Mount Sanqing
Mount Sanqing is located in northeast of Shangrao City, Jiangxi Province. The highest peak of the mountain range is the Yujing Peak standing at 1,816.9 metres above sea level.
This peaceful mountain acclaimed as “The Land of Peach Blossoms” is famous for its three peaks: Yujing Peak, Yuhua Peak, and Yuxu Peak, which resemble the three gods worshipped in Taoism (Sanqing means “Three Pure Ones” in Chinese).
Unique geologic structure and suitable geographic environment makes Sanqing Mountain famous. The various shapes of hills also have high aesthetic and tourism development value. About 80% of Mount Sanqing is covered by primeval forest. More than 2,500 kinds of plants can be found there, most of which can be used to make traditional Chinese medicine. Luxuriant vegetation, abundant food and a gentle sub-tropical climate make Mount Sanqing a wonderful home for rare animals.
Enchanting Beauty
The region where the Sanqing Mountain is located saw frequent movements in geological history, which explains why the mountain can reach the clouds. The long periods of erosion and the effect of gravity collapse has also contributed to the wonderful view of towering cliffs and deep, secluded valleys.
The highest peak of the mountain range is the Yujing Peak standing at 1,816.9 metres above sea level. To the north of the Yujing Peak are two peaks standing parallel – the Yuxu Peak with an altitude of 1,776 metres above sea level and and the 1,752-metre-high Yuhua Peak. The three peaks tower into the sky like three immortals sitting in a line with hovering clouds around their shoulders.
The mountain is also known for its ancient pine trees. The plants there belong to 157 families, 500 genera, and 1,088 species. The marvelous spectacle of the sea of clouds provokes an image of a wonderland. With beautiful clouds, mist and strange-shaped pine trees, Sanqing Mountain is a fairyland far from the hustle and bustle of city life.
The mountain is shrouded in mist for about 200 days each year. On misty days, dense fog envelops the mountain completely and makes you think you are wandering in the clouds. Once in a while, wind blows away the mist, and a stiff, imposing peak suddenly appears right in front of you. Sometimes you can even see the fog creep up on you, gently penetrating the pine trees on the cliff.
Because it has plenty of clouds, the mountain is an excellent place to watch the sun rise and set. Huge clouds become splendidly red, as if half the sky were on fire.
Pine trees on Sanqing Mountain are as beautiful as those on Huangshan Mountain in Anhui Province, where they are regarded as the most beautiful in China. Many pine trees on the mountain are more than 100 years old. Many years of exposure to wind, sunshine and rain have twisted their branches and wrinkled their trunks and bark, which has given them strength and charm like old men’s wisdom.
Like most mountains, the most beautiful view is from the summit of Sanqing Mountain, though the 1,800-meter-high mountain peak has remained inaccessible to ordinary tourists until recently because it is very rugged and steep.
In 1995, a cable car was built to take tourists up to about 1,600 meters high. From 1,600 meters to the peak, a concrete path was built along the sheer rock face. Walking on the path — said to be the highest tourist trail in the world — is an exciting experience.
Taoist Culture
Ever since Ge Hong, a former senior official of Jin Dynasty (265-420), left his office and came to the Sanqing Mountain to make pills of immortality as a Taoist practice, the mountain gradually became a holy place for those of past dynasties that believed in Taoism.
Especially in the Tang (618-907) and Song dynasties (960-1279), when Taoism was revered as a state religion, the construction of Taoist buildings on the Sanqing Mountain entered an unprecedented period of growth.
During the past 1,600 years, a large number of ancient Taoist buildings and cultural relics have been well preserved on the mountain. The ancient building complex has a carefully planned pattern.
In addition to its natural landscape and Taoist buildings, the Sanqing Mountain also boasts a high-altitude plank road over 4,000 metres long.
Mount Sanqing is sure to take your breath away with its breathtaking scenic views you get to see while being on top of the world, with the world at your feet.
Vocabulary
sān qīng shān
三 清 山 Mount Sanqing n.
yuán shēng lín
原 生 林 Primeval forest n.
mào shèng de zhí wù
茂 盛 的 植 物 Luxuriant vegetation
sōng shù
松 树 Pine trees n.
xī xī rǎng rǎng
熙 熙 攘 攘 Hustle and bustle adj.
