新澳门开奖结果

20 of China’s Most Breathtaking Mountains

As I crest the final rocky ridge, the vista opens to reveal waves of emerald peaks unfurling as far as I can see. I’m instantly spellbound by the magnificent sight – it’s as if I’m gazing upon a living Chinese landscape painting, with mist-veiled summits fading into the horizon. When I embarked on my journey through China’s mountains, I never imagined discovering such lost worlds waiting around the next bend. I’ve witnessed holy peaks on spiritual pilgrimages with chanting monks, stood speechless before mighty sandstone pillars erupting from vibrant forest canopies, and spent nights camping on the shores of shimmering alpine lakes far from any signs of civilization. From lonely snow-capped sentinels to the fabled heights revered in legends, China’s most breathtaking mountains have allowed me to feel their impressive power firsthand. Join me on an unforgettable odyssey into China’s mightiest and most magical ranges – where adventure and wonder reach boundless heights!

 1.Zhangjiajie’s Gravity-Defying Quartz Peaks

Zhangjiajie Forest National Park., , via Wikimedia Commons

Soaring pillar-like mountains carpeted in lush forests, Zhangjiajie National Park in Hunan Province resembles a magical land where gravity no longer exists. This UNESCO World Heritage Site conceals the world’s highest and longest glass bridge hovering 1,430 feet above a canyon, as well as the mountain that inspired the floating Hallelujah Mountains in Avatar, waiting to be discovered along miles of wooded trails. Zhangjiajie’s magical peaks, often wreathed in ethereal fog, number over 3,000 that erupt in a stunning sea of mighty stone columns, with the highest pillar stretching 2,413 feet into the clouds – prepare to feel dwarfed wandering through this alien, intriguing landscape.

2. Huangshan’s Floating Seas of Clouds

Rising abruptly from eastern China’s lowlands, Huangshan cradles jewel-green highland forests punctuated by granite peaks emerging from ethereal blankets of alpine clouds. For centuries artists have journeyed here in search of inspiration, as Huangshan is considered the ideal representation of shanshui landscape painting brought to life. Spend the night atop one of its 72 strangely-shaped peaks wreathed in legend to awaken above an infinite ocean of mist and firs at sunrise. Huangshan’s sunrises viewed from atop the sea of clouds after climbing by torchlight remain an incomparable spectacle – distant mountains materialize from the swirling ocean of white as the rising sun gradually illuminates this surreal floating world.

3. Hua Shan’s Sheer Cliffside Monasteries

Silk Road,, , via Wikimedia Commons.

Puncturing the clouds along the ancient Silk Road, Hua Shan guards the dusty valley below with five rocky peaks revered as sacred Taoist mountains. Pilgrims and hikers’ journey for days to reach its breathtaking monasteries impossibly clinging to sheer cliff faces, cross heart-pounding sky bridges hovering over thousand-foot ravines, and experience sunrise from Hua Shan’s 8,800 ft summit after a harrowing night’s climb. Vertigo is guaranteed traversing Hua Shan’s precipitous ‘plank trail’ walkways bolted into nearly vertical cliffsides – brave the sheer drops to mountains’ base along chains guiding your path to discover temples literally built into the cliffs.

4. Wulingyuan’s Towering Sandstone Pillars

Wulingyuan comprises 3,500 vivid sandstone pillars and peaks sculpted by wind and water over millennia into otherworldly shapes unlike anywhere else on the planet. Journey down the Golden Whip Stream gushing over hidden waterfalls and emerald pools amid dense forest where you’ll come face-to-face with enormous mossy pillars erupting from the ground like a lost world. Colossal 300-meter monoliths tower above Wulingyuan’s dense canopy cloaking you in perpetual dusk – prepare to stare skyward in awe at these natural skyscrapers, easily envisioning massive beanstalks reaching into the heavens.

5. Cangshan Dali’s Endless Ridgeline

Overlooking tranquil Erhai Lake, the Cangshan mountain range shields charming Dali Old Town in a ring of 18 jagged green peaks. Take the 6,500 ft cable car to admire Erhai’s rippling blue waters from above, traverse Cangshan’s extensive network of trails across highland meadows bursting with wildflowers, and discover timeworn Tibetan temples cradled amid the endless ridgeline. Circumnavigating Cangshan’s 75-mile base reveals its diverse landscape – traverse flower-cloaked slopes, stand upon dizzying cliffs, cross old-growth forests and discover over 200 unique peaks along the mountain’s spine.

6. Heaven Lake’s Remote Alpine Paradise

Changbai Mountain. , , via Wikimedia Commons

Nestled within volcanic Changbai Mountain on the China-North Korea border, stunning Heaven Lake conceals ethereal turquoise waters that seem magically suspended between glittering snowfields and lush conifer forests. Reach this remote corner of China to behold Heaven Lake’s dazzling colors set dramatically against the volcanic peaks, formed from an eruption-triggered collapse that created this breathtaking crater lake nearly 4,000 ft high. The challenging multi-day hike to Changbai’s summit at 9,003 ft offers views directly into Heaven Lake’s sunken crater where you can camp overnight next to its stunning emerald waters.

