One-Day Bus Tour to Shaohua Mountain from Xi’an
I’ve long heard of Shaohua Mountain, with its gorgeous natural scenery, and the old tales of Guanzhong swordsmen, rich in cultural depth. It’s a two-hour drive due east of Xi’an city center, right next to Huashan, the foremost of the Five Sacred Mountains. Its sheer, precipitous beauty rivals Huashan’s, earning it the nickname “Little Huashan.” The area is striving to build a brand-new AAAAA-level scenic destination, a multi-layered, multi-dimensional tourism product system combining sightseeing, blessings, mountain climbing, dining, leisure, meditation, fitness, accommodation, conferences, and vacations.
Early morning, the quiet of Xi’an is broken by the swish of cars; due to the pandemic, the streets have fewer people and vehicles. We booked a “Xi’an to Shaohua Mountain One-Day Tour” online through a travel agency for 118 yuan per person. Although the epidemic is under control, visitor numbers have dropped significantly, so the shuttle bus was canceled. The agency asked us to take a taxi for 20 yuan to the meeting point and reimbursed us.
We set off just after 7 a.m. and reached the foot of Shaohua Mountain around 9 a.m., a two-hour drive filled with cheerful chatter. On the coach we happened to meet a group of 10 and another independent traveler, making 13 tourists in all. The weather was a bit colder than downtown Xi’an, with a light breeze that I could feel on my legs. We walked about five minutes to the scenic area’s shuttle bus stop—30 yuan per person for a round trip. A ten-minute ride brought us to the cableway station, where the round trip cost 100 yuan per person. Riding the cable car up, we saw the desolate autumn colors on both sides. The rolling mountains, deep valleys with crystal water, strangely shaped rocks, and lush forests were a feast for the eyes. Our pretty guide Xiao Zheng said that if we’d come a few days earlier, we would have seen a magnificent scene of red maple leaves and white snow. It’s said to be the longest and most thrilling passenger cableway in the country, and looking down from the sky over Shaohua Mountain reveals yet another spectacular view.
After going up the mountain, the first must-see was the famous “glass plank road.” Along the way, white snow blanketed the ground, the pines were still dark green, the clouds white and grass still green under a blue sky, with very few people around. Nearby, winding paths led to secluded spots; in the distance, the vast landscape stretched endlessly. I felt carefree and happy, shaking off the months of pandemic-induced gloom and letting myself go in the wide-open mountain wilderness...
We followed mountain trails, wooden plank paths, and climbed step by step, until we saw a dragon’s head jutting out from the cliff. The mountain resembled a dragon’s spine, the trees its tail, soaring through the clouds and mist. We walked cautiously, afraid of offending the dragon’s might and even more worried about taking a tumble. After about half an hour, we reached the glass plank road at the summit—a steel-and-concrete structure with a glass-floored middle section, suspended hundreds of meters above the ground, serving as an viewing walkway. At over 1,600 meters above sea level, it made your legs wobble and your head spin. Leaning on the railing and looking out, the cliffs offered boundless scenery on all sides, and below was a dizzying abyss cloaked in green—thrilling and breathtaking.
Everyone marveled and shouted with delight, then started dancing joyfully on the glass bridge, striking pretty poses for photos to capture the beautiful moments. In my glee, I accidentally tossed my sunglasses into the valley—maybe pondering gain and loss is another kind of gain.
At Dragon’s Head, we admired the vast land, gasped at the beauty of mountains and rivers, where heaven and earth perfectly merged. The Longshou Pavilion here is four storeys high. Climb to the top and you can gaze far into the distance—“all other mountains look small”—or look down upon the tiny trees below. There’s a small shop selling snacks, drinks, and souvenirs; it can accommodate hundreds of people for rest and sightseeing, but due to the pandemic, there were very few visitors. We briefly toured, rested, ate some snacks we’d brought, then headed back.
On the return route, we passed Qianlong Temple near the summit—a serene, incense-scented place with winding paths, but also nearly empty. Still, the scenery there truly made me linger. We retraced our steps, took the cable car down, then a shuttle bus for about 15 minutes to Shimenxia Scenic Area. Because of my physical condition, I didn’t want to take the shuttle another two kilometers and then walk six more to enjoy the magnificent mountain valleys, so I just rode the shuttle back to the main entrance.
Back at the main gate, I looked around carefully. The place was still empty with few shops. It’s clear the pandemic has dealt a heavy blow to tourism and those working in the scenic spot. Fortunately, we aren’t fussy about food. We found a small, locally run eatery and ordered a plate of fried noodles and a bowl of soup noodles, 12 yuan each. The young owner was warm and efficient, and soon the noodles were ready and water was served. The hot meal instantly drove away the cold dampness from the mountains.
After eating, we returned to our coach in the parking lot—only two vehicles in the huge lot. We waited about an hour for the rest of the group to return, then drove about two hours back to Xi’an, and I took a 1-yuan bus home.
The trip cost 131 yuan per person, which was worth it. Still, I can’t help feeling how much the pandemic has affected everything, and my own health was not at its best, so I didn’t enjoy the outing as fully as I’d hoped. I look forward to and wish for the pandemic to end soon, so that all may be well in the world!
