Mount Hua--Huà shān

Mount Hua -- Huà Shān 

Mount Hua (Chinese: 华山; pinyin: Huà Shān) is located in Shaanxi Province, about 120 kilometres east of the city of Xi'an in China. Also known as Western Great Mountain, it is one of China's Five Great Mountains, and has a long history of religious significance. Originally 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 2154.9m.

Huashan has a variety of 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, Yùquán yuàn), which is dedicated to Chen Tuan, a legendary Taoist sage.

Chen Tuan, a legendary Taoist sage 

There are two walking trails leading to Huashan's North Peak (1614 m), the lowest of the mountain's five major peaks. The most popular is the traditional route in Hua Shan Gorge first developed in the 3rd to 4th century A.D. and with successive expansion, mostly during the Tang Dynasty. It winds for 6 km from Huashan village to the north peak. A new route in Huang Pu Gorge that follows the cable car to the North Peak is actually the ancient trail used prior to the Tang Dynasty, which has since fallen into disrepair.  This trail was reinforced in early 2000. The Cable Car System stations are built next to the beginning and ends of this trail.

walking trails leading to Huashan's North Peak

From the North Peak, a series of paths rise up to the Canglong 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 until a new path was built to the east and walk around the ridge in 1998.

Huashan has historically been a place of retreat for hardy hermits, whether Daoist, Buddhist or other; access to the mountain was only deliberately available to the strong-willed, or those who had found "the way". With greater mobility and prosperity, Chinese, began to test their mettle and visit in the 1980s. The inherent danger of many of the exposed, narrow pathways with precipitous drops gave the mountain a deserved reputation for danger.

Will you have a try?