Hua Shan (华山/ 華山)

Hua Shan (华山/ 華山) is located in the Shaanxi Province(陝西省), about 120 kilometres east of the city of Xi'an(西安市), near the city Huayin(华阴市) in China. Also known as Xi Yue(西岳), literally The Western Sacred Mountain, it is the western mountain of China's Five Sacred Mountains(五岳), and has a long history of religious significance.

The 5 Sacred Mountains(五嶽 or 五岳) are:-

1. Dongyue(东岳)or East - Mount Tai or Taishan(泰山) from Shangdong Province;
2. Nan Yue (南岳)or South- Mount Heng(衡山)of Hunan Province;
3. Xi Yue(西岳)or West- Mount Hua or Huashan(华山) of Shaanxi Province;
4. Beiyue(北岳)or North- Mount Heng or Hengshan (恒山) from Shanxi Province;
5. Zhongyue(中岳)or Central - Mount Song or Songshan(嵩山) of Henan province

The 5 sacred mountains are also the 5 sacred mountains of Taoism or Daoism(道教名山). The most sacred mountain is Taishan(泰山是中国五岳之首). Coincidentally two of the mountains are with the same English name, due to pronunciation, Mount Heng; but in Chinese they are actually two different mountain, 衡山 & 恒山. Huashan is one of the most difficult and dangerous mountain among the 5 sacred mountains(“奇险天下第一山”之称).

Originally Huashan is classified as having three peaks, in modern times the mountain is classified as five main peaks, of which the highest is the South Peak at 2160 m.





Huashan is located near the southeast corner of the Ordos Loop section of the Yellow River basin(黄河流域), south of the Wei River(淮河) valley, at the eastern end of the Qinling Mountains (秦岭, Tsinling or Chinling/Qinling), in southern Shaanxi province. It is part of the Kunlun Mountains Range(昆仑山脉) that divides not only northern and southern Shaanxi, but also China.

There are 5 major peaks in Huashan. Traditionally, only the giant plateau with its summits to the south of the peak Wu Yun Feng (五雲峰, literally Five Cloud Summit) was called Tai Hua Shan (太華山, literally Grand Hua Shan or Grand Flower Mountain). It could only be accessed through the ridge known as Cang Long Ling (蒼龍嶺, literally Dark Dragon Ridge) until a second trail was built in the 1980's to go around Cang Long Ling. Three peaks were identified with respective summits: the East Peak, South Peak and West Peak.

The East Peak, Dong Feng (東峰), consists of four summits. The highest summit is Cao Yang Feng (朝陽峰, literrally Facing Yang Summit, i.e. the summit facing the Sun). It's elevation is reported to be 2096.2 meters and its name is often used as the name for the whole East Peak. This is the peak with the best view of sunrise. To the east of Cao Yang Feng is Shi Lou Feng (石楼峰, literally Stone Tower Peak), to the south is Bo Tai Feng (博台峰, literally Broad Terrace Peak) and to the west is Yu Nue Feng (玉女峰, literally Jade Maiden Peak). Yu Nue Feng is now officially recognized as the Middle Peak of Hua Shan.

The South Peak, Nan Feng, consists of three summits. The highest summit is Luo Yan Feng (落雁峰, literally Dropping Swallow Summit), with an elevation of 2154.9 meters. To the east is Song Gui Feng (松檜峰, literally Pinaceae Juniperus chinensis Peak), and to the west is Xiao Zi Feng (孝子峰, literally Filial Piety Son Peak).

The West Peak, Xi Feng has only one summit and it is known as Lian Hua Feng (蓮花峰) or Fu Rong Feng (芙蓉峰), both literally mean Lutus Flower Peak. The elevation is 2082.6 meters. This is the peak with the most beautiful view of the mountain.

