunrise and sunset from dawn to dusk, in this immortal place, I didn't even dare to speak loudly. I thought how wonderful it would be to stay here forever. Unexpectedly, having truly come to Huangshan, I felt a touch of melancholy and had even more dreams. I wished I could turn into an eagle or a bird, spiraling around all the seventy-two peaks of Huangshan, taking in every single one.

By the time I reached the Cloud Valley Cable Car, it was already 3 p.m. I decided to take the cable car down. On the cable car, I could effortlessly enjoy different beautiful scenery. After getting off the cable car, following the signs to the Transfer Center, I bought a ticket and took the bus down the mountain.

Summing up this trip to Huangshan, the preparation was relatively thorough. Looking back, these three days and the time since my return have felt like a dream, like a wedding in a dream—encountering my beloved with the Welcoming Pine, Lotus Peak, and Bright Summit. Huangshan, I will see you again... and again.

Gathering the overall travel experience and feelings of these three days, I wrote a poem in the form of 'Eternal Joy: Mount Huangshan' as follows. Please comment:

Eternal Joy: Mount Huangshan

From ancient times, Mount Huangshan, a dream from youth, leaning toward heaven with intent.

Rows of trees high above, streetlights and towers, I've long grown used to their quiet passing.

I often read travel guides, pat my golden legs, don't laugh at my long-cherished hopes.

Yet suddenly startled—thirty-five years have passed, like smoke, no picture can replace that dream.

A weary traveler of the mortal world, walking lightly among the clouds, chasing beauty from dusk to dawn.

Majestic layered peaks, flying mists and cascading waterfalls, I dare not speak aloud.

A touch of melancholy arises, life is even more a dream, last night's distant flute sounded as I journeyed.

Spiraling around fully—the sturdy pines on steep cliffs, the strange rocks at the sea's edge.