Departing from Shanghai, 2025 Jiuhua Mountain and Hangzhou 4-Day Self-Drive Tour (Baisui Palace, Huacheng Temple, Qiyuan Temple, Yueshen Baodian, Shangchan Hall, Zhantan Forest, Jingci Temple)

For our first cross-provincial self-driving trip of 2025, we chose to go to Jiuhua Mountain in Anhui. On the way back to Shanghai, because the Xuancheng–Guangde section of the G50 Expressway was not yet open due to construction, we took a detour via the G56 Hangzhou–Ruili Expressway and visited Jingci Temple in Hangzhou. The total journey was 1,071 km.

January 11, 2025 (Qingyang weather: cloudy, 0–10°C)

Depart from our home in Pudong, Shanghai at 10:08.

10:39, arrive at Zhoupu Toll Station on the Shanghai–Fengxian Expressway, cumulative distance 17.6 km.

Switch from the Shanghai–Fengxian Expressway to the Shen–Jia–Hu Expressway, encounter several kilometers of traffic jam due to road construction.

11:32, enter Zhejiang Province from Shanghai on the Shen–Jia–Hu Expressway.

12:19, arrive at Nanxun Service Area on the Shen–Jia–Hu Expressway for a rest, cumulative distance 162.7 km.

Switch from the Shen–Jia–Hu Expressway to the Changshen Expressway.

There is an elevated road under construction next to the Changshen Expressway in the Huzhou section – not sure what project it is.

Switch from the Changshen Expressway to the G50 Shanghai–Chongqing Expressway.

Traffic jam on the Changxing section of the G50 due to a traffic accident.

On the right-side emergency lane, the vehicles involved in the accident were almost completely burned.

The Changxing section of the G50 is undergoing widening construction.

14:03, arrive at Guangde Service Area on the G50 for a rest, cumulative distance 256.8 km.

The G50 from Guangde to Xuancheng has been widened from two lanes in one direction to four lanes, but the west-to-east direction is not yet open for traffic.

Switch from the G50 to the Xuancheng Ring Expressway.

15:28, arrive at Hanting Service Area on the G50 for a rest, cumulative distance 341.8 km.

16:49, arrive at Qingyang Toll Station on the Beijing–Taipei Expressway, cumulative distance 447.6 km, toll fee 201.83 yuan.

Street view of Qingyang county town.

The hotel we booked is right next to RT-Mart Yida Plaza, which is in the center of Qingyang county town.

Check in at Ji Hotel (Chizhou Qingyang RT-Mart), superior twin room, 295 yuan. The hotel lobby displays many books, including the autobiography of Ji Qi, founder of Huazhu Group; Ji Hotel is a brand under Huazhu Group.

Two double beds (1.5m wide each).

A very compact humidifier.

In the evening, we found a restaurant in Qingyang county town.

We chose a set meal on a platform, plus Mao tofu (fermented tofu), total spending 110 yuan.

Ji Hotel (Chizhou Qingyang RT-Mart). This hotel is connected to Yida Plaza, the busiest commercial area in Qingyang county town.

Yida Plaza is very lively, with many street food stalls.

Inside Yida Plaza there is an RT-Mart store.

Huaining Gong Gao (tribute rice cake from Huaining). Huaining County belongs to Anqing City, Anhui Province.

RT-Mart is also quite popular.

Local Anhui specialties sold in the supermarket.

We bought a box of Hefei specialty.

Back at the hotel, we opened the Huaining Gong Gao; it’s similar to the Yunpian Gao (cloud slice cake) that Shanghai people know.

January 12, 2025 (Qingyang weather: cloudy to sunny, –2–13°C)

Drive to the Jiuhua Mountain Scenic Area visitor center, about 16 km, with some mountain roads. If taking national and provincial highways, it’s about 21 km.

At the foot of Jiuhua Mountain is Jiuzi Ancient Town, with many restaurants and several chain hotel outlets.

After going up the mountain, we called the booked guesthouse; the owner drove to pick us up.

