Huangshan Overview
Located in southeastern China, Huangshan City is at the southern part of Anhui Province, with Zhejiang Province to its east and Jianxi Province to its south. With a population of 1.4 million and an area of 9807 square kilometers (3786 square miles), Huangshan City is about 15 times the size of Singapore, and is the largest city of Anhui Province. It consists of 3 districts (Huangshan, Huizhou and Tunxi) and 4 counties (Qimen, Shexian, Xiuning and Yi). It was known historically as Xin'an Prefecture and Huizou Prefecture, and gained its present name in 1987 for the breathtaking beauty of Mt. Huangshan (Yellow Mountain).
The Yellow Mountain (Mt.Huangshan) range covers an area of 1200 square kilometers (463 square miles) with a well developed scenic area of 154 square kilometers (60 square miles). Yellow Mountain (Mt.Huangshan) is famous for the uniquely shaped pines, the fantastic rock peaks, the sea of clouds and the hot springs. The mystic clouds drift in and out, changing the scenery from minute to minute as the mist rises and ebbs. One would think this is where the gods reside. Of all its numerous peaks, 72 are named by their shapes or after certain historical and religious figures or themes. However, major peaks that attract most visitors are the Bright Summit, the Heavenly Capital Peak and the Lotus Flower Peak.
Throughout history, praises were heaped on Yellow Mountain (Mt.Huangshan) by famous men of letters. On his second visit to the Yellow Mountain, Xu Xiake, the famous traveler and geographer of Ming Dynasty, exclaimed: “Yellow Mountain (Mt.Huangshan) in Anhui has no equals. Once on top, one finds no other match. This is the acme!" People later concluded:" No mountain is worth seeing after a trip to the Five Sacred Mountains, and no Sacred Mountain is worth seeing after a trip toYellow Mountain (Mt.Huangshan) ". No wonder it is the only mountain which is listed in China's Top Ten Scenic Spots and designated by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee as a World Cultural and Natural Heritage site.
Besides Yellow Mountain (Mt.Huangshan) , Huangshan City offers many other tourist attractions: the UNESCO named and well-preserved ancient villages ( Xidi and Hongcun villages in Yixian County, the film site of the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), archways (in Shexian County), Taiping Lake (in Huangshan District) and Qiyun Taoist Mountain (in Xiuning County). Old houses, clan temples, ancient bridges and pagodas are abundant.
Huangshan City has two attractions named by UNESCO and many natural places of cultural interest, it has something for everyone. It is truly a first-rate tourist attraction.
As most travelers go to Huangshan City for the Yellow Mountain, we make a detailed guide about How to Spend Two Days in the Yellow Mountains to give visitors a clear and quick guide to follow.
