Huangshan Scenery
Huangshan - A World Heritage Site
Huangshan, also known as Yellow Mountain, is a renowned destination that holds multiple prestigious titles, including World Cultural and Natural Heritage, World Geopark, and World Biosphere Reserve. It is recognized as a National Scenic Area, a National 5A-level Tourist Attraction, and a National Civilized Scenic Tourism Area. Alongside the Yangtze River, the Great Wall, and the Yellow River, Huangshan stands as an exceptional representative of China's magnificent landscapes and splendid culture. It is hailed by people as a "Heaven on Earth" and the "Number One Fantastic Mountain." Huangshan is famous for its five unique features: extraordinary pine trees, peculiar rock formations, sea of clouds, hot springs, and winter snow.
Within its boundaries, Huangshan boasts a multitude of stunning peaks and peculiar rock formations. It is home to 88 peaks surpassing 1,000 meters in height, including the three major peaks: Lotus Flower Peak, Bright Summit Peak, and Celestial Capital Peak, all soaring above 1,800 meters in elevation. Xu Xiake, a renowned traveler from the Ming Dynasty, visited Huangshan twice and praised, "Nowhere compares to Huangshan within and beyond the sea. When you have ascended Huangshan, there is no other mountain worth visiting. It is a spectacle beyond comparison!" This sentiment has been summarized by later generations as "After witnessing the Five Sacred Mountains, other mountains are insignificant; after experiencing Huangshan, the Five Sacred Mountains become irrelevant."
Huangshan's mesmerizing beauty and cultural significance make it a must-visit destination for travelers seeking a glimpse of China's natural wonders.
Location of Huangshan in China
Huangshan is located in the southern part of Huangshan City in Anhui Province, China. It stretches approximately 40 kilometers from north to south and 30 kilometers from east to west, with a total area of around 1,200 square kilometers. The Huangshan Scenic Area covers an area of 160.6 square kilometers, spanning from approximately 118°01' to 118°17' east longitude and 30°01' to 30°18' north latitude. It extends from Huangshi in the east to Xiaolingjiao in the west, from Erlongqiao in the north to Tangkou Town in the south. The scenic area is divided into nine management zones: Wenshui, Yungu, Yuping, Beihai, Songgu, Diaochiao, Fuxi, Yanghu, and Fuquan. The buffer zone covers an area of 490.9 square kilometers and is adjacent to the administrative boundaries of five towns: Tangkou, Tanjiaqiao, Sankou, Gengcheng, Jiaocun, and Yanghu Forestry Farm.
Origin of the Name
Huangshan, originally named Yishan, derived its name from the dark and greenish rocks that appear bluish from a distance. According to legend, the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi) once gathered medicinal herbs and practiced alchemy on the mountain, achieving immortality. During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, who had a strong belief in Taoism, the name of the mountain was changed from Yishan to Huangshan in the sixth year of the Tianbao era (747 AD). The name Huangshan has been used ever since. Over the course of more than a thousand years, Huangshan has accumulated a rich culture associated with the Yellow Emperor. Famous landmarks such as Xuanyuan Peak, Liandan Peak, Rongcheng Peak, Fuqiu Peak, Danjing, Xiyao Creek, and Shaiyao Terrace are all connected to the legend of the Yellow Emperor.
Geology and Landforms
Huangshan encompasses a geological history of 800 million years, combining peak forest landforms and glacial remnants, as well as a variety of typical geological landscapes such as granite rock formations, granite caves, and springs. The front mountains have sparse jointed rock formations, with weathering in spherical shapes, presenting a majestic and robust mountain landscape. The rear mountains, on the other hand, have dense jointed rock formations, with weathering in columnar shapes, creating steep and picturesque landforms known for the characteristic of "majestic in the front, beautiful in the rear."
Ecological Environment
The ecological system of Huangshan is stable and balanced, with intact and vertically distributed plant communities. It preserves one high-altitude swamp and one high-altitude meadow, making it a gathering place for green plants. It is known as the "Botanical Treasure of East China" and the "Natural Botanical Garden." The forest coverage rate in the scenic area is 98.29%, and the greening rate of trees reaches 98.53%. This provides a shelter and breeding environment for numerous rare and endangered plants, making it a precious repository of green plant genetic resources. Huangshan is home to 2,385 species of higher plants, belonging to 244 families and 954 genera. This includes 520 species of mosses, belonging to 73 families and 184 genera; 133 species of ferns, belonging to 33 families and 60 genera; 18 species of gymnosperms, belonging to 6 families and 14 genera; and 1,714 species of angiosperms, belonging to 132 families and 696 genera.
With its rugged peaks, crisscrossing gullies, and dense vegetation, Huangshan provides an ideal habitat for wildlife, and its wildlife resources are abundant. The wild animals in Huangshan are predominantly of the East Asian realm (species originating from tropical and subtropical regions). Huangshan is home to 73 species of mammals, 246 species of birds, 28 species of amphibians, 31 species of reptiles, and 32 species of fish. In terms of invertebrates, there are 1,170 species of insects and 138 species of spiders.
Natural Climate
Huangshan is located in the subtropical monsoon climate zone. Due to its high mountains and deep valleys, the climate exhibits vertical variations, and local topography plays a dominant role in shaping the unique mountainous monsoon climate. The annual average precipitation at the mountain peak is 2,369.3 millimeters, with an average of 180.6 rainy days per year, 32.9 days of snow, 259 days of fog, and 118.7 days of strong winds. The annual average temperature is 7.9°C, with the highest temperature reaching 27°C in summer and the lowest temperature dropping to -22°C in winter. The longest dry period can reach up to 40 days. The scenic area is covered with dense forests and numerous streams and waterfalls. The air quality is consistently rated as Class I, with a daily average PM2.5 concentration of 5 micrograms per cubic meter and an air negative oxygen ion concentration consistently above 20,000 ions/cm3, earning it the reputation of being a "natural oxygen bar."