Check in at Jiuhua Mountain Shangquan Lin She Guesthouse (near Physical Body Hall), courtyard family room, 340 yuan (includes double breakfast).

The room has one double bed and one single bed, plus a projector.

Private bathroom.

There are chairs at the door to sit and enjoy the mountain village scenery.

The guesthouse owner drove us to the Baisui Palace cable car station.

Round-trip cable car ticket for Baisui Palace: 80 yuan per person.

The Baisui Palace cable car ride takes about 2.5 minutes one way.

After getting off the cable car, it’s about 200 meters walk to Baisui Palace.

Baisui Palace: a key national Buddhist temple in Han Chinese areas. Jiuhua Mountain Baisui Palace, announced by the State Council on March 5, 2013, as the seventh batch of national key cultural relics protection units, category ancient architecture, Qing dynasty.

Overlooking Jiuhua Mountain from Baisui Palace.

On the platform at the upper station of the Baisui Palace cable car, you can see the “Natural Sleeping Buddha” facing you.

Take the cable car down the mountain.

The lower station of the Baisui Palace cable car is near Qiyuan Temple.

Qiyuan Temple: a key national Buddhist temple in Han Chinese areas. Jiuhua Mountain Qiyuan Temple, announced by the State Council on March 5, 2013, as the seventh batch of national key cultural relics protection units, category ancient architecture, Ming dynasty to Republic of China.

Some buildings inside Qiyuan Temple are under renovation.

Huacheng Temple: a key national Buddhist temple in Han Chinese areas. Jiuhua Mountain Huacheng Temple, announced by the State Council on March 5, 2013, as the seventh batch of national key cultural relics protection units, category ancient architecture, Qing dynasty.

Huacheng Temple also houses the Jiuhua Mountain Scenic Area Museum. The Diting (mythical beast) displayed inside, made of bronze, Qing dynasty. Diting, also known as “unicorn”, is the treasure of Jiuhua Mountain, said to be the mount of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva.

There are many shops around Huacheng Temple.

Many shops on Jiuhua Mountain sell Polygonatum (Huangjing), a traditional Chinese medicine with effects of tonifying Qi and nourishing Yin, strengthening the spleen, moistening the lungs, and benefiting the kidneys. Jiuhua Huangjing is a specialty of Qingyang County, Anhui Province, and a national geographical indication product.

The Lawson convenience store in front of Huacheng Temple. Prices of goods in supermarkets on the mountain are relatively high. In this Lawson, the cheapest bottled water costs 4 yuan per bottle.

During the low season of Jiuhua Mountain Scenic Area, there are few diners in restaurants. In the evening, we ate at a restaurant called “Juxian Lou”, spending 162 yuan.

Stir-fried mushrooms with bok choy.

In addition to a complimentary can of Fanta, the restaurant also gave us a bag of Huangjing thin crackers to try.

January 13, 2025 (Qingyang weather: cloudy, 3–18°C)

The breakfast at the guesthouse is simple but decent.

In the morning, we took another look at the guesthouse we stayed in.

Outside our room door.

There are many guesthouses in the surrounding area.

The guesthouse arranged a driver to take us to the hiking entrance of Yueshen Baodian.

View of Jiuhua Mountain from the hiking entrance of Yueshen Baodian.

There is a service of carrying people up to Yueshen Baodian in a sedan chair; actually, it’s not necessary, walking up is quick.

Yueshen Baodian: a key national Buddhist temple in Han Chinese areas. Jiuhua Mountain Yueshen Dian (Physical Body Hall), announced by the State Council on March 5, 2013, as the seventh batch of national key cultural relics protection units, category ancient architecture, Qing dynasty.

Descend via another mountain path to go to Shangchan Hall.

Shangchan Hall: a key national Buddhist temple in Han Chinese areas.

Continuing downhill from Shangchan Hall is Jiuhua Old Street. Jiuhua Old Street is over 1,300 meters long and has a history of more than 1,600 years, with shops lining both sides.

Zhantan Forest: a key national Buddhist temple in Han Chinese areas.

Pass by Huacheng Temple again; many pigeons are flying around.