With the development of new trail to Hua Shan in the 3rd to 5th century along the Hua Shan Gorge, the peak immediately to the north of Cang Long Ling, Yun Tai Feng (雲臺峰, literally Cloud Terrace Peak), was identified as the North Peak. It is the lowest of the five peaks with an elevation of 1614.9 meters.

The Middle Peak is Yu Nue Feng(玉女峰, literally means maiden peak）, which was a summit of the East Peak.

(source: wikipedia)

There are two walking trails leading to Huashan's North Peak (1613 m), the lowest of the mountain's five major peaks. The most popular is the traditional route in Hua Shan Yu (Hua Shan Gorge)华山峪（自古华山一条路） first developed in 3rd to 4th century and with successive expansion, mostly during Tang Dynasty. It winds for 6 km from Huashan village to the north peak.

A new route in Huang Pu Yu (Huang Pu Gorge, named after the hermit Huang Lu Zi who lived in this gorge in 8th century BC) that follows the cable car to the North Peak is actually the ancient trail used prior to Tang Dynasty which has since fallen into disrepair. It had only been known to local villagers living nearby at the gorges until 1949, when a group of 7 PLA with a local guide used this route to climb to North Peak and captured over 100 KMT soldiers stationed in North Peak and along the routes in the traditional route. This trail is now known as "The Route Intelligent Take-over of Hua Shan" and has reinforced in early 2000. The Cable Car System stations are built next to the beginning and ends of this trail.

From the North Peak, a series of paths rise up to the Cang Long Ling, which is a climb more than 300 meters on top of a mountain ridge. This was the only trail to go to the four other peaks, the West Peak (2038 m), the Center Peak (2042 m), the East Peak (2100 m) and the South Peak (2160 m), until a new path was built to the east and walk around the ridge in 1998.

Huashan has many temples and other religious structures on its slopes and peaks. At the foot of the mountain is the Cloister of the Jade Spring (玉泉院), which is dedicated to Chen Tuan(陈抟, 871-989) or Master Xīyí(希夷先生). The temple that built by Emperor Hang Wu Ti(汉武帝)of Hang Dynasty, Xiyue Temple(西嶽庙),is ranked as the No. 1 temple among the 5 sacred mountains(“五岳第一庙").(而建于汉武帝在位時的西嶽庙，有着“陕西故宫”和“五岳第一庙”之稱誉，這是五岳中建制最早和面積最大的庙宇). Huashan is one of the sacred mountain for Taoism.



If you know Chinese, the blog article from http://synyan.spaces.live.com/Blog/cns!1pke1atbC-jPGExNNnM98VzA!2576.entry is a good read. This is in view that the scenic points in China and Huashan are descriptive by using Chinese language including proverbs and stories from kongfu movie and classic literature books. e.g. Hua Shan Yu (Hua Shan Gorge) or 华山峪 is "自古华山一条路" which is translate to " from the ancient time there is only one road in Huashan".

The classical literature praised highly of Huashan since ancient time. Zhang Binglin(章太炎, December 25, 1868 — June 14, 1936) was a Chinese philologist, textual critic and anti-Manchu revolutionary. From his research, it revealed that Huashan is one of the source of Chinese civilization(华山是中华民族文化的发祥地之一). Zhonghua(中华), Huaxia(华夏), the names used to represent China or Chinese civilization, are derived from the name of Huashan(“中华”、“华夏” 皆因华山而得名). The name " Hua(华)" means Chinese e.g. Huaren mean Chinese people. Hua Shan can also means the mountain of Chinese. Many ancient scholars and poets have been to Huashan, including Du Fu(杜甫), Li Po(李白), not only that historically 56 emperors had visited Huashan. Huashan is significant in Chinese history, both culturally, politically, and in religion.

