At a height of 2,160 meters above sea level and about 120km east of Xi'an, Huashan, literally Flower Mountain, is undoubtedly a sight for sore eyes.
This mountain is celebrated for its majestic breath-taking crags, steep paths, beautiful scenery and it is said to be the most precipitous mountain in the world. Until recently there was only one way to reach the top of the mountain.
One of China's sacred mountains
The mountain has for centuries been deemed as one of China's five sacred mountains, along with Mt. Hengshan in North China's Shanxi, Mt. Songshan in Central China's Henan, Mt. Taishanin East China's Shandong, and another Mt. Hengshan in Central China's Hunan Province.
In ancient China, emperors and celebrities frequented the mountain to make sacrifice to their ancestors, making it all the more holy and awe-inspiring.
Five imposing peaks
Huashan, also known as the Western Mountain (Xi yue) due to its geographical location in relation to the others, is famed as the most precipitous of the five. Along the 12km path leading from the foot of the mountainside, where it starts at the JadeFountain Temple(Yuchuan si) to its five peaks, you will get the chance to see some impressive scenes, including the strangely shaped granite peaks and the twisted pines, that make up this, one of the lesser visited of the holy mountains.
Huashan Mountainboasts five imposing peaks with sheer precipices and overhanging rocks: the east one is called the Peak of the Rising Sun which is the best location to view sunrising; the north one, the Peak of Cloud Terrace which is famous for cliffs on its three sides; the west one, the peak of Lotus; the south one, the Peak of Wild Geese which is the main peak and also the steepest of Mt. Huashan; and the central one, the Peak of the Jade Maiden, which links the east, west and south peaks. Each presents a unique scenic beauty, surrounded by over 70 minor peaks.
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