Before descending the mountain, the guesthouse arranged for someone to deliver our stored luggage to the bus stop.

Return to the parking lot at the foot of the mountain.

14:46, drive away from Jiuhua Mountain Scenic Area, parking fee 40 yuan.

Drive via provincial and national highways to the expressway entrance.

15:17, arrive at Qingyang Toll Station on the Beijing–Taipei Expressway, cumulative distance 495.7 km.

16:20, arrive at Hanting Service Area on the G50 for a rest, cumulative distance 601.1 km. Refuel with 95-octane gasoline: 361.89 yuan, 7.98 yuan per liter.

The Hanting Service Area on the G50 belongs to Xuancheng, Anhui; unexpectedly, we got lead-free gasoline here. According to the staff, it switched from ethanol gasoline to lead-free gasoline about a year ago.

17:41, enter Zhejiang from Anhui through the Qianqiuguan Tunnel, switching from the Xuantong Expressway (Anhui section) to the Linjin Expressway (Zhejiang section).

Enter Zhejiang Province inside the Qianqiuguan Tunnel.

Xia Yanglingjiao Tunnel. The Linjin Expressway in Zhejiang has many tunnels.

18:11, arrive at Lin’an Service Area on the G56 Hangzhou–Ruili Expressway.

18:29, arrive at Lin’an Toll Station on the G56, cumulative distance 782.0 km, toll fee 139.10 yuan.

After exiting the expressway, drive to Lin’an Baolong Plaza in Hangzhou.

Grandma’s Home (Wai Po Jia) Lin’an Baolong branch.

Grandma’s stewed tofu.

Hunan-style stir-fried beef.

West Lake beef soup.

After discount, actual spending 152.9 yuan.

Check in at Ji Hotel (Hangzhou Lin’an Agricultural University), superior twin room, 287 yuan (includes single breakfast).

The hotel left a copy of the autobiography of Ji Qi, founder of Huazhu Group, for guests.

January 14, 2025 (Hangzhou weather: cloudy, 2–17°C)

11:26, arrive at Lin’an Toll Station on the G56, cumulative distance 795.4 km.

11:46, arrive at Hangzhou West Toll Station on the G56, cumulative distance 795.4 km, toll fee 18.79 yuan.

Many roads in downtown Hangzhou restrict non-local license plates during morning and evening rush hours. To drive on them, you can apply for a “Non-Zhejiang A Emergency Pass” in advance.

Nanshan Road, you can see Leifeng Pagoda in the distance.

Park at Leifeng Pagoda parking lot.

Jingci Temple: a key national Buddhist temple in Han Chinese areas, admission 10 yuan.

View of Leifeng Pagoda from Jingci Temple.

Zhiweiguan (Hangzhou traditional restaurant) Hubin branch.

Seasonal bamboo shoot pian’erchuan (a noodle soup), tangyuan (glutinous rice balls), and fresh meat xiaolongbao (steamed buns).

Green vegetable, dried bamboo shoot, and shrimp noodles.

We ordered three bowls of noodles, one of which was green vegetable and fried noodle.

Total spending 83 yuan.

Bought a Hangzhou refrigerator magnet from a vending machine at Zhiweiguan.

Zhonghe Elevated Road.

15:38, arrive at Hangzhou Toll Station on the Hangzhou–Yongzhou Expressway branch, cumulative distance 870.3 km.

Merge onto the Tinge Expressway.

17:03, arrive at Puwei Highway Toll Station on the Shanghai Ring Expressway, cumulative distance 1,006.7 km, toll fee 68.49 yuan.

Go to Shanghai Zhuangxing to buy Liji lamb.

17:34, arrive at Puwei Highway Toll Station on the Shanghai Ring Expressway, cumulative distance 1,013.5 km.

18:04, arrive at Zhoupu Toll Station on the Shanghai–Fengxian Expressway, cumulative distance 1,053.5 km, toll fee 23.75 yuan.

18:35, return to our home in Pudong, Shanghai, total journey distance 1,071 km, average fuel consumption 6.2 L/100 km.