“巨灵咆哮劈两山，洪波喷流射东海”, 詩仙李白; how am I to translate it in English?....by enlightened poet or heavenly poet(詩仙) Li Bai or Li Po(李白). Some believe that Li Bai's birthplace is Chu, Kazakhstan while another candidate is Suiye (Chinese: 碎叶城;) in Central Asia (near modern-day Tokmok, Kyrgyzstan). However, his family had originally dwelt in Shaanxi Province(陝西省成纪), what is now southeastern Gansu(甘肃靜寧), and later moved to Jiangyou, near modern Chengdu in Sichuan province, when he was five years old. Li Po had been to Huashan often, and left many poems and calligraphy carving on the rocks. Carving poems on the rock is a form of Chinese art. In Huashan, you will be indulged in the atmosphere of Chinese classic art and literature, surrounding by nature, and the interaction of nature and human expression of their love.

The kongfu classic literate or Wuxia novels(武俠小說) have always used Huashan in their stories; and Huashan sect(华山派)is one of the powerful sect in kongfu(功夫) or wushu((武術)or Chinese martial arts. The Huanshan sect originate from Huashan or Hua Mountain. Huashan sect is good at sword fighting. The other major sects are Shaolin sect (少林派)from Shaolin Monastery (少林寺), Wudang Sect(武當派) from Wudang Mountains (武當山),Emei sect(峨嵋派)from Mount Emei (峨嵋山) and Kunlun sect(崑崙派)from Kunlun Mountains (崑崙山). The novels by authors Jin Yong (金庸), Liang Yusheng (梁羽生), Gu Long (古龍), Wen Ruian (溫瑞安) are the popular one. The world of martial arts is called Jianghu (江湖). So Huashan is a popular place for people from Jianghu, they will challenge their opponents to fight or compare their skills in martial arts, especially sword fighting, they called it "Huashan loon chian"(華山論劍)or literally means the discussing or sharing of the sword fighting skills at Huashan, to compete for the best sword fighter in Jianghu(爭奪當世第一高手之榮耀). Huashan become famous among the people from Jianghu or martial arts world , and the Wuxia novels readers. That is why Huashan is the top prize for all martial art hero or Jianghu how jia(江湖豪杰), maybe the roughness and difficulty of the climb reflect the spiritual pursuit of martial art students. It is also the place for people who are not willing to work for the emperor or involved in the Jianghu anymore, decide to spend their life hiding and farming in the mountain. These people who have isolated themselves from Jianghu and outside world and escaped in Huashan are called hermit from Jianghu(江湖隐士). Here, you are really in the story of Wuxia novels(武俠小說)....in Huashan - the natural Disneyland of Wuxia novels......

In the Mountains(by: Li Bai (701-762) translated by Shigeyoshi Obata)

Why do I live among the green mountains?
I laugh and answer not, my soul is serene:
It dwells in another heaven and earth belonging to no man.
The peach trees are in flower, and the water flows on....

Extract from http://synyan.spaces.live.com/Blog/cns!1pke1atbC-jPGExNNnM98VzA!2576.entry :

传统登山路线（适合体力佳者）为：第一日晚9点从华山门上山，沿千尺幢、百尺峡爬山。大约在第二日早5点左右到东峰观日台看日出，看完日出大约在早7点左右，然后去东峰（从云梯上），在东峰下到鹞子翻身、下棋亭。下东峰到东峰的另一侧，前往南峰也就是华山极顶。上顶，路过南天门，进去后见长空栈道。长空栈道回来就上顶峰（南峰）了。一路顺着走下去下南峰到西峰。西峰后有一处人迹罕至的桃花林。从西峰绕中峰，下山。下山路上可去老君犁沟。下山路上一路有很多的景点，所以可以拍到晚上上山拍不到的照片。约第二日下午4点左右可下山到华山山门。

过了玉泉院再过了火车站就到了华山脚下。远山黑黝黝的就像神一般的俯视着我们。票又涨价了——120元2人。进山后清新的空气雨后泥土的芬芳扑鼻而来。山涧涔涔的流水声是那么的动听。脚下的石块路在手电的照射下一望无尽。

