Huangshan Mountain (Yellow Mountain, in Chinese, although there is no need for translation because its original name has achieved worldwide fame) is one of the most original natural formations in eastern China, a region characterized by the monotony of its endless rice fields, its infinite plains and its abundant waterways. Huangshan is actually an immense set of rocky peaks that stretches over 154 square kilometers. Its strange shapes, and its no less curious location, made it for a long time considered the abode of the gods. Therefore, it is not surprising that mythology chose precisely this mountain as the place where the legendary Yellow Emperor retired to make pills of immortality... and from where he later ascended to the heavens.
 |
| Huangshan |
Huangshan (黄山市) is made up of a series of almost inaccessible rocky hills, wedged between clouds and mist, which form impressive cliffs, unfathomable precipices, original shaped peaks and, in the middle of them, a curious variety of vegetal elements. On this magical mountain, impenetrable throughout centuries, the faith and perseverance of the Chinese pilgrims promoted the excavation of a primitive system of steps that communicates its most accessible places. Huangshan is one of the sacred mountains of China and, at the same time, the most mysterious of those worshiped by this people. Its own natural constitution seems to reflect the same principles on which its oldest philosophies are based, being famous especially for four phenomena that, combined, make it a unique place on our planet:
 |
| Huangshan |
Natural bonsai and Pelo del Pico
Contemplate the slow growth of the tenacious Huangshan pines (a unique species characterized by its slow growth and longevity, which end up becoming authentic natural bonsai due to the lack of nutrients in the rocky crevices where they are born, being condemned to an almost imperceptible development ) gives an idea of the cycle of the five elements and the virtue of each one to overcome the one that precedes it. The fog that invades everything, and that occasional ray of sunlight that penetrates to the heart of a ghostly forest, lead to a melting pot where nature reinvents itself every day. Huangshan's vegetation, perched in impossible places and shapes, is presented as the vegetal incarnation of Tao Teking's aphorisms. Among the thousands of botanical species that make these mountains a paradise for researchers - in addition to the pine trees already mentioned - Huangshan tea is famous, popularly known as Peak Hair due to the fine filaments that cover its leaves. Perhaps it was this tea, growing on the inaccessible rocky slopes, which gave basis to the legend that the first Westerners were found in the area, who spoke of highly prized teas that grew on cliffs where they could only be collected by the expertise of trained monkeys.
 |
| Huangshan |
The Buddha Halo
Huangshan is a Taoist mountain and as such has been revered by the Chinese since time immemorial. Its rocky pinnacles, green with shy mosses, seem like the proper paradise to hermits who disdained cereals and proposed to feed on the morning dew to achieve immortality. Huangshan is also a Buddhist mountain, with a series of painstakingly built small temples on the more accessible peaks. Small temples, with humble halls, ignored by pilgrims and travelers, who instead of rejecting sensory experiences as illusory, allow themselves to be trapped by the seduction of that endless beauty that seems in itself a splendid prayer to the mysteries of nature.
One of the most curious phenomena in Huangshan is the so-called Buddha Halo, a curious combination of the light of dawn on the first mists of the morning that creates a very special reflection in the sky and that Buddhists consider a cause of supreme happiness. Of course, the Buddha's Halo cannot be seen every day but only when the combination of light and mist has certain properties, approximately two days each month. Nor is it a unique phenomenon of Huangshan Mountain, occurring also in other mountains where light, temperature and humidity are combined in a similar way, such as Mount Emei, another Buddhist mountain in Sichuan province.
 |
| Huangshan |
To chisel this marvel with its master hand, nature took its time, since geologists assure that the entire set of mountainous rocks emerged from the seas a hundred million years ago, acquiring the capricious forms that we now know thanks to the continuous action of the wind and water.
Hotels: Awakening with the Buddha Halo
To enjoy the sunrise, or to tempt the possibility of contemplating a Buddha Halo, you must spend the night in Huangshan. Given the construction difficulties implicit in such a wild natural element, and the impossibility of uploading certain materials, the accommodations do not reach the quality that the most demanding travelers would expect. For them, a good dozen luxury hotels have already been built in the surroundings, providing more than reasonable comfort and services that, combined with natural experiences to stay in such a suggestive landscape, will make a visit to Huangshan an unforgettable experience. Among the hotels that have best found a balance between comfort and accessibility are the Hotel Baiyun ( www.hsbyhotel.com ) and the Beihai Hotel (www.huangshan-beihai-hotel.travelchinahotel.com), both located just a 10-minute walk from some of the most famous peaks for sunrise viewing in Huangshan. These hotels offer comfortable rooms, but a bit spartan compared to hotels of a similar category located elsewhere. Its price is also higher than that which can be found at the foot of the mountains. Access must be made by a chairlift whose service ends at 4.30 pm, or spend several hours ascending the mountain until reaching the hotel.
Those who visit Huangshan as another destination within a China tour and are not willing to give up any comfort will be recommended to stay in one of the modern hotels open around this mountain, such as the Xuanyuan International Hotel, very close to the Tunxi Ancient City, the classic choice of travelers approaching the Huangshan Mountains. A little further out, the Crowne Plaza Huangshan Yucheng ( www.crowneplaza.com ), with more than 500 rooms, is the most luxurious hotel in the area. The recently opened Huangshan Golf Hotel is the only one that could rival it.