The Marvelous Peaks: Now I Believe - Shixin Peak of Huangshan
By the morning of the third day, the clouds and mist had completely ceased. The sun shone warmly—after all, it was September, and its strength was not to be underestimated.
After the rain, the air on Huangshan was fresh and clean. Walking in the shade of the trees, I watched as light and shadow danced into countless specks before my eyes. From time to time, one or two leaves twirled and fell through the light and shadow, as if performing the final dance of their lives, exuding the most thrilling beauty. Occasionally, a clear, bright drop of water would fall from the tip of a leaf, landing on me with a cool touch, carrying a sense of freshness.
Unfortunately, this tranquility was soon shattered by the loudspeaker of a tour guide. Since it was the weekend, in the relatively flat areas of the East Sea and North Sea, countless tour groups had gathered, creating a noisy, jostling crowd as bustling as Beijing's Wangfujing, Shanghai's Huaihai Road, or Shenzhen's Dongmen. This was especially true at the more famous pine tree viewpoints.
It must be said that this area gathers the most famous pines of Huangshan, such as the Welcoming Pine, Black Tiger Pine, Couple Pine, Dragon Claw Pine, Crouching Dragon Pine, and Sea-Viewing Pine. Because they are famous, they are always surrounded by crowds, pushing and shoving. I often feel that pines are like people—position determines everything. In many cases, fame has little to do with intrinsic qualities. Those pines that easily draw attention, even worship, are not necessarily the best; rather, the Huangshan pines hidden deep in the dense forest, no matter how unique or extraordinary, remain unknown. As we continued our journey, we saw countless wild pines growing on the highest peaks and sheer cliffs, ignored by all, far surpassing these so-called famous pines in number. The reason famous pines are famous is simply due to their location.
Wandering freely, I reached the viewing spot of the Monkey Gazing at the Sea. Perhaps it was because I had to compete with too many people for the best angle, or maybe it was the surging crowd around me—I don't know—but I just didn't feel anything. To be fair, this place boasts exquisite rocks and majestic pines, with three sides hanging in the air and cliffs a thousand zhang high. But perhaps it lacked the lingering clouds and mist? Everything was exposed starkly before me, losing its sense of mystery. If some clouds and mist were drifting here, the scenery would be entirely different.
I hurried my steps, passing by quickly. Someone said: "Mount Tai is like sitting, Mount Hua is like standing, Mount Heng (North) is like lying, Mount Heng (South) is like flying, and Huangshan combines all these postures—sitting, standing, lying, and flying." From the viewing platform of Shixin Peak, I could see towering cliffs like those of Mount Hua, as if chopped by axes and split by knives, standing tall and unyielding. Shizhu Peak and Shangcheng Peak flank it on the left and right, forming a tripod-like posture. At the summit, there is the Ferry Bridge for Immortals, and beside the bridge, in the crevices of the rocks, grows the Welcoming Pine, shaped like it is guiding immortals across the bridge. On Shizhu Peak, one can admire numerous strange rocks. As for those peculiar pines and exquisite rocks, what they resemble is a matter of personal opinion. To be honest, I no longer remember the name of that pine tree. I only recall that it looked like a canopy, very spread-out and graceful. Unfortunately, one person after another rushed to take photos in front of it, completely discouraging me from taking a picture of that pine.
Under the clear sky, Huangshan left no lingering feelings. I thought of how I had visited Zhangjiajie three times, each time just missing the sea of clouds and mist. I couldn't help but recall every moment of the previous day in the West Sea—how fortunate, how fortunate.