山路很长。一路上经过" 白蛇中箭处”和“混元石”、“鱼石”、“三里坝”、“五里关”、“石门”、“毛女洞”。这条长长的山路叫“华峪”，是给诸人热身用的——而事实上诸人早已热了，在入山的地方偶就把厚牦牛绒衫脱掉了。不过毕竟是四月的山间，雾气颇重，悠悠的山岚吹来还正是凉。猛然间才发现已可看见呼出的雾气了，说明气温应在十度以下吧！

过了毛女洞就到了云门和青柯坪。这里已经可以说过了华山一半的路，山就开始陡峭起来——其实一直都很陡峭，只是山路刚刚开始陡起来吧！

到“回（辶回）心石”时大约是凌晨一点半。又长又窄的山路上挤满了今夜欲上山的观光客。而大家的目的都是去看日出。而手电就开始发挥它的巨大效用，用来对景。“回心石”者，取其“胆怯者望而生畏，回心出峪”之意，又相传“两个和尚曾在此弃恶扬善”

这条路约有80多度，峰回路转。向上望去，隐约看到上头手电在怪石嶙峋的山峰间一闪、两闪……回心石前对联“石前万丈陡，崖直通云端”果真是名如其实：高近一里，行磐蹬三百七十余级。偶顺着石阶缓慢的，一步步地往上攀爬。幸好有铁链，不过还是难于想象古人是怎么上的啊！前头有一条极窄的通道，巨石当空。十年前在此曾因为链断而死四十余人，四军大华山抢险因此而得名。再往上一点就到了百尺峡了。刚才的千尺幢，如一条长梯般的往下垂，连自己也搞不清是怎么上来的，何况还是晚上。而百尺峡似乎险不及千尺幢，但却犹陡一些。可是，更陡的还在后头呢！

终于来到了老军犁沟上方的交叉路。忽然间寒风凛冽起来，把偶冻个不防！手忙脚乱把毛衣穿上，这才后悔听信谗言未把毛裤带上。北峰脚下的平台上，一百来人忙于租军大衣。可是接过一看，不仅要20元一人，而且又脏又湿实在不划算，就免了。把那件外锦内涤绒的Baleno的拉链拉到顶，倒也不觉得有多寒冷了，只是腿实在有些吃不消，何况穿的是薄的牛仔裤。

过了擦耳崖就到了天梯。天梯者，绝壁当道攀索而上独如登天。为了方便游客登山现在又开了一条天梯，但两条是差不多陡的。可是对那些每日挑几十斤担的挑山工来说左边就要容易一些了。

然后是苍龙岭：好几百个石阶从底到顶，如同一条长长的云梯。两旁有很多扶手，完全不必担心会摔下去。这里的风仍是不减，吹的雨衣沙沙直响，吹的人儿摇摇晃晃。

凌晨四点半，来到了五云峰——金锁关。昨日下了雪，故铁链上厚厚的都是雪。而那重重叠叠的金锁，刻着数不清的恋人们的山盟海誓；那一条条的红线，诉说着一个一个的爱情故事。小心而下。远方的三秦大地，渭河平原，沉寂宁静，灯火阑珊。东方地平线上，依稀一线鱼肚白。是时候加快速度了。这时偶两人与那几个住研院的已走散，干脆加快脚步，以争取在东峰（朝阳峰）下的观日台看日出。在积雪的森林小道上前行，也不知过了多久，大约在凌晨5点10分来到了观日亭！

(extract from http://synyan.spaces.live.com/Blog/cns!1pke1atbC-jPGExNNnM98VzA!2576.entry)

华山千尺幢

千尺幢千尺‘山童. “幢”意为：1、chuáng，古代旗帜一类的东西； 2、刻着佛号或经咒的石柱子；3、zhuàng，<方>量词。又听当地山民发音是“chuǎn”，于是猜想“千尺幢”大概是指“千尺的咒文铺陈的山路”吧！



HuaShan Plank Path Walking華山長空棧道