China's land area is vast and the natural geographical environments have obvious differences, which makes up the very different scenic spots. Magnificent mountains, rivers and lakes, countless waterfalls, and diverse weather have created the beautiful landscape of China The scenic spots that are all over the country can make people fed the beauty and magic of nature: the grand sights of the north, the elegant scenery- south of the Yangtze River, the majestic plateaus, the vast northwestern desert...

The Five Famous Mountains

The Five Famous Mountains are collectively called “Wuyue”. They are the East Mountain Taishan (located in Shandong Province), the West Mountain Iluashan (located in Shaanxi Province), the South Mountain Hengshan (located in Hunan Province), the North Mountain Hengshan (located in Shanxi Province), and the Central Mountain Songshan (located in Henan Province).

The East Mountain Taishan is the first of the Five Famous Mountains and the highest mountain in the eastern part of the Central Plains. The ancient people believed that the east side represented spring and was also a place where the auspicious purple gas came from, so Taishan became an ancient worship ground of the people and emperors. There is a saying, “If Taishan is at peace, all the seas are safe.” The mountain body of Taishan is heavy and contrasts with the changing of clouds on the mountain. The scenery is beautiful and magical. The Jade Emperor's Peak at an altitude of 1,532 meters is the highest peak of Taishan. In ancient times, many emperors climbed to worship. Along the steps from the foot of the mountain to the Jade Emperor's Peak, the majestic mountain walls of Taishan have many ancient inscriptions, which confirmed the glorious history of the Taishan culture.

The West Mountain Huashan, which is opposite from the East Mountain, is part of the Qinling Mountains The live peaks of the east, west, south, north and center look like five petals. In ancient times, the words “花(flower)” and “华 (splendid/China)” were interchangeable, so it was called "Huashan". Huashan has a turbulent climate for it is surrounded by clouds, and is like a fairyland. Although Huashan is not the highest in the Five Famous Mountains, it is the steepest and reputed as “the world’s most dangerous mountain”. There are many dangerous places on the mountain. The narrowest ridge is only one meter wide and there are cliffs on both sides. Visitors can only pass slowly while holding a rope, and those who do not have the guts should not go!

The North Mountain Hengshan is the first natural barrier to the plains of Inner Mongolia. Legend has it that more than 4,000 years ago, when Emperor Shun arrived at this place, he found that the mountain was majestic; he liked it so much that he sealed it as “North Mountain”. The scenery of Hengshan is beautiful. The pine trees, cypress trees, Buddhist temples, Taoist temples, pavilions, beautiful flowers and plants, rock formations and caves make up the famous ^w18 sceneries”. There are also many cultural relics and historic sites, such as the Hanging Temple and the Pure Sun Palace, which occupy an important position in the history of ancient Chinese architecture. Especially the Hanging Temple: looking from afar, it seems like a huge rock wall carving, so that visitors can not help but admire the superb architectural skills of the ancients.

The South Mountain Hengshan is a famous Taoist and Buddhist holy place in China. There are 72 large and small mountain peaks, among which Zhurong Peak is the highest peak. Legend has it that the fire god Zhurong lives here. The climate of Hengshan is warm and humid, and the plants on the mountain are dense, so it is called "the Natural Botanical Garden".

The Central Mountain Songshan has a unique geological structure Lind was selected as a World Geology Park by UNESCO. Songshan has ninny places of interest in the surrounding area, and China’s rich cultural traditions combine Together here. In addition to Confucian culture, Songshan sees the thriving of Buddhist and Taoist culture, the most representative of which is the Shaolin Temple. During the Tang Dynasty, the Shaolin Temple was called the “First Pagoda in the World” and is the birthplace of Zen Buddhism in China. Shaolin martial arts have been famous all over the world, and there is still a constant stream of people who come here to learn Kung Fu at the temple.

Cultural Notes

Emperor Shun

Shun, the legendary leader of the ancient Huaxia tribe, later was known as Emperor Shun.