7. Mt Kailash: Holy Peak of Samsara

Mt Kailash. , , via Wikimedia Commons

Sacred to four religions, Mount Kailash rises auspiciously over western Tibet as one jewel crowning the Himalayas’ majestic roof. Venture across highlands passing crumbling 15th century Tibetan fortresses and relic-filled monasteries to complete the 32-mile kora pilgrimage circuit around this holy 22,028 ft peak and catch your first sight of Kailash’s otherworldly flanks believed to be the fabled Mount Meru center of the cosmos. Kailash is considered the legendary pillar supporting the heavens, around which the sun, planets and stars revolve – gaze upon its black and white stratified slopes and you’ll understand why it symbolizes the Buddhist yin-yang as the axis between heaven and earth.

8. Hengduan Shan’s Lost Horizons

Sprawling across Sichuan, Yunnan and Tibet, the Hengduan Mountains cradle one of 础蝉颈补’蝉 most ecologically rich alpine regions hiding millennia-old cultures, landscapes sliced by roaring rivers through deep valleys, and over 5,000 plant species cloaking skyward ridges. Traverse this offbeat region to discover lost horizons including mythical Shangri-La, traversing trails across meadows carpeted in wildflowers and discovering villages unknown to the modern world. Keep watch for golden snub-nosed monkeys, giant pandas and even clouded leopards along the Hengduan Mountains’ remotest forest valleys that conceal diverse endemic wildlife as well as cultures.

9. Yulong Snow Mountain’s Glittering Glacier

Lijiang. , , via Wikimedia Commons

Dramatically emerging from the valleys of Lijiang in northern Yunnan, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain shields vibrant Naxi villages in its colossal foothills of 13 jagged eighteen-thousand-foot peaks. Amble through fragrant pine forests and over tile-roofed bridges by rice paddies to climb towards its crowning glory – the crystal East No. 1 Glacier sparkling above 15,000 ft amid Yulong’s soaring icy ridges. Yulong’s impressive glacier present year-round is at the southernmost limit where glaciers can exist, gracing the Jade Dragon’s peaks in glistening white even as subtropical palms thrive at its feet.

10. Haba Xueshan’s Rugged Snowscapes

Far-flung amid the sea of peaks bridging Yunnan and Tibet lies China’s southernmost glacier – the Yulong Glacier coating the rocky flanks of 18,360 ft Haba Xue Mountain in crystalline white even amid the subtropical climate. Trek to the foot of this remote lesser-explored peak to soak in breathtaking vistas of Haba Xueshan from its glacier-fed lakes and discover the last culture where millet and yaks still reign supreme on the Tibetan Plateau’s southeast fringe. Haba Xueshan showcases Yunnan’s compelling clash of climate with year-round ice coating an 18,000-foot summit on one side while banana trees thrive at its base, presenting intrepid hikers with stunning diversity.

11. Songshan: China’s Most Sacred Taoist Peaks

Songshan. , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Rising as five distinct mist-wreathed peaks in Henan province along the ancient Yellow River watershed, Songshan has been revered for over two millennia as the holiest mountain in Taoism and oriental feng shui. Pilgrims seeking Taoist blessings journey for Songshan’s hundred crystal caverns concealed beneath dense forests, secluded cliffside monasteries, and the chance to experience celestial qi energy firsthand emanating from its 72 peaks. As the central mountain of the five Sacred Taoist Mountains, legend tells that Songshan’s creator was the first immortal who achieved enlightenment to reside on earth.

12. Wutai Shan’s Buddhist Wonderland

With over 200 monasteries scattered across five terraced peaks cloaked in mountain tundra, Wutai Mountain is considered China’s Buddhist paradise and abode of the Bodhisattva Manjusri. Follow pilgrims across Tibetan prayer flag-lined passes between hidden temples and discover Wutai Shan’s astonishing five-colored springs, considered holy waters manifesting in different hues flowing from the mountain’s secret mineral depths. Wutai Shan’s peaceful ambiance floating in mist makes it easy to envision the Buddhist Pure Land paradise manifesting amid its five main peaks and secluded monasteries connected by stone paths.

13. Lushan: Mountain of Immortals

Lushan., , via Wikimedia Commons

Sacred Lushan cradles misty cliffs and waterfalls rushing over granite outcrops concealing Taoist and Zen monasteries within its ancient forests. Revered as one of ancient China’s five holiest Taoist peaks, Lushan’s 72 unique summits have long lured poets, writers, monks and pilgrims seeking enlightenment through Lushan’s primordial landscapes and tranquil atmospheres evoking the Taoist immortals of legend. Lushan’s high peaks were said to be accessible only to those who attained immortality – traverse stone paths wandering through the clouds to seemingly mythical pavilions and temples hovering between heaven and earth.

14. Namtso’s Dazzling Turquoise Lake

At the roof of the world spreading below imposing Nojin Kangsang peak lies the world’s highest saltwater lake – sacred sky-blue Namtso over 16,500 ft high in the Tibetan plateau’s harsh wilderness. Gaze out in silent awe over Namtso’s crystalline waters mirroring the surrounding mountains in stunning clarity under cobalt skies, or complete the epic trek circumambulating Tibet’s most beautifully expansive and revered sacred lake. Namtso presents a magical vision – during summer from nearby peaks you can witness rainstorms over the lake while the rest of the arid plateau remains under cloudless skies.

15. Hkakabo Razi: Southeast 础蝉颈补’蝉 Highest Peak

For serious mountaineers seeking 础蝉颈补’蝉 truly extreme peaks, far-flung Hkakabo Razi on the Myanmar border rewards those who reach its summit with incomparable vistas and the prestige of scaling Southeast 础蝉颈补’蝉 mightiest mountain. Join a challenging organized expedition to ascend its lush slopes passing isolated mountain cultures and traverse its highland glaciers to stand triumphantly at 19,295 ft atop mainland Southeast Asia before an endless sea of peaks. Even most locals in the region don’t know about Hkakabo Razi lost deep within remote northern Myanmar – reach its summit to become one of only a handful of outsiders to ever stand atop Southeast Asia’s true roof.

16. Yungang Grottoes’ Sandstone Scenery

Yungang Grottoes. , , via Wikimedia Commons

Just outside Datong city rise hundreds of ancient Buddhas and Bodhisattvas carved directly into a sandstone cliff face in one of China’s most precious and stunning sacred sites – the Yungang Grottoes dating back 1,500 years. Wander through this lost world of over 51,000 ornate religious carvings and statues adorning caves, caverns and temples magically hewn into the mountain’s own sandstone skin for an experience of serene magnificence. Yungang’s interconnected grottoes and niches glow with eternal splendor hewn by ancient hands yet retain subtle natural imperfections that enhance their aura of reverence.

17. Lijiang River’s Jade Waters

Li River. Calistemon, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Carving dramatically through Guangxi’s karst peaks for over 80 miles, the winding vivid jade and emerald waters of the Li River offer a breathtaking cruise into fairy tale scenery. Drift past convoluted limestone mountains shrouded in greenery looming hundreds of feet above you from aboard traditional wooden boats, including the iconic Elephant Trunk Hill uniquely split by the gurgling river. Known as “China’s Most Beautiful Waters”, the Li River drifts past scenery reminiscent of traditional Chinese paintings unfolding on all sides from stunning water-level perspectives aboard rustic sampans.

18. Heavenly Lake of Inner Mongolia

Sparkling brilliant blue amid lush meadows and snow-capped volcanic peaks, Inner 惭辞苍驳辞濒颈补’s aptly named Heavenly Lake presents a memorably scenic scene for those who make the journey to reach this remote region. Soak up peaceful surroundings strolling the lakeshore reflecting pine forests in its glassy surface or gazing upon the small island temples gracing Heavenly Lake’s ethereal turquoise waters. Heavenly Lake’s rare color results from dissolved limestone deposits that grant its waters breathtaking aquamarine hues shifting in clarity throughout the seasons amid a landscape recalling Mongolian grasslands stretching to the horizon.

19. Shenyang Imperial Mountain Resort

Just beyond the walls of 厂丑别苍测补苍驳’蝉 grand imperial palace awaits a hidden retreat among forested hills built for Qing dynasty rulers to savor nature – and you can live imperial life yourself by staying overnight within an exclusive bed & breakfast nestled on a tranquil mountaintop here. Explore its elegant imperial gardens, discover refreshing mountain springs, watch cranes dance at dusk across secluded lakes, and relish the magic this royal mountain hideaway still retains. Shenyang’s imperial villas harmonize with the wooded hills through traditional Chinese design valuing natural integration – wander winding covered walkways dotted with ornate pavilions straight from an emperor’s idyllic romantic landscape.

20. Huashan’s Ancient Cliffside Plank Paths

China’s Loess Plateau., , via Wikimedia Commons

Dramatically arising from China’s Loess Plateau, Huashan’s five rocky granite peaks have attracted courageous pilgrims for over 1,800 years to traverse rickety wooden plank paths bolted directly into sheer cliff faces thousands of feet above the mountain’s base. Considered one of ancient China’s five great Taoist mountains, Huashan conceals breathtaking scenery along spine-tingling trails – from top-of-the-world views to walking single-file on narrow planks hovering over heart-stopping ravines straight from an ancient Chinese scroll painting. Prepare for Huashan’s vertigo-inducing hike of a lifetime! As you navigate narrow mountain paths with thousand-foot drops on either side, it’s easy to understand why emperors considered those who climbed Huashan worthy advisors who showed courage and determination.

China’s mountainous frontiers unveil majestic realms cradling lost cultures, flowering meadows cloaking 18,000 ft snow-dusted spires, and tranquil lakes mirroring jagged ridgelines for miles – where adventure awaits just a suspension bridge or trek away. Discover it for yourself in China’s mesmerizing